Indiana, where he joined Lee H. Hamilton in support of Obama. Roemer's moderate, bipartisan politics, and national security experience led to speculation (from Chris Cillizza and Ben Smith) that Roemer was considered a possible vice presidential running mate for Obama. Roemer served as a distinguished scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He became a partner at Johnston and Associates, a public and legislative affairs consultancy. He was later selected as the president of the Center for National Policy. After leaving his post as U.S. Ambassador to India in 2011, he became a senior executive at the Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm APCO Worldwide. Roemer served on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, a bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2007. This was one of the reforms recommended by the 9/11 Commission to examine how the United States can best address this threat to national security. In addition, Roemer served on the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Presidential Task force on Combating the Ideology of Radical Extremism, and the National Parks Second Century Commission. Diplomatic career Roemer was nominated by President Barack Obama as the 21st U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of India on May 27, 2009. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 10, 2009, he was sworn in on July 23, 2009 in the State Department's ceremonial Benjamin Franklin Treaty Room and he presented his credentials to Indian President Pratibha Patil on August 11, 2009. During his tenure as Ambassador, several policies and initiatives were announced. President Obama stated during his visit to India in November, 2010 that the U.S. would support India as a permanent member to a reformed United Nations Security Council. The United States also removed India's defense and space-related entities from the U.S. "Entity List," opening the door for increased cooperation, technology transfer, and commercial sales in the defense and space industries. The United States agreed to set up a Global Disease Detection Center. and will work with India on its new Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership. The United States and India will partner globally to support food security in Africa and reconstruction in Afghanistan. On July 23, 2010, Ambassador Roemer and Indian Home Affairs Secretary G.K. Pillai signed the Counterterrorism Cooperation Initiative. This agreement expands cooperation in several areas such as transportation security, border security, money laundering and terrorist