About PI-SF

The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum hosts regular fora for international Parliamentarians and government officials to learn from preeminent experts regarding counter-terrorism financing, cyber security, predatory foreign investments, intelligence sharing, 5G, AI, and other relevant topics.

Forum discussions offer working knowledge for legislative initiatives as well as technology tools that enhance stronger collaboration with United States’ allies to successfully eradicate terrorist capabilities and capacities. To date, the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum has hosted 24 in person global fora with over 1,700 Parliamentarians and government officials in attendance representing 96 countries. During 2020-2021 PI-SF has hosted 14 webinars with 9,800 Parliamentarians participating from over 100 countries.

Mission, Vision, and Value

The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum is the leading international security forum providing expertise and collaboration among Parliamentarians and government officials to increase the United States’ allies understanding of the global threats of terrorism and adversarial nation states, while creating actionable solutions that counter these threats. Parliamentarians, who write the legislation and fund the government, are a critical player in this mission.

Robert Pittenger

Congressman Robert Pittenger

Congressman Robert Pittenger represented the Charlotte, North Carolina area for three terms, with a focus on national security, foreign investment reform, tax reform, and religious freedom. He served as Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, and as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance.

Congressman Pittenger received bipartisan recognition for his leadership on reforming the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the only government agency tasked with identifying potential foreign investments which threaten national security. His Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, which cracked down on malicious foreign investment targeting national security technology, was signed into law in 2018.

He also received bipartisan recognition for elevating the issue of “terrorism financing” as another front in the war on terror. In this role, he has met with hundreds of world leaders and security experts to advocate increased global cooperation in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism. He has organized and hosted more than one dozen Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forums, which have brought together over 2600 Members of Parliament and other leaders from over 120 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America to discuss counter-terror finance, cyber security, data sharing, cryptocurrencies, and predatory foreign investment.

Born and raised in Texas, Robert was the youngest of four children. His dad was a small business owner, and his mother raised the children. Upon graduating from the University of Texas, Congressman Pittenger worked for 10 years as Assistant to the President of Campus Crusade for Christ, helping to bring the work of the organization to over 170 countries. In 1985, Congressman Pittenger moved to Charlotte, where he built a national real estate investment company.

Congressman Pittenger and his wife, Suzanne, live in Charlotte. They have four grown children and seventeen adorable grandchildren.

Steering Committee

Sir David Amess
United Kingdom
Hon. Olivier Cadic
France
Hon. Alejo Campos
Panama
Hon. Hélen Conway-Mouret
France
Hon. Robert Dussey
Togo
Hon. Manuel Espina
Guatemala
Hon. Mariano Federici
Argentina
Mr. Shafik Gabr
Egypt
Hon. Vladimir Gjorchev
Macedonia
Mr. J.R. Helmig
SAS
Hon. Csaba Hende
Hungary
Mr. Joseph Humire
Center for a Secure Free Society
Hon. Andreas Karlsböck
Austria
In Memoriam
Hon. Erzhan Kazykhanov
Kazakhstan
Hon. Andres Lu
Paraguay
Hon. Haidara Mamadou
Ivory Coast
Hon. Andreas Nick
Germany
Mr. Jacob Norwood
Citi
Hon.​ Sooroojdev Phokeer
Mauritius
Hon. Pavel Popescu
Romania
Mr. Frederick Reynolds
Barclays
Hon. Andreas Schwarz
Germany
Hon. Johannes Selle
Germany
Hon. Col. Bob Stewart
United Kingdom
Hon. Ksenia Svetlova
Israel
Hon. Kadyr Toktogulov
Kyrgyz Republic
Hon. Dalia Youssef
Egypt
Hon. Marco Zanni
Italy
Hon. Emanuelis Zingeris
Lithuania

Mission

 

Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum

 

Mission, Vision, and Value

VISION: The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum will help make the world a safer place for everyone through international intelligence and security collaboration between global allies.

MISSION: The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum is the leading international security forum providing expertise and collaboration among Parliamentarians and government officials to increase the United States’ allies understanding of the global threats of radical Islamic terrorism and adversarial nation states, while creating actionable solutions that counter these threats. Parliamentarians, who write the legislation and fund the government, are a critical player in this mission.

ABOUT: The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum hosts regular fora for international Parliamentarians and government officials to learn from preeminent experts regarding counter-terrorism financing, cyber security, predatory foreign investments, intelligence sharing, 5G, AI, and other relevant topics. Forum discussions offer working knowledge for legislative initiatives as well as technology tools that enhance stronger collaboration with United States’ allies to successfully eradicate terrorist capabilities and capacities. To date, the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum has hosted 17 fora with over 1,300 Parliamentarians and government officials in attendance representing 90 countries.

VALUE PROPOSITION: Industry experts play a unique role as they offer their perspective and expertise as speakers at each fora throughout the world. Industry experts have opportunity to convey their distinct challenges at the fora and begin building relationships with these global leaders as we work together to deter and foil terrorists’ objectives while advancing American business interests.

SUMMARY: There continues to be serious terrorist threats, with dozens of threats foiled each year, not only within the United States but also throughout the world. As we focus on educating Parliamentarians on counter-terrorism strategies, we will enhance the collective capabilities to prevent and foil terrorist plots.

The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum is uniquely distinctive as it provides an opportunity for Parliamentarians and government officials to meet with industry partners, government officials, and other leading experts on counter-terrorism and participate in discussions that focus on solutions to strengthen their collaboration.

In the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations, the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum was developed to provide better awareness and collaboration with our allies to defeat Islamic terrorism. As a result of the 11 Fora hosted to date, this strategic international venue has provided the opportunity for Members of Parliament throughout the world to learn from experts on vital matters of national security.

Former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers, encouraged me to organize the initial Forum in the fall of 2014, in which 124 Members of Parliament from 24 European nations attended. At that time, I had just assumed the role of Chairman of the Congressional Taskforce on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare succeeding former Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Prior to then, Members of Parliament were largely uninformed of the intelligence work between the Executive branches of our governments, and as such, were critical of U.S. policies related to intelligence data sharing. The initial Forum addressed their concerns regarding privacy, civil liberties, and America’s oversight, which began the process to re-establish trust.

A working bond developed among the Parliamentarians and we expanded our discussions to include collaboration on counter terrorism financing, intelligence sharing, blockchain, cyber security and malicious foreign investment of sensitive technology. Many Members of Parliament have attended multiple Fora.

Over the past two years I have also led a national campaign to prevent China from acquiring sensitive American technology and financial companies, including the Chicago Stock Exchange, Lattice Semiconductor, and MoneyGram. As well, I led bipartisan efforts which resulted in China’s ZTE being severely punished for selling embargoed technology to Iran and North Korea.

From these initiatives, we recognized the need for comprehensive legislation to reform the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which I led with Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, and has been signed into law by President Trump. Expert analysis on the need to block malicious foreign investment, which targets national security, will be included in upcoming fora.

In the House Financial Services Committee, I worked closely with Chairman Jeb Hensarling to begin the Committee’s work on counter terrorism financing, which led to the creation of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance. This role, as well the Parliamentary Fora, my service on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and my leadership to reform CFIUS, provide a strong foundation for my international work.

Over the last five years, I have given leadership to organizing and hosting 11 Parliamentary Fora involving over 700 Members of Parliament and foreign Ambassadors from 68 countries. Experts from the government, private sector, and prominent think tanks have participated in the Fora, held in Washington, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Berlin, and Riga. At present, we are planning a December Forum in Washington.

Enclosed you will find reports on each Forum, including assessments from State Department officials and feedback from Members of Parliament. We have interest from many foreign governments to host future Fora throughout the world.

Sincerely,

 

Robert Pittenger Chairman, Congressional Taskforce on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare