UPDATED: Look Ahead — Week of July 21 – 25
*Witness list has changed for Thursday’s 3pm subcommittee hearing*
**Subcommittee markup announced for Friday, July 25 at 9:30 a.m.**
(Note RSVP requirement for media covering Wednesday 10am hearing)
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced the following upcoming Committee events:
Wednesday, July 23
Hearing: Terrorist March in Iraq: The U.S. Response
10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
(Media RSVP requirement by 5pm on Tuesday, July 22. Details HERE.)
Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Mr. Brett McGurk
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Ms. Elissa Slotkin
Performing the Duties of the Principle Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
U.S. Department of Defense
Chairman Royce on the hearing: “The terrorist expansion in Iraq is not a surprise. It has developed steadily over the past two years. In the past year, the Iraqis have urgently requested additional U.S. counterterrorism assistance in the form of drone or air strikes against terrorist camps, and the Obama Administration declined. Now this al-Qaeda offshoot has overrun a large part of Iraq, as well as Syria, and threatens to kill and capture even more people than it already has. Stronger than ever, this terrorist group is also plotting against the U.S. homeland. This hearing will examine the reasons behind the Administration’s decision not to adequately address this problem months ago and what it plans to do going forward.”
Wednesday, July 23
2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23 in 2255 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Andrés R. Gluski, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
The AES Corporation
Mr. Roberto Álvarez
(Former Ambassador of the Dominican Republic on the Council of the Organization of American States)
Mr. Santiago A. Canton
Executive Director
RFK Partners for Human Rights
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Chairman Salmon on the hearing: “Since the implementation of the CAFTA-DR, the Dominican Republic’s economy has grown, attracting significant foreign investment, making it one of the leading manufacturers in the region. The Dominican government has sought some of the most ambitious energy projects to diversify its energy matrix with the objective of reducing energy prices to stimulate economic growth and reduce its exposure to international oil prices. As the Dominican Republic is the largest economy in the Caribbean, it is essential that we analyze what measures are contributing to its success, and what impediments stand in the way of economic growth. This hearing will allow us to assess the measures the U.S. should consider to assist the Dominican Republic’s goal of becoming more competitive player and an energy hub for the region.”
Wednesday, July 23
Subcommittee Hearing: The Troubling Case of Meriam Ibrahim
2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
Chris Smith (R-AZ), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Zuhdi Jasser, M.D.
Vice Chair
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
The Honorable Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council
The Honorable Grover Joseph Rees
(Former General Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service)
Chairman Smith on the hearing: “Meriam Ibrahim Ishag has been imprisoned in Sudan in fear of execution, chained during the late stages of her pregnancy, forced to give birth in prison, released from prison and re-arrested on flimsy charges. This all is the result of her being Christian in a country in which the ruling authorities refuse to recognize the right of people to choose their own religion. Our hearing will examine this troubling violation of a basic human right.”
Thursday, July 24
Subcommittee Hearing: The Struggle for Civil Society in Egypt
10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 24 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Panel I
Mr. Charles Michael Johnson, Jr.
Director, International Security and Counterterrorism Issues
International Affairs and Trade Team
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Panel II
Mr. Charles Dunne
Director, Middle East and North Africa Programs
Freedom House
Mr. Sam LaHood
Former Egypt Country Director, International Republican Institute
Mr. Patrick Butler
Vice President, Programs
International Center for Journalists
Ms. Lila Jaafar
Senior Program Manager
National Democratic Institute
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “Since the Egyptian revolution in 2011, Egyptian civil society groups have struggled to make inroads in leading the country on the path of democracy. After the convictions of the 43 NGO workers in Egypt last June under Morsi, Rep. Connolly and I requested a GAO report seeking to assess the status of U.S. democracy and governance programs in Egypt. This hearing will look at the effect of the NGO trials on civil society in Egypt and it will give us an opportunity to hear directly from some of those NGO employees who were arrested and unjustly convicted. We will also hear from our witnesses how this crackdown has impacted their lives, and what it means for the future of democracy in Egypt. As we examine our foreign policy objectives in Egypt, we cannot forget that one of our top priorities in the region is to help promote democracy, governance and the rule of law to help these countries transform into burgeoning democracies.”
Thursday, July 24
Subcommittee Hearing: The Global Challenge of Autism
2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Mr. Jose H. Velasco
Vice President of Product Management and Head of Autism at Work Initiative
SAP
Mr. Thorkil Sonne
Founder and Chairman
Specialisterne
Chairman Smith on the hearing: “Autism is a growing health problem around the world. With the ever-rising cost of care, it is imperative that people with autism have the opportunity to learn skills and earn a living so that they can control their own lives as much as possible. Our hearing will present innovative strategies to achieve that goal.”
Thursday, July 24
Subcommittee Hearing: U.S.-India Relations Under the Modi Government
3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Steve Chabot (R-OH), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
The Honorable Nisha Biswal
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
The Honorable Arun Kumar
Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service and Assistant Secretary for Global Markets
International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Chairman Chabot on the hearing: “Following India’s historic national election in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the incredible dual mandate of generating greater economic growth and making the bureaucracy accountable to the people. The prospect of this domestic reawakening presents a significant opportunity to revitalize America’s relationship with India. India is one of the United States’ most important partners in South Asia, and cooperation with India is vital for achieving America’s political, economic, and security interests throughout Asia. This hearing will be an opportunity for Congress to examine the future of the U.S.-India relationship under the new Modi government, and discuss prospects for expanding cooperation in the economic, security, nuclear energy, and maritime arenas.”
Friday, July 25
9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 25 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman
***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.
***Coverage note: All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.
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