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

Wednesday, November 13

Hearing: Examining Nuclear Negotiations: Iran After Rouhani’s First 100 Days 

10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 13 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman

Invited witnesses include:

Mr. Mark Dubowitz
Executive Director
Foundation forDefense of Democracies

Ms. Danielle Pletka
Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies
American Enterprise Institute

Mr. Colin Kahl
Associate Professor
Georgetown University

Chairman Royce on the Hearing: “Instead of toughening sanctions to get meaningful and lasting concessions, the Obama Administration looks to be settling for interim and reversible steps.  A partial freeze of enrichment, as we’re hearing, is not a freeze.  As called for in U.N. Security Council resolutions, all of Iran’s enrichment – the key bomb-making technology – should be ceased.  We now run the risk of seriously weakening the sanctions structure painstakingly built-up against Iran over years.  Once weakened, it will be harder to ratchet up the economic pressure on Iran than it will be for the Iranians to ratchet up their nuclear program.”

 

Wednesday, November 13

Joint Subcommittee Hearing: The Continuing Threat of Boko Haram

1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building

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

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman

Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade

Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chairman

Invited witnesses include: 

Panel I

The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of African Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Panel II

Mr. Emmanuel Ogebe
Managing Partner
U.S.-Nigeria Law Group

Mr. Khalid Aliyu
Secretary General
Jama’atu Nasril Islam
(Appearing via videoconference)

Mr. Habila Adamu
Survivor of violence by Boko Haram

Mr. Jacob Zenn
Research Analyst
The Jamestown Foundation

Chairman Smith on the hearing: “Boko Haram, even given the breakaway group known as Ansaru, clearly is an organization dedicated to terrorizing Nigerians and now even foreigners. The group should be declared a Foreign Terrorist organization as they fit the entire definition, and our hearing is intended to demonstrate why this declaration has become imperative for our government to confirm.” 

Chairman Poe on the hearing: “Boko Haram has become more violent and radical in recent years. Spectacular attacks against international targets in Nigeria suggest they may take on a terrorist agenda outside the region. This should be of grave concern to the U.S. and our allies in the region.”

Wednesday, November 13

Subcommittee Markup: H.Res. 147, Calling for the release of United States citizen Saeed Abedini and condemning the Government of Iran for its persecution of religious minorities

1:50 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa

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

Wednesday, November 13

Subcommittee Hearing: U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Iraq

2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa

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

Invited witnesses include: 

Mr. Brett McGurk
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “I thank the brave and patriotic men and women of the armed services, who for nearly 8 years shed blood and sacrificed everything in an effort to bring stability and security to Iraq. Now, almost two years since the official conclusion of the U.S. mission in Iraq, sectarian violence is on the rise and a resurgence of al-Qaeda and other extremist groups has begun to fill the void we left behind. The diminished American presence, lack of a clear U.S. policy and the fractured political landscape in Iraq has also allowed Iran to increase its influence in Baghdad, complicating an already delicate situation. This hearing is necessary to examine how U.S. policy toward Iraq has changed to match the current situation on the ground and to examine what the Administration’s strategic goals and objectives are in Iraq. It will also examine the growth of al-Qaeda and the link between Iraqi Islamists and the Syrian conflict, as well take a look at the upcoming April 2014 elections and what steps Iraq must take to ensure these elections are free, fair, transparent and all-inclusive.”

***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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