Representatives Latham and Boswell, Senator Harkin, and Casey’s General Stores’ Bob Myers join call for candidates to endorse strategic investments in American global leadership, economic development, and diplomacy

DES MOINES — Senator Joni Ernst, Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. General Daniel Christman joined the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) in Iowa today for the first event of its Impact 2016 initiative and to discuss how America’s development and diplomacy efforts are critical issues for this election.

“I would say the military cannot do it alone. We also have to have partners such as USAID, the State Department, and our non-governmental organizations all running in parallel with our military efforts to ensure we are stabilizing communities and providing opportunity,” added Senator Ernst. “We need a leader that can pull people together to combat not just ISIS but also combat hunger and malaria across the world. And a leader has to understand that there are problems out there that need to be addressed with very hard decisions.”

USGLC’s Iowa Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Senator Tom Harkin, Representative Leonard Boswell, Representative Tom Latham, and Bob Myers, Chairman and CEO of Casey’s General Stores, released a joint statement: “It is more critical than ever that our nation’s next elected leaders embrace all the tools of American leadership. This is essential to our national security, strengthening our economy, and demonstrating the best of who we are as a country.”

Governor Terry Branstad said, “America’s strategic investments in development and diplomacy help build new open markets for Iowa and for America.”

Retired Lt. General Daniel Christman noted, “Today’s global threats have no single solution and require all our tools of national security and influence. Alongside defense, our nation’s diplomatic and humanitarian efforts are more critical than ever to keep us safe. I know from my military service that we cannot afford to turn inwards as a nation – we must continue to build strategic partnerships, fully engage with our allies, and strengthen our efforts to counter extremism around the world.” General Christman is a former Commandant of the U.S. Military Academy.

Today’s event also marked the launch of the USGLC’s Iowa Advisory Committee, which is comprised of more than 67 leaders from across the state, including elected leaders, veterans, former ambassadors and leading academics who support strategic investments in development and diplomacy alongside defense. (Editor’s note: The full Iowa Advisory Committee list is below.)

“We live in an interconnected world where economies are interdependent, and there is no pulling back. Threats like terrorism and diseases like Ebola know no borders, and they need to be stopped before they reach our borders,” said Bob Myers, Chairman and CEO of Casey’s General Stores. “Businesses across the country and here in Iowa join with the USGLC because 95% of the world’s consumers live outside of our borders, making diplomacy and development critical tools in helping to open and build new international markets, expanding our export potential, and ultimately supporting jobs here at home.”

Des Moines is home to some of the largest global brands and organizations in the world with rapidly growing international operations in emerging markets. In 2014, Iowa exported more than $15 billion in goods and services to foreign markets making American global leadership a strategic issue for the local community.

“Iowans have a special opportunity in this election to ask the Presidential candidates about the critical issues facing our country,” shared USGLC President and CEO Liz Schrayer. “And not surprisingly, the leaders here want to know how all candidates view America’s role in the world, because Iowans understand that what happens overseas matters directly to Iowa’s economy, security, and values.”

Impact 2016 is a nonpartisan initiative to engage and educate all the presidential and congressional candidates on the critical importance of strengthening American global leadership. The web site, Impact2016.org, is a go-to resource for voters and journalists to learn more about the candidates’ foreign policy positions. It includes in-depth candidate profiles, quotes, videos, and articles along with continuous updates on what the candidates are saying on the campaign trail.

View the event transcript here.

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.