Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced the following upcoming Committee events:

Tuesday, December 2

Joint Subcommittee Hearing: ISIS and the Threat from Foreign Fighters

10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade

Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chairman

Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

The Honorable Robert Bradtke
Senior Advisor for Partner Engagement on Syria Foreign Fighters
U.S. Department of State

Mr. Tom Warrick
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism Policy
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Chairman Poe on the hearing: “More foreign fighters have gone to fight with radical Islamists like ISIS in Iraq and Syria in the last 2 years than we saw in the first 10 years of fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. Dozens are Americans and many more hold passports that do not require a visa to get into the United States. This hearing will examine the danger of these foreign fighters and assess the Administration’s efforts to date at countering this threat.”

Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “Foreign fighters are joining ISIL by the tens of thousands, some of whom are Westerners, including Americans. These individuals represent an unprecedented threat to U.S. national security and it should not be taken lightly. Foreign fighters are further destabilizing an already fragile Middle East and are using Syria or Iraq as a training ground in order to commit terrorist attacks in their homeland or against U.S. interests. The administration has shown it still lacks a coherent and comprehensive strategy to combat ISIL and this hearing will examine what more needs to be done to address the foreign fighter threat inside and outside our borders and assess what is being done to stop their recruitment into Syria and Iraq.”

Tuesday, December 2

Subcommittee Hearing: Hong Kong: A Broken Promise?

2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Mr. Dean Cheng
Senior Research Fellow
Asian Studies Center
The Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy
The Heritage Foundation

Sophie Richardson, Ph.D.
China Director
Human Rights Watch

Ms. Kelley Currie
Senior Fellow
Project 2049 Institute

Chairman Chabot on the hearing: “Beijing’s suppression of electoral reforms in Hong Kong has prompted ongoing pro-democracy and anti-Beijing demonstrations, while raising serious questions about the fate of democracy in the city. By forestalling its promise to allow for free and fair elections of the Chief Executive, China is constraining Hong Kong’s autonomy and undermining its democratic freedoms. Making matters worse, despite long-time U.S. policy, the Obama Administration’s response has been tepid at best, signaling to Beijing that the U.S. only half-heartedly supports the fundamental principle of democratization in Hong Kong, which has broader implications for the region. This hearing will examine the impact of China’s actions for U.S.-Hong Kong policy, the future of democracy in Hong Kong, and how the Administration can better support democratic reform efforts.”

Thursday, December 4

Subcommittee Hearing: Is Academic Freedom Threatened by China’s Influence on U.S. Universities?

1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 4 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations

Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Perry Link, Ph.D.
Chancellorial Chair for Innovative Teaching
University of California, Riverside

Thomas Cushman, Ph.D.
Deffenbaugh de Hoyos Carlson Chair in the Social Sciences
Wellesley College

Xia Yeliang, Ph.D.
Visiting Fellow
Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity
Cato Institute

Chairman Smith on the hearing: “The Chinese educational market is a lucrative one, but we have to ask if there are any hidden costs for American schools and colleges seeking access to that market.  By rushing to build campuses in China and signing agreements to have Chinese government entities on American campuses, are universities and schools accepting restrictions on foundational principles of American higher education?   The American university model is the world’s best and they should be ambassadors for freedom and democracy globally.  They should also be islands of freedom where foreign students can enjoy the fundamental freedoms denied them in their own country.   Our witnesses will provide information on the growing presence of American universities in China and the presence of Chinese government educational entities on American campuses through ‘Confucius Institutes.’  They will also detail some of the costs and benefits of such educational partnerships and offer recommendations on how such partnerships can protect academic freedom and the fundamental human rights of faculty and students.”

***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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