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Austin, Texas – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul released the below statement on the committee’s accomplishments in the 118th Congress and his tenure as chairman. The House Foreign Affairs Committee was the most productive committee in the 118th Congress. 145 measures passed out of the committee, 94 passed the House, and 29 bills became law. Notably, 90 percent of the committee’s legislation was bipartisan.

“It’s been an incredible honor to serve as the first Texan to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which is solemnly tasked with matters of war and peace. Our work came at a perilous time in history. The Biden-Harris administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan displayed weakness, emboldened our adversaries, and lit the world on fire. Since then, we’ve seen Putin launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Chairman Xi threaten Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific, and the Ayatollah rear his ugly head in the Middle East. Make no mistake: these evil regimes are bound together in an unholy alliance, and they will stop at nothing to undermine our Western values and destroy democracy.

“In the face of these global challenges, this committee and its members accomplished more than we ever thought possible, from bolstering AUKUS — the defense partnership that keeps Chairman Xi up at night — to passing key legislation in the emergency wartime supplemental.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our work. But with two hot wars and a hot zone in the Indo-Pacific, there is much left to do to protect our great nation. I look forward to continuing to work on the committee, alongside Chairman-elect Mast, and with the incoming Trump administration to project peace through strength, restore U.S. leadership on the world stage, and ensure the safety of future generations of Americans.”

Chairman McCaul and HFAC Republicans’ Legacy by Region:

To combat state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle East, McCaul’s FIGHT Crime Act enacted the first significant Iran sanctions on missile and drone technology in years.  Rep. Lawler’s SHIP Act, which imposes sanctions on ports and refineries that process Iranian petroleum and undermine the United States, was also signed into law. McCaul’s resolution in support of Israel after Hamas’ October 7 massacre gained the most cosigners of any measure ever, and McCaul was indicted by the Iranian regime for instituting maximum pressure against them.

To counter growing aggression from the Chinese Communist party in the Indo-Pacific, McCaul’s 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act included a measure introduced by former Rep. Gallagher to force the divestiture of TikTok. McCaul successfully advanced AUKUS Pillar II to spur defense industrial base innovation by allowing sensitive defense technologies to be shared with the U.K. and Australia, and he was sanctioned by China for his support of Taiwan and criticism of the CCP. McCaul also introduced bills, including his ENFORCE Act, to strengthen U.S. export controls to ensure our most advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, does not fuel the Chinese military.

To bring a stop to Russian aggression in Ukraine and beyond, McCaul championed the emergency wartime supplemental, which contained his REPO Act to make Russia pay for its war in Ukraine.

Additionally, this year’s NDAA included H.R. 6727, a bill Chairman McCaul introduced with Ranking Member Meeks to promote public-private conservation efforts and undercut entities that profit from illicit poaching, like Russia and the Chinese Communist Party.

To address the Biden-Harris administration’s broken border and failed Latin America policies that harm the American people, the committee marked up a provision that would compel the administration to reinstate Remain in Mexico, which was included H.R.2. McCaul’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act to sanction foreign actors involved in opioid trafficking was also signed into law.

To provide oversight for the failed Afghanistan withdrawal and ensure nothing like it happens ever again, McCaul and committee Republicans conducted a years-long, comprehensive investigation. It culminated in a 350-page report, which pulled from the committee’s seven public hearings, 18 transcribed interviews, and more than 20,000 pages of subpoenaed documents. The report found President Biden was determined to withdraw from Afghanistan, no matter the cost. He and his administration prioritized optics over security, failed to plan for all contingencies, and perpetrated a cover-up following the failed withdrawal that resulted in the deaths of 13 brave American soldiers.

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