US embassy cable - 05BRASILIA1407

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 001407 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ECA/PE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAO, SCUL, BR, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: BRAZIL/US CONGRESS-TO-CONGRESS OUTREACH STRATEGY 
 
REF: REITER/MALHEIRO EMAILS 5/18-19/2005 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  In recent years, Mission Brazil has worked 
hard to strengthen institutional links and dialogue between 
the Brazilian and US Congresses.  The overall strategy is to 
increase contacts and interaction both among Members and 
staffers based on the expectation of short- and long-term 
benefits on issues of mutual interest, and particularly on 
controversial topics where consolidating bilateral support 
can push the agenda forward.  We have used a variety of 
tactics.  We have organized and sponsored many visits to the 
US by Brazilian Congresspersons and staff, we have worked 
together with the American Chambers of Commerce in Brazil 
(particularly in Sao Paulo) and with the Brazil-US Business 
Council in Washington on joint projects, we have hosted 
visiting US Members and staffers and facilitated their 
contacts in Brazil, and we have worked closely with the 
Brazilian Congress on topics of mutual interest --including 
their efforts to revitalize their US-Brazil Caucus.  There 
have been two key foci of this project:  free trade and 
agriculture, and we are increasingly expanding into other 
areas as well, such as institutional structures of Congress, 
intellectual property, and human rights.  This is an ongoing 
project, there is no end-date or easily-achievable target. 
Rather, it is something that we see as part-and-parcel of our 
outreach and advocacy work and that we have built into our 
long-term agenda.  END SUMMARY. 
 
FREE TRADE HAS BEEN KEY FOCUS 
----------------------------- 
2. (SBU) The topic of free trade is a natural focus for this 
project, given the US and Brazilian roles as co-chairs of the 
FTAA negotiations.  Many US officials have been impressed by 
the support for FTAA in Brazil among the business and 
financial communities, and in the cities and states.  Yet 
this support has not consolidated into a unified "free trade 
movement" here.  Thus we have worked hard to educate 
officials in the Brazilian Congress about US perspectives, 
how complexities such as congressional participation play out 
during and after negotiations, and the recent history of free 
trade pacts (e.g., NAFTA). 
 
SUCCESS WITH BIOTECHNOLOGY 
-------------------------- 
3. (SBU)  The second hot topic is biotechnology.  Through a 
series of outreach projects the Brazilian debate over biotech 
has come a long way in recent years --from a heated polemic 
about US imperialism to a more-reasoned analysis of health, 
environmental and economic factors.  Brazilian farmers have 
long used biotech seeds (notably Monsanto's Roundup Ready 
soybean), but, because the regulatory regime here was so 
uncertain, most of this use was borderline illegal.  In March 
2005, the Brazilian Congress passed the landmark "Biosafety 
Law", favorable to US interests, that facilitates approval of 
biotechnology products from research to planting.  We believe 
the Mission's intensive outreach was an important catalyst 
for the law's passage. 
 
US-BRAZIL CAUCUSES 
------------------ 
4. (SBU) Underutilized partners in this process are the 
Brazil Caucus in the US House and the parallel US "Frente" in 
the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies.  The two institutions are 
similar:  loosely-organized, including Members with a range 
of views and ideologies, and driven by a handful of past and 
present Members who follow bilateral issues most closely (in 
the US House we note the interest of Reps. William Jefferson, 
Cass Ballenger, Phil English, and Jim Kolbe).  The US Frente 
in the Brazilian lower house was once a handy vehicle for 
anti-US rhetoric from Brazil's most left-wing politicians. 
But recently, moderate Members and staffers who have visited 
the US as part of our programming have begun to rethink the 
Frente so it can become a more active and constructive 
partner in the Congress-to-Congress dialogue.  These efforts 
are still inchoate, and the Frente (like the House Caucus) 
has yet to reach its full potential.  We also work closely 
with other bodies in the Brazilian Congress, including the 
Foreign Affairs Committee and the Special Committee for FTAA. 
 
 
VISITS TO U.S. BY BRAZILIAN CONGRESS 
------------------------------------ 
5. (SBU) These are some of the programs for Brazilian 
congressional officials organized in recent years by the 
Mission: 
 
- April 2002, Economic Impact / Biotechnology Codel.  Federal 
Deputy visits Washington to discuss consequences of 
biotechnology regulation.  International Visitor (IV) program 
organized by Brasilia PA. 
- December 2002, Economic Impact Staffdel.  Five 
Congressional staffers from both Senate and Chamber visit 
Washington to observe negotiations in US congress on FTAA 
issues.  IV program organized by Brasilia PA. 
 
- June 2003, Biotechnology Codel.  24-person delegation led 
by seven Brazilian Federal Deputies (from left to right, 
ideologically), plus scientists, NGO representatives, and GoB 
officials visits Washington and St.Louis to discuss 
biotechnology, including the regulatory framework, 
legislation, and issues such as labeling and environmental 
impact.  Washington meetings include House Ag Committee, Dept 
of Agriculture, and FDA.  Organized by Brasilia FAS and POL. 
 
- October 2003, Economic Impact Staffdel.  Six-person group 
of Brazilian Congressional staffers from various committees 
(e.g., Agriculture, Foreign Affairs) visits Washington, New 
York, and Houston to discuss free trade and its impact on 
local economies.  Washington meetings include House Ag and 
International Relations Cttes and individual Members, Dept of 
State, and USTR.  IV program organized by Brasilia and Sao 
Paulo PA, POL, ECON, and AmCham Sao Paulo. 
 
- January 2004, Free Trade Codel.  Six-person delegation 
including five Federal Deputies visits Washington and Mexico 
City to discuss free trade and get perspectives on NAFTA and 
FTAA. Washington meetings include State Dept (U/S Larson), 
USTR, House and Senate Ag Cttes, Rep Jim Kolbe and Rep Phil 
English.  Organized by Brasilia USAID, POL, and ECON. 
 
- February 2004, Digital TV Staffdel.  Six staffers from both 
Senate and Chamber visit Washington to discuss digital TV 
legislation and commercial practices.  IV program organized 
by Brasilia PA and FCS. 
 
- March 2004, Public Relations Staffdel.  Senior Senate 
staffer visits Washington to learn about USG approaches to 
public relations.  IV program organized by Brasilia PA. 
 
- April 2004, Human Rights / Biotechnology Codel.  Federal 
Deputy visits Washington to discuss biotechnology as well as 
a range of human rights issues.  Voluntary Visitor (VV) 
program organized by Brasilia PA and POL. 
 
- April 2004, Free Trade Staffdel.  Eight-person group of 
Brazilian Congressional staffers visits Washington, New York, 
and Texas to discuss free trade, with perspectives of NAFTA 
experience.  VV program organized by Brasilia ECON, PA and 
POL. 
 
- May 2004, Economic Security Staffdel.  Senate legislative 
advisor visits Washington to discuss economic security.  IV 
program organized by Brasilia PA. 
 
- July 2004, Economic Legislation Staffdel.  Two-person group 
(a Congressional legislative advisor and an analyst from 
Brazilian National Confederation of Industries) visits 
Washington to discuss economic legislation and interests.  IV 
program organized by Brasilia PA. 
 
- April 2005, Functioning of Congress Staffdel.  Six-person 
group of Congressional staffers visits Washington, Boston, 
and Annapolis to learn about administrative functions in 
federal and state legislatures, including personnel, 
security, legislative process, and "freshman orientation" for 
newly-elected Members.  This program is designed to launch a 
series of exchange visits by staffers to share ideas on these 
topics.  VV program organized by Brasilia POL and PA. 
 
- April 2005, Functioning of Congress Staffdel.  Senior 
Chamber staffer visits Washington to meet with the 
Congressional Budget Office and USG experts on economic 
forecasting.  IV program organized by Brasilia PA. 
 
- April 2005, Free Trade Codel.  Six-person delegation of 
Brazilian Congresspersons visits Washington and New Orleans 
to discuss free trade, including Congressional participation 
and implementation.  Organized by Brasilia POL, with IRI as 
implementer. 
 
- for July 2005, Agriculture Codel.  Delegation of eight 
Members of the Chamber's Agriculture Committee to visit 
Washington and Iowa to discuss agriculture policies, 
including drought response, crop insurance, and 
biotechnology.  Organized by Brasilia FAS. 
 
6. (SBU) Beyond these programs, the Mission maintains close 
contact with key members of the Brazilian Congress on 
specific issues of interest --for example with Sao Paulo 
Federal Deputy Julio Semeghini who heads a committee on 
intellectual property (U/S Larson met with Semeghini in 
Brazil in 2004); and with Pernambuco Federal Deputy Carlos 
Cadoca who is pushing a bill to exempt US visitors to Brazil 
from visa requirements.  In the other direction, many in the 
US Congress have developed strong connections in Brazil in 
recent years.  Members including Sen. Bill Nelson, Speaker 
Dennis Hastert, and Reps. Jim Kolbe and William Jefferson as 
well as many staffers have cultivated contacts in the 
Brazilian Congress through the Mission's efforts.  Rep. 
Jefferson in particular, has developed excellent ties in the 
business, cultural, and afro-Brazilian communities here.  We 
would welcome greater engagement from the US Congress and 
would be pleased to facilitate contacts, visits, and 
exchanges of information and ideas with interested US 
lawmakers. 
 
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE 
--------------------- 
7. (SBU) The Congress-to-Congress dialogue is an ongoing 
project for Mission Brazil.  With the turnover of Members and 
staff in both Congresses and the revolving array of topics of 
interest, we do not foresee an end-date to this effort.  We 
will continue programming visits of Brazilian lawmakers to 
the US and other events (for example, the embassy and IRI are 
sponsoring a seminar in the Brazilian Congress on Political 
Reform in August).  We are pleased to see periodic successes, 
such as the passage of Brazil's Biosafety Law, or a dramatic 
change in rhetoric among those with whom we work.  In several 
cases, we have observed Brazilian legislators who were 
formerly outspoken anti-US activists become --if not pro-US 
in outlook-- at least more educated on specific topics, less 
likely to fill the press with unhelpful rhetoric, and more 
interested in discussing topics constructively.  This program 
is an important element of the Mission's overall outreach and 
advocacy, and we anticipate continuing and expanding our 
efforts into the future. 
DANILOVICH