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

Wednesday, November 30

Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Libya Five Years After Ghadafi

10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 30 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman

Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Mr. Jonathan Winer
Special Envoy for Libya
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “Five years after Ghadafi, Libya remains mired in violent conflict, political division, and economic crisis. The unity government is struggling to consolidate power and provide security and essential services to ordinary Libyans while the country’s political divisions, each backed by various outside and regional actors, and armed groups, including violent Islamist terrorist groups like ISIS and those linked to al-Qaeda, vie for influence. The state of the Libyan economy grows more dire by the day as the price of goods and services continues to increase while reduced oil production combined with lower oil prices causes budget shortfalls and cash shortages. This hearing will allow our members to provide necessary oversight of the administration’s current policy in Libya, assess the current U.S. role in supporting the unity government and in countering ISIS and other terrorist groups, and determine what changes, if any, need to be made to our policy and assistance moving forward.”

Chairman Poe on the hearing: “Five years after the Administration backed Libyan rebels and ultimately toppled the Qaddafi regime, Libya has transformed into a terrorist breeding ground. Libya today poses serious regional and international security risks precisely because, as the Administration has admitted, there was virtually no planning for a post-Qaddafi Libya. Indeed, just days after the long-time Libyan leader was killed in October 2011, NATO and U.S. forces packed up and left. Almost immediately, terrorist groups of all stripes sprung up in the country, and now Libya hosts affiliates of two of the most pernicious groups in the world: al-Qaeda and ISIS. Today the U.S. is conducting airstrikes to aid Libyan forces fighting to dislodge ISIS from its coastal stronghold of Sirte, but even if the city is cleared it will unfortunately not spell the end of ISIS’ presence in the country. This hearing will allow Members to demand answers from the State Department and underscore the need for a comprehensive long-term Libya strategy for the coming Administration.”

 

***See www.foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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