WLP was started by IACPA, a non-profit organization with a mission to encourage the Indian-American community to participate in the American democracy. Seen in photo, at left, is Congressman Brad Sherman, who said he came to the reception looking for an intern “because I don’t have an intern from your program right now.”

I’m Brad Sherman from America’s best named city, Sherman Oaks, California. I represent about half the San Fernando Valley in the United States Congress so if you have friends in Northridge or Grenada Hills, tell them you’ve got a good Congressman whether you think so or not. I serve on the International Relations Committee and I’m the Ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee that deals with Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation.

I don’t have to tell you how important it is for us to cooperate with India in the efforts against terrorism. Every politician who comes here has an ulterior motive, for most it is because they want the food, in my case, I don’t have an intern from your program right now. We need the help. So my hope is that interns will be available and it may not be an official part of your program but there are those that want to be interns in the Spring, Fall, and Winter rather than the Summer when you all are here and in August when we are all gone.

I want to thank Joe Crowley for his efforts in leading the Indian Caucus. I’ve been a member of that Caucus since I got here eight years ago and Joe, thanks for bringing to my attention that bill to name a building after Congressman Saund. I certainly want to be an original co-sponsor of that bill. When it comes to renaming federal buildings it is pretty much left up to the delegation from the relevant state. Needless to say, the hardest in which to rename buildings is California where you have to get 53 co-sponsors of the bill.

One thing that I also want to point out is that I serve to some of the businesses in my district and around LA as an advisor on the politics side of their business. Many of them for one reason or another feel the need to manufacture abroad and I hope you would pass on the word to many that the place to go is India because it is not just a matter of what the accountants can do for you. You have to look long term in investments. The upcoming revaluation of the yuan will make Chinese goods more expensive. But even more important, India and the United States share the value of democracy and the rule of law. And they share the stability of having a government that reflects popular will. It can be messy. It can be bureaucratic. But you come that to China where these could be possible conflicts with the United States. Things have gotten very ugly in the straits of Taiwan for various periods of time and lets face it, the Chinese government has no justification, no ideology to support its continued mastery of the Chinese people, a contradiction that will be resolved smoothly or not so smoothly.

Compared to India where you have a Democratic government and it becomes clear that investments in India are far more secure.

I want to take this moment to introduce Sharon Singh. Sharon is my Press Secretary, which means she has the hardest job in the world, that is, to make me look good. Sharon is able to accomplish this in spite of its great difficulty.

I want to congratulate the Washington Leadership Program for bringing all of you to Washington. I know you’ll learn a lot. Just think of how much you could learn if you were an intern in Sherman’s office in the Spring, the Fall or the Winter.