The American Branch is excited to introduce Luis Fortuño as the new Chair of the ABILA Arms Control and Disarmament Committee and sends our sincere thanks to Chris Borgen for his years of service as the former Chair.

Luis Fortuño is a Partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. His areas of work include corporate, government affairs and public policy, infrastructure and project finance, and qualified opportunity zones. He represents investment funds and Fortune 500 companies in regulatory, public policy, public-private partnership (P3) and project finance, finance, and other corporate matters in the US and throughout Latin America.

Previously, Fortuño served as the Former Governor of Puerto Rico from 2009 to 2013 and in the US House of Representatives from 2005 to 2008. During the 109^th Congress, he was the vice-president of the House Republican freshman class and vice-chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference. He then served as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference and co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Spain during the 110^th Congress. In 2007, Fortuño was appointed at the Republican minority’s ranking member on the Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs. He also served on a number of committees, including those on House Transportation and Infrastructure, International Relations, and Education and the Workforce.

In 2009, King Juan Carlos I of Spain awarded him with the Order of Isabel la Catolica, which recognizes Spanish citizens and others who have improved relations between Spain and the international community through friendship and cooperation.

Fortuño has a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and US Court of Appeals, First Circuit.

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The American Branch’s Arms Control and Disarmament Committee examines the nuclear weapon policies and practices of nuclear weapon states and their impact on the development of international law regarding arms control and disarmament of nuclear weapons. The Committee aims to address whether and how an international law norm is emerging on a general prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons as well as on disarmament of nuclear weapons.

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We look forward to seeing the Arms Control and Disarmament Committee continue to flourish with Fortuño as Chair!