A Look Ahead – July 13-17
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, July 14
Hearing: Implications of a Nuclear Agreement with Iran: Part II
10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman
Co-Chair
Iran Task Force
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
(Former United States Senator)
General Michael V. Hayden, USAF, Retired
Principal
Chertoff Group
(Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency)
The Honorable R. Nicholas Burns
Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of Diplomacy and International Relations
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
John F. Kennedy School of Government
Harvard University
(Former Under Secretary for Political Affairs, U.S. Department of State)
Chairman Royce on the hearing: “As we anticipate a congressional review of the Administration's possible nuclear agreement with Iran, we’ll be looking to see how the Administration has done on Congress’ red lines. Did we get anywhere, anytime inspections? Full Iranian transparency regarding its past nuclear activities? No large-scale, immediate sanctions relief; but guaranteed, workable sanctions snap-backs? Meaningful restraints on Iran’s nuclear program that last decades? This hearing will be the first in a series the Committee will hold should the Administration strike what might be one of the most significant agreements in decades. As I have said, no deal is far better than a bad deal.”
Tuesday, July 14
Subcommittee Hearing: Tunisia’s Fragile Democratic Transition
2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
The Honorable Mark Green
President
International Republican Institute
Mr. Leslie Campbell
Senior Associate and Regional Director
National Democratic Institute
Mr. Aaron Zelin
Richard Borow Fellow
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Mr. William Sweeney
President and Chief Executive Officer
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: "In the wake of the Arab Spring, Tunisia has been viewed by many to be the best hope for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. Following the historic parliamentary and presidential elections of 2014 – near-universally hailed as free and fair – the new Tunisian government has been met with significant challenges as it hopes to maintain the gains the country has made toward democracy. Recent high profile terror attacks have brought heightened scrutiny upon the government's ability to keep Tunisia secure and to address what was an already struggling economy. Tunisia's future is still far from certain, but it remains in the national security interests of the U.S. to see the North African country complete its transition toward democracy and to adequately address the threat it faces from violent and radical extremists, like ISIL and other terror groups. This hearing is an important opportunity to assess Tunisia's current state of affairs and to identify areas in which the United States can help secure Tunisia's democratic future."
Tuesday, July 14
Subcommittee Hearing: The European Union’s Future
2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
John McCormick, Ph.D.
Jean-Monnet Professor of European Union Politics
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Stephen Walt, Ph.D.
Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
John F. Kennedy School of Government
Harvard University
Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Chairman Rohrabacher on the hearing: “The ongoing uncertainty of the Greek debt crisis, the planned United Kingdom referendum, and the rise of Euro-skeptic political parties have put the future direction of the European Union in doubt. At a time when Congress is focused on Eastern Europe and the potential of the new transatlantic trade agreement, the stability and effectiveness of the European Union is a key concern. This hearing will help clarify how the European Union has changed and may change to meet new challenges. We will discuss what role the Unites States has to play and the role of Congress in continuing to maintain a strong and vibrant relationship with our European partners.”
Wednesday, July 15
Subcommittee Hearing: U.S. Economic and Military Alliances in Asia
1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Mr. Walter Lohman
Director
Asian Studies Center
The Heritage Foundation
Mr. Randall Schriver
President and Chief Executive Officer
Project 2049 Institute
Chairman Salmon on the hearing: “American military and economic power in Asia remains unparalleled. Our alliances and partnerships in the region are indispensable to maintaining and enhancing these strengths, as well as ensuring continued peace and stability. How the United States will continue to integrate its presence among the patchwork of bilateral and multilateral relations in Asia, while accommodating China’s continued rise, is an important issue to consider. This hearing will provide an opportunity to discuss the status of our alliances in the region and to evaluate strategies that would maximize mutual benefit, focusing on our alliances with Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand.”
Thursday, July 16
Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Reviewing the U.S.-China Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
9 a.m. on Thursday, July 16 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Chairman
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Panel I
The Honorable Thomas M. Countryman
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
U.S. Department of State
Lieutenant General Frank G. Klotz, USAF, Retired
Under Secretary for Nuclear Security
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration
U.S. Department of Energy
Panel II
Mr. Henry D. Sokolski
Executive Director
The Nonproliferation Policy Education Center
Mr. Daniel Lipman
Vice President
Supplier and International Programs
Nuclear Energy Institute
Ms. Sharon Squassoni
Director and Senior Fellow
Proliferation Prevention Program
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Chairman Salmon on the hearing: “The Obama Administration recently submitted a new 30-year peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement with the People’s Republic of China for congressional review. While the current “China 123” agreement is set to expire at the end of the year, proliferation sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals remain in place and China continues to expand its own nuclear arsenal. Congress, especially this subcommittee, has the responsibility to examine the specifics of this agreement and to determine if China is fulfilling its nonproliferation commitments. This vital hearing will allow for a much-needed discussion on the benefits of continuing the agreement as well as the concerns we have over sharing access to dual use technologies.”
Chairman Poe on the hearing: “There has been a big debate over the renewal of the current Section 123 agreement with China, which is set to expire in December. The issues at stake include serious proliferation, economic, and environmental concerns that will affect both the U.S. and the broader international community. This hearing will give Members of the Committee the opportunity to hear from knowledgeable government officials and policy experts so we can gain a better understanding of the details of this agreement and the ramifications of its renewal or expiration.”
Thursday, July 16
10 a.m. on Thursday, July 16 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Panel I
The Honorable Susan S. Jacobs
Special Advisor for Children’s Issues
Bureau of Consular Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Panel II
Ms. Kelly Rutherford
Co-Founder
Children’s Justice Campaign
Samina Rahman, M.D.
(Mother of Child Abducted to India)
Ms. Diane McGee
(Mother of Children Abducted to Japan)
Mr. Randy Collins
Managing Director
Bring Abducted Children Home
(Father of Child Abducted to Japan)
Ms. Patricia Apy
Partner
Paras, Apy &Reiss, P.C.
Chairman Smith on the hearing: “I am very concerned that the State Department is failing to protect American children by not taking congressionally-mandated actions under the Sean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (P.L. 113-150). The Goldman Act, signed into law almost a year ago, requires the Secretary of State to take action against countries that refuse to cooperate in resolving the nearly 1,000 cases of American children victimized by international parental child abduction each year. These actions are based on the required report to Congress on countries that fail to cooperate on the resolution of U.S. abduction cases, and then take action based on that report. Unfortunately, the Secretary’s first report to Congress is riddled with gaps, omissions, and errors that threaten to undermine subsequent U.S. action to bring the children home, as well as mislead family court judges trying to determine whether a country is safe for an American child to visit. This hearing follows up on our previous efforts to make sure the report accurately reflects the requirements of the Goldman Act and truthfully portrays the dismal records of Japan, India, and other countries with long-standing child abductions. Broken-hearted parents across America waited four years for the Goldman Act to become law and need greater U.S. government action for the return of their children. The State Department must get it right.”
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