The brutality of the Assad regime and ISIS has driven millions of Syrian and Iraqi men, women, and children from their homes.  Starvation is being used as a weapon of war, with deadly impact. It is in both the humanitarian and national security interests of the United States to help improve conditions for refugees on […]

By Chairman Ed Royce. Published on Medium.com. As Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it’s hectic leading delegations overseas. But whenever I can, I try to make time for local press. For me, it’s a chance to talk about the importance of values like human rights, transparency, and open markets. And it’s an opportunity […]

ISIS’s barbarity—including genocide, rape, slavery, beheadings, and torture—is well known.  It uses these acts to recruit more fighters to its perverted ideology by publicizing them online.  But the terrorist group doesn’t use violence and destruction just to spread its radical ideology – it’s also a source of revenue. From drug smuggling and extortion to ransoms […]

On Saturday afternoon, the administration released nine detainees from the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay to Saudi Arabia. VOA reports the move “came just weeks after President Barack Obama announced an accelerated plan to try to shutter the prison before he leaves office in January 2017.”  And it follows the April 4th release of two […]

Yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee questioned two top administration officials at the Department of State and Department of Defense charged with overseeing the president’s push to empty out the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay before he leaves office.

Remember when the Obama administration insisted that any changes to Cuba policy “would be done in full consultation” with Congress? Or that President Obama wouldn’t visit Cuba unless “we’re seeing some progress in the liberty and freedom and possibilities of ordinary Cubans?” It turns out that while the administration talked about “full consultation” with Congress, […]

Last week Secretary Kerry went to Hollywood.  But don’t get too excited – the State Department’s dream for a blockbuster about last year’s Iran talks doesn’t seem headed to production anytime soon. Instead, Secretary Kerry hit Tinseltown looking for help to counter ISIS propaganda.  And while it’s true Hollywood can be a powerful voice, let’s be […]