Mentors

The U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress shows wonderful hospitality to Gulf delegates!

Former congressional members have volunteered to act as Mentors to the 20 delegates coming from Kuwait and Oman.  Through personal meetings and home hospitality, they guide delegates through the U.S. political landscape. These mentors are also quite eager to learn more about Kuwait and Oman and develop lasting friendships and ties in the region.

Many thanks to the  following people who acted as mentors for the Spring Delegation.  Fall Mentors to be announced soon.

1. Scott Klug (Republican Co-Chair)
Home District: Wisconsin’s 2^nd District
Years in Office: 1991-1999  (Four terms)
Committees While in Office: Energy and Commerce
Education: Lawrence University, BA; Journalism, MA, 1976; University of Wisconsin, MBA
Occupation: Public Affairs Director, law firm of Foley & Lardner

2. Larry LaRocco (Democratic Co-Chair)
Home District: Idaho’s 1^st District
Years in Office: 1991-1995  (Two terms)
Committees While in Office: Banking, Interior
Education: University of Portland, BA; The Stanford University Institute of TV and Radio; Boston University, MS; Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
Occupation:  Policy Director of Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Shreck, a law and government relations firm.

3. Jim Slattery (Democrat)
Home District: Kansas 2nd District
Years in Office: 1983-1995  (six terms)
Committees While in Office: Energy and Commerce, Veterans’ Affairs, Financial Services, Budget and Banking
Education: B.S. Washburn University; J.D., Washburn University School of Law; Studied at Netherlands School of International Economics and Business
Occupation: Law Firm of Wiley Rein

4. Phil English (Republican)
Home District: Pennsylvania’s 3^rd and 21^st Districts (due to redistricting)
Years in Office: 1995-2009  (Seven terms)
Committees While in Office: Ways and Means Committee
Education: University of Pennsylvania, BA
Occupation: Senior Government Relations Advisor, Law Firm of Arent Fox LLP

5. Butler Derrick, Jr. (Democrat)
Home District: South Carolina’s 3^rd District
Years in Office: 1975-1995  (Ten terms)
Committees in Office: Budget, Rules, Democratic Steering and Policy Committee
Education: University of South Carolina, University of Georgia Law School
Occupation: Partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

6. Beverly Byron
LFP Mentee: Mona Ameen, Kuwait
Home District: Maryland’s 6th District
Years in Office: 1979-1993  (Seven terms)
Committees While in Office: Armed Services Committee, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, House Select Committee on Aging
Education: Hood College, Frederick, Maryland
Biography: After college, Byron became involved in several nonprofit groups and in fundraising for the Democratic Party. She was elected to Congress to replace her husband, Representative Goodloe Byron, who died in 1978. Like her husband, Byron was a conservative Democrat. Rep. Byron served as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, where she was elected sub-committee chairman having oversight of 42% of the Defense Department’s budget.  In 1987, she was elected Chairman of the Military Personnel and Compensation subcommittee, becoming the first woman chosen for a prominent leadership role on the Armed Services Committee.  During her tenure, she presided over policy issues that, with the dismantling of the Warsaw Pact and the stunning changes in the Soviet Union, reshaped the American military. In addition to her committee assignments, Mrs. Byron was appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve on the Leadership Task Force on AIDS and the Task Force on Health in 1988 and 1989 respectively.  She was defeated in the 1992 Democratic primary by a somewhat more liberal challenger, State Delegate Thomas Hattery. Hattery went on to lose to Republican Roscoe Bartlett in the general election.   Beverly Byron is the daughter-in-law of William D. Byron and Katharine E. Byron, who both represented Maryland’s 6th district in Congress from 1939–1941 and 1941–1943, respectively.