USSC is pleased to welcome Former Congressman Jerry Weller as the newest member of the team.

Former Congressman Jerry Weller is Co- CEO of U.S. Strategies, Inc., an international public affairs, strategic consulting and business development firm with offices in Washington, DC.

Elected in the historic class of 1994, Jerry Weller quickly rose in the ranks of his class serving as Class President and representing this influential group on the powerful House Republican Steering Committee which appoints Members to their Committee assignments. He also served as Deputy Majority Whip. During his tenure in the US House of Representatives and as a Member of the Ways & Means Committee, Congressman Weller advocated tax policies that fostered investment, protected the environment, addressed climate change, and promoted energy independence from imported oil through the expanded use of biofuels and alternative sources of energy. In 2005, policies he advocated doubling the use of biofuels were enacted into law. His law promoting tax incentives for environmental cleanup and economic development of abandoned brownfield sites has helped revitalize blighted communities.

While serving 14 years in Congress, Jerry rose to be a leading Member of the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Trade, where Jerry effectively made the case that trade helps eliminate poverty and creates opportunity. He emerged as a leading advocate for expanded trade in the Western Hemisphere and helped lead efforts to ratify the DR-CAFTA and Peru Trade agreements. He also has tirelessly worked to advocate ratification of the Colombia, Korea and Panama TPAs.

Jerry also served as Ranking Republican on the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Income Security & Family Support where he partnered with his Democratic Chairman to author new laws reforming federal adoption and foster care laws. His bi-partisan leadership earned special recognition from various Foster Care and Adoption organizations. Jerry also served as Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and Chaired the House Republican Working Group on Latin America & the Caribbean. He Co-Chaired the US-Panama Caucus and Caribbean Caucus, and participated in the US-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Exchange.

He earned national recognition for his successful efforts to enact the Illinois Land Conservation Act which implemented his plan to redevelop the 24,000 acre Joliet Arsenal into the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Abraham Lincoln National Veterans’ Cemetery, and 3,000 acres set aside for industrial development. He secured over $30 million in federal funds towards infrastructure and development at the former arsenal that has since attracted over $1 billion in private investment including one of the world's largest inter modal truck-rail cargo facilities.

Weller continues to serve as Chairman of New World Group Public Affairs and currently serves on the Advisory Board for SG Biofuels of San Diego and is Senior Advisor for International Content Acquisition for Intercom Ventures of Chicago, the leading IPTV provider currently broadcasting 126 channels to subscribers in 40 countries.

Recently, Jerry was elected to the Bi-National Board of the US-Panama Business Council. He continues to be a strong advocate of sustainable forestry to combat de-forestation and has personally planted over 20,000 hardwood trees in Guatemala.
Prior to his service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Weller served as an aide to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1981-1985, maintained involvement in the Family farm and served in the Illinois State House of Representatives from 1988-1994.

He and his Wife, Guatemalan Congresswoman Zury Rios de Weller, are the parents of a four year old Daughter, Marizu Catherine.