Congressional Sunbelt Caucus

The Congressional Sunbelt Caucus was formed in 1981 as a bipartisan coalition of U.S. House of Representative members from Southern and Southwestern states. Initially called the Congressional Sunbelt Council, this Legislative Service Organization (LSO) later changed its name to the Congressional Sunbelt Caucus. In 1993, senators were formally invited to join the Caucus, making it bicameral. Caucus members represented the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Established in part as a reaction to the success and influence of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, the Sunbelt Caucus studied, monitored, provided background information, and formed policy positions on issues, legislation, and government actions affecting the Sunbelt states. The Sunbelt Caucus fostered information-sharing and cooperation among its members and provided numerous services and activities. These included the Sunbelt Report newsletter; issue briefs and updates; news clippings; and briefings, seminars, conferences, and meetings with federal and state officials. Additional services and activities included press conferences, press releases, and opportunities for cooperation with other regional groups such as the Southern Governors' Association, the Southern Legislative Conference, and the Southern Municipal Conference.