Committee also votes to improve global development and terror watch lists

Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), passed four bipartisan measures.  A summary of the Committee action, including adopted amendments, will be available HERE.

The Committee passed H. Res. 148 (introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)), as amended, which calls on Iran to fulfill their promises of assistance in the case of Robert Levinson, the longest held United States hostage in our Nation’s history.

Upon passage of H. Res. 148, Chairman Royce said:  “Last month, four U.S. hostages held by Iran were released as part of a prisoner swap.  Absent from the celebration was the family of Bob Levinson.  The father of seven remains the longest held U.S. hostage in history. With many unanswered questions about his location and current well-being, we must continue to press the Obama administration to do more.  As Bob’s son testified, ‘No family should ever have to go through what we all are going through.’”

Also, the Committee passed H. Res. 551 (introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA)), which recognizes the importance of the United States-Israel economic relationship and encourages new areas of cooperation.

Upon passage of H. Res. 551, Chairman Royce said:  “This bipartisan measure emphasizes the strong history of economic cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, and encourages us to build on our shared entrepreneurial spirit.  Despite Israel’s security threats, Tel Aviv is a bustling city of dot-coms, biotechs and mobile companies.  We can learn much from each other and as a Member from the drought-stricken state of California, I see great promise in a partnership with Israel that explores ways to conserve and desalinate water.” 

Additionally, the Committee passed the following measures: 

  • H.R. 4403, Enhancing Overseas Traveler Vetting Act, introduced by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), works to improve the vetting of travelers against terrorist watch lists and law enforcement databases, enhances border management, and improves targeting and analysis.  The legislation is a product of the Chairmen’s Task Force on Counterterrorism and Homeland Security.

A summary of the Committee action, including adopted amendments, will be available HERE.

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