Dear Mackinder Forum members,
My name is Eric Zalcman, and I am honored to serve as the inaugural Mackinder Forum Congressional Fellow in the U.S. House of Representatives. Earlier this month, I began my role in the office of Representative Jim Costa (D-CA), where I oversee the Congressman's portfolio on the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) and related issues of national security and economic statecraft.
Given Representative Costa's leadership on these issues, I am charged with drafting, leading, and supporting legislative efforts, staffing hearings and liaising with HFAC, and regularly engaging with stakeholders and interest groups. In addition to his seat on HFAC and its Subcommittee on Europe, Representative Costa is Ranking Member of the U.S. Delegation to the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD), co-chair of the Portuguese Caucus, and a member of congressional caucuses on the European Union, Ukraine, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Armenia, Greece and Cyprus, India, Romania, Taiwan, Australia, Ireland, Spain, and Wales, as well as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission—all of which fall under my purview. I have already begun advancing existing legislation and conceiving new ideas for supporting Ukrainian defense technologies, bolstering NATO cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and facilitating technology transfers to U.S. allies.
In my short time here, I have been struck by just how much infrastructure exists to support congressional staff. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) contains a vast library of in-depth analyses on any legislative topic and produces bespoke presentations upon request, often within days. Interest groups and think tanks run a constant stream of briefings and receptions in the Capitol to educate staff on their issue set, and staff organize themselves into associations and informal networks to circulate resources and facilitate mentorship.
Alongside my work in the office, my goal is to establish the Mackinder Forum and our members as a go-to resource for staffers navigating foreign policy issues through our unique geopolitical lens and network of experts. In parallel, I hope to serve as a resource to the Forum's membership on American foreign policy-making through publications, and to provide a platform for you to share your own expertise through activities on Capitol Hill. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, or with ideas for future articles, products, or events.
I am deeply grateful to the Mackinder Forum for this opportunity, and to all of you for the community of expertise and partnership that makes it possible. I look forward to getting to know many of you better in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Eric Zalcman