U.S. Rep. Howard Berman, left, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chats with committee chairwoman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen at a farewell party for Daniel Meron, center, the Israeli Embassy’s liaison to Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 14, 2011. Berman and Ros-Lehtinen spent two days last week leading their factions in contentious debate over a State Department funding bill. (House Foreign Affairs Republicans.)