Number 304 | September 12, 2016
The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) expresses its deepest appreciation and gratitude to the Hon. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky who resigned from the U.S. Congress at the end of August. Whitfield was the co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans and of the Congressional Study Group on Turkey (CGST) of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (USAFMC). As a member of Congress, he was an ardent supporter of the U.S.-Turkey relationship and a voice on Capitol Hill for Turkish Americans.
Whitfield, as the Republican Co-Chair, founded the Turkey Caucus in 2001 along with his Democratic counterpart former Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida. Their original objective was to have 25 members in the Caucus. The growth of the Caucus, however, exceeded their expectations. At the time of his resignation, the membership was 155, with 43 of the 50 states and all six territories represented.
Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX/32nd) has succeeded Whitfield as the Republican Co-Chair of the Caucus. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN/9th), Gerry Connolly (D-VA/11th) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC/5th) continue to serve as the other Caucus Co-Chairs.
