U.S. Interest Groups, Congress, and the Executive Branch: Environmental v.s Oil and Gas Production Issues - Arab Journalists Tour

June 12-29, 2006, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Sacramento, Monterey, Los Angeles, Houston
Contact: Washington Foreign Press Center Program Officer Algis Silas
Telephone: 202-504-6317; Email: silasa@state.gov

Nine Arab journalists from Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and the Gaza Strip, gained a better understanding about the development of U.S. environmental and energy policies by visiting with federal, state government experts, non-government environmental experts, think tanks, interest groups, oil industry executives and grassroots organizations.

The tour took journalists to Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Sacramento, Monterey, Los Angeles and Houston where they participated in briefings and interviews dealing with U.S. environmental and energy policies, and alternative energy sources and technologies.  They also met with experts in the field to learn about their efforts to protect the environment, U.S. oil production activities coexisting with the environment, and the use of alternative energy source options, such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  The tour concluded at the 2nd U.S. Arab Economic Forum in Houston (USAEF).  During the three-day forum, the journalists met with and interviewed USAEF organizers, various leaders of the Arab-American community, and interviewed C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.