[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4378]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE UNI-CAPITOL WASHINGTON INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 15, 2007

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program. Since the program's 
inception in 2000, I have been a proud participant.
  For the past seven years, 12 students from all across Australia are 
selected to participate in the eight-week Uni-Capitol Washington 
Internship Program, an opportunity that exposes them to the 
administrative and legislative processes that underpin the functioning 
of Congress as a democratic institution, Such experiences are 
invaluable opportunities for these students to gain knowledge and a 
deep understanding of the internal workings of the United States 
Government while bringing their own skills and backgrounds to their 
respective Congressional offices.
  The Uni-Capitol Program selects undergraduates from 7 universities by 
exclusively matching the applicants with Members and Senators who share 
their views, as well as with various committee offices that relate to 
their interests and fields of study. The students who are selected come 
from a variety of academic disciplines, but all have a common interest 
in learning about and promoting the U.S.-Australia relationship. These 
student placements are enhanced by the formation of genuine friendships 
and the exchange of views and ideas between the Australian interns and 
their respective offices. I continue to enjoy the interaction that 
frequently occurs between my Australian and American interns. This, my 
colleagues, is how we build diplomatic relationships which will ensure 
that the U.S. and Australia remain friends and allies for years to 
come.
  For the past two months, my office has had the good fortune of 
hosting an amazing young woman from Australia, Anu Ambikaipalan, who is 
completing a double degree in law and international studies at Deakin 
University. Throughout the duration of Anu's tenure in my office, she 
has conducted herself admirably. Her willingness to learn and 
contribute to the legislative process through crafting legislation for 
the state of Florida as well as nationwide, has cemented a relationship 
indicative of the one the U.S. and Australia have shared for so many 
years. Anu has fast become an asset to my staff and we will be sorry to 
see her go.
  Anu is participating with 11 other very qualified students. Emmanuel 
Rohan from the University of Queensland is in Representative Mike 
Castle's office; Sylvia Gaston from the University of Melbourne is in 
Representative James Clyburn's office; Charis Tierney from the 
University of Queensland is in Senator Mike Crapo's office; Nicole 
Woodmansey from Griffith University is in Senator Christopher Dodd's 
office; Clare Ashby from the University of Melbourne in the office of 
Rep. Philip English; Anna Keenan (University of Queensland is in 
Representative Sam Farr's office; Nisha Sundaresan from Deakin 
University is in Senator Chuck Hagel's office; Megan Bainbridge from 
the University of Melbourne is in Representative Jerrold Nadler's 
office; Stuart Broadfoot from the University of Western Australia is in 
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's office; Jennifer Grant from the 
University of Queensland is in Representative Loretta Sanchez's office; 
Michael Ng from the University of Melbourne is with the House 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's majority staff.
  As we move to acknowledge the seventh successful year of this 
program, I would like to commend the founder and director the Uni-
Capitol Internship Program, Eric Federing. Eric is a former senior 
House and Senate staffer of more than a dozen years, who successfully 
combined his experience in Washington with his extensive travels and 
lectures throughout Australia into an ingenious program of diplomatic 
exchange through cultural appreciation and understanding. I heartily 
congratulate him on making his vision a reality. This program is the 
right step in the direction of supporting our young people who have a 
passion for and commitment to civic engagement and public service.
  Over the years, my staff and I have greatly benefited from 
participating in this program, as I believe it continues to provide a 
unique and important bridge between the United States of America and 
Australia in many respects, especially in the arena of promoting people 
to people relationships that are just as key if not more than our 
military and economic relationships. I have said this in years past, 
and I will say it again: I implore my colleagues to participate in this 
worthwhile program when the opportunity is made available.

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