Washington [US], February 9 (ANI): Indian American Congressman Ami Bera has been elected as Ranking Member of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee that handles the Indo-Pacific region.

After being elected by his colleagues to serve in the position, Ami Bera in a statement said, "I am proud to continue my leadership on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific remains the most consequential region of the world for our national security, economic interests, and values."Ami Bera stressed that he is committed to working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the challenges faced by the Indo-Pacific region and the need for economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that he looks forward to continuing to help "the Subcommittee's bipartisan work towards supporting a more free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.""I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the many challenges facing the region, including the People's Republic of China's aggressive and coercive actions, the dire need for economic recovery post-pandemic, and the backsliding of democracy and human rights," Ami Bera stated in the statement.

Ami Bera has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee since entering Congress in 2013. During the 117th Congress, Bera chaired the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, where he spearheaded efforts to reinvigorate US ties with its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, according to the statement.

Bera has travelled to Japan, South Korea, India, and Vietnam and worked to build strong ties with government and civil society leaders in the Indo-Pacific region. In December 2022, US President Joe Biden signed into law four Bera-led provisions that strengthen American security and leadership in the Indo-Pacific. (ANI)