State Department, Treasury, USAID to Testify

*Note time change to 9 a.m.
*Note new witnesses
*Note RSVP requirement for covering hearing:  Deadline noon today

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has announced that TOMORROW, Thursday, March 6 the Committee will convene a hearing to examine the recent events in Ukraine and the next steps forward for U.S. foreign policy in the region.  The hearing entitled, “U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Ukraine” will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Chairman Royce on the hearing: “The Administration’s announcement of support for Ukraine is welcome news.  The time to act is now.  Congress has already been working on legislation to impose tough sanctions on Russia to pressure it to end its military aggression and to provide assistance to bolster Ukraine’s new government.  The Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on Ukraine this Thursday to press the Administration on its policies, and what specific legislation it needs to move forward rapidly.  We must place crippling sanctions on Russian high-ranking officials, state-owned banks and commercial enterprises, and key individuals behind the Russian intervention.  Only by forcing Putin to reverse his aggression and by supporting Ukraine in this time of national crisis can we hope to restore peace in the region.”

Note: Last month, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed H. Res. 447, authored by Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), which calls on all sides in the ongoing confrontation in Ukraine to refrain from violence and to work toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis.  On February 10, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 447.

What:

Hearing:  “U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Ukraine”

When:

9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 6 

Where:

2172 Rayburn House Office Building 

Witnesses:

Mr. Eric Rubin
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Paige Alexander
Assistant Administrator
Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
U.S. Agency for International Development

Mr. Daleep Singh
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia
U.S. Department of the Treasury

**Important planning note for press covering hearing**

The hearing will be webcast at foreignaffairs.house.gov.

The hearing room will likely not be able to accommodate all members of the media wishing to cover the hearing from the press viewing area.

Only Congressionally credentialed members of the media will be allowed access to the press viewing area in the committee hearing room and must RSVP to their respective Press Gallery by NOON on Wednesday, March 5.

All television crews must RSVP to the House Radio TV Gallery at 202-225-5214.

Gallery contact information:

House Radio/TV Gallery:  202-225-5214
House Periodical Gallery:  202-225-2941
House Daily Press Gallery:  202-225-3945
Photographer Gallery:  202-224-6548

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