My guess is that the author was trying to say that we (I'm an expat as well, Germany) probably aren't a core constituency as some of our brethren at home might

My guess is that the author was trying to say that we (I'm an expat as well, Germany) probably aren't a core constituency as some of our brethren at home might be. Nonetheless, I still agree that it's incorrect, and strangely enough, I thought the author's own mention of the bipartisan support of FACTA reform is evidence enough of this. Spread out among constituent states, our impact is probably insignificant. On a national (federal) level, it certainly can be. We're large enough (as he notes) to be a significant body, and we have an oversized impact compared to the rest of the population with regards to how America is perceived in the rest of the world. It's good to know they're examining the issue. I'm sure it had good intentions in the beginning, and I'm confidant they can make some improvements.