A request by a top United States Legislator which could have seen President William Ruto mark a historic moment in the US by addressing a joint Congress sitting has been rejected.
Speaker Mike Johnson decided against inviting President Ruto to a joint meeting of Congress during his state visit to Washington later this month.
The request which could have seen Ruto make history was made by Michael McCaul, a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
McCaul in a letter dated April 30 wrote to Johnson requesting him to extend a formal invitation to Ruto ahead of his planned State Visit to the US.
Johnson’s deputy chief of staff Raj Shah on March 10, 2024, announced the speaker’s decision saying that he had resolved to invite Ruto for a meeting with some top leaders of the congress.
However, Shah noted that the request to have Ruto make remarks before a Joint session could not be approved due to scheduling constraints.
“Speaker Johnson welcomes President Ruto to the Capitol. We have offered the Kenyan embassy over 90 minutes of engagement including a one-on-one visit with Speaker Johnson, bipartisan leadership meeting with Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Committee Chairmen and Ranking members, and a bicameral meeting. Unfortunately, due to scheduling restraints, we could not accommodate a request for remarks before a Joint Session,” said Shah
Also Read: Why Ruto Could Make History if Request by U.S Ranking Legislators is Approved
Request for Congress Invite
The request to invite Ruto who will be in Washington on May 23 to mark the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenyan diplomatic relations was also backed by ranking Democrat Gregory Meeks of New York.
“Such an invitation would underscore the importance of the U.S.-Kenya relationship and send a valuable signal to the people of Africa,” McCaul and Meeks wrote.
The legislators also pointed out that Kenya is a stable democracy and a gateway to the region, noting that the US is Kenya’s largest export market.
“Furthermore, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, first approved in former President Bill Clinton’s last year in the White House and renewed by former President Barrack Obama expires this year. AGOA “provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for most exports from eligible sub-Saharan Africa countries,” reads part of the letter.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was also supportive of Ruto addressing Congress.
Also Read: Why Kenya Voted Yes to Grant Palestine a New Status
According to US Publication Punchbowl News, the decision by Johnson to snub the request was also a direct rebuke of the top two lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Decision opposed
Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) while calling for a Joint Session of Congress with Kenyan Ruto blasted Speaker Johnson’s failure to recognize the importance of the diplomatic relation between Kenya and the US.
In a statement, Neal highlighted that the African continent and its people helped shape the US allowing it to become the superpower that it is today.
“Strengthening ties across the continent, including with a key strategic partner, Kenya, is of great importance to our shared economic aspirations and democratic values. The continent deserves the same level of respect given to our partners in other parts of the world,” he said.
While highlighting that the Republican leadership has invited other leaders to address joint meetings of Congress during their official visits to the US, Neil said that he didn’t see no reason why Ruto’s upcoming state visit should be any different.
He urged the house to recognize the importance of President Ruto’s visit amid appliance acts arguing that even in times of great tragedy and global conflict, the Congress has historically shown a depth of focus.
“I had the privilege of hosting former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, where we spoke about the great opportunities to strengthen relations between our two economies present, and since then, Kenya has only continued to demonstrate its commitment to reaffirming our 60-year partnership. With the Biden Administration already rising to the rightful occasion by hosting a state dinner, the Congress must do the same,” he added.
Ruto In the US
Ruto would have been the first Kenyan and East African leader to address a joint meeting of Congress and the first African leader to do so since Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf spoke in the House chamber in 2006.
A joint meeting of Congress is generally held when a prominent individual, often a foreign leader, is invited to address the House and Senate simultaneously, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The agreement on whom to invite and when they will speak is generally reached between the House and the Senate because addressing a joint meeting of Congress is available by invitation only.
Several foreign leaders have appeared before a joint meeting of Congress lately, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressing lawmakers most recently.
Also, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have all spoken to a joint meeting during the last couple of years.
President Ruto is expected to travel to Washington after an invitation from President Joe Biden who together with First Lady Jill Biden will host President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto for a State Visit to the United States on May 23, 2024.
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