Three additional US congressmen have joined the Congressional Caucus for Bangladesh. Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford and New York congressmen Mike McMahon and Scott Murphy made the announcement during a meeting of the newly formed alliance, the 'New Democratic Coalition Pact', on Monday. They have committed to advocating for Bangladesh's interests on issues such as climate change, the environment, and the proposed Indian construction of the Tipai Dam. Representatives from the Bangladeshi-American Public Affairs Front and US-based BNP leader Gias Ahmed were also present at the meeting. Congressman Joseph Crowley, who serves as co-chairman of the Bangladesh Caucus, stated that he is actively working towards securing duty-free access for Bangladeshi ready-made garments in the US market. He was also interested in ensuring that expatriate Bangladeshis have the legal right to live and work in the US. Currently, there are about 39 congressmen who are part of the Bangladesh Caucus. Patrick Kennedy, the son of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, who was a strong supporter of Bangladesh, recently joined the Bangladeshi Caucus in America.