By Ruben Avxhiu
With 54 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and five U.S. Senators, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is one of the most influential political organizations in the United States. Over the years, many of its members have also been valued friends and supporters of the Albanian-American community.
Last weekend, CBC PAC—the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus—hosted its annual retreat in New York City. The event brought together elected officials, community leaders, advocates, and supporters for discussions on public policy, political priorities, and community engagement, while also providing opportunities to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones in an informal setting.
Vehbi Bajrami, publisher of Illyria newspaper, board member of the Albanian American Relations Council (AARC), and former director of the Albanian Language Service at Voice of America, attended the retreat and met with members of Congress and other political leaders.
Bajrami was invited by Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of CBC PAC.
Rep. Meeks is highly respected within the Albanian-American community for his longstanding support of peace, democracy, and stability in the Balkans, as well as his commitment to strengthening Albanian-American relations. Most recently, he was among 12 bipartisan members of Congress who signed a public letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the administration to maintain current U.S. troop levels in the NATO-led Kosova Force (KFOR).
“The CBC PAC retreat in New York was a valuable opportunity to reconnect with prominent leaders in Congress and discuss issues that are important to our community and our countries,” Bajrami said. During the weekend, he met with several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other political figures.
His participation was consistent with AARC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Albanian-American relations and advance U.S. interests in the Balkans. Topics discussed during recent meetings and outreach initiatives have included economic development, trade, democratic governance, Albanian language rights, and Kosova’s future integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO.
When he succeeded the late Congressman Eliot Engel as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Meeks became the first Black lawmaker in American history to hold that position. He has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to continuing Engel’s legacy of support for Kosova and close engagement with the Albanian-American community.
In addition to Rep. Meeks, Bajrami met with several other members of Congress, including Rep. Shomari Figures of Alabama, who previously served in the Obama White House; Rep. Emilia Sykes of Ohio, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Women’s Caucus; Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Security; Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois, a member of several key subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee; and Rep. Jennifer McClellan of Virginia, the first Black woman elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The discussions focused on recent political developments in the United States and the Balkans. The lawmakers expressed interest in learning more about the AARC, Albanian-American community and its priorities, as well as the work of the Congressional Albanian Issues Caucus. Bajrami encouraged them to consider joining the caucus and becoming more engaged with issues affecting Albanians in the Balkans and the United States.
The retreat also provided an opportunity to reconnect with longtime friends of the Albanian-American community, including former Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin.
On the sidelines of the event, Bajrami joined Burim Rexhaj, AARC secretary and founding member, for an in-depth conversation with Congresswoman Nikema Williams of Georgia. Their discussion focused on economic development, investment opportunities, and the growing trade relationship between the United States, Albania, Kosova, and other countries in the region.
As Rexhaj later noted on Facebook, “We talked particularly about the potential that Kosova and Albania have in tourism and energy, as well as how economic incentives can encourage certain countries that have yet to formally recognize Kosova.”
Congresswoman Williams expressed interest in joining a future congressional delegation to the region and said she would consider becoming a member of the Congressional Albanian Issues Caucus.
