Committee also passes measures on human trafficking, global food security, Ukraine/Russia, and reunions of divided Korean families

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), unanimously passed seven measures, including three bipartisan measures to address the threats posed by ISIS.  Specifically, the measures allow denial or revocation of passports to individuals who assist terrorist organizations, improves defense cooperation between the United States and Jordan, and protects international cultural property from being destroyed or looted by ISIS.

The ISIS-related measures the Committee passed:

  • as amended, H.R. 237, the FTO Passport Revocation Act, introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), provides the authority for the Secretary of State to deny or revoke a passport of any individual determined to be a member of or who has aided, assisted, abetted, or otherwise helped an organization the Secretary has designated as a foreign terrorist organization;
  • as amended, H.R. 907, United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015, introduced by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), would extend to Jordan expedited congressional review of proposed U.S. arms transfers that is otherwise reserved for NATO members and other close allies;
  • H.R. 1493, the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act, introduced by Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), will improve coordination of U.S. efforts to protect cultural property, and prevent those artifacts removed since the start of Syria’s civil war from being sold or imported into the United States.

Upon passage of ISIS-related measures, Chairman Royce said:  “Today, the Committee passed important legislation to help counter terrorist groups like ISIS. The Committee is taking action to stem the flow of foreign fighters, including U.S. passport holders, to ISIS and  to prevent the looting and sale of treasured Iraqi and Syrian antiquities, which ISIS uses to fund its campaign of terror.  And importantly, we strengthen our security cooperation with Jordan as it is on the frontlines against ISIS.”

Additionally, the Committee passed the following measures:

  • H. Con. Res. 40, introduced by Chairman Royce and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), which would encourage North Korea to allow Korean Americans to meet their long-lost relatives separated by the Korean War in 1950-53. (Millions of Korean families, including more than 100,000 American families of Korean descent, have been separated since the end of the Korean War);
  • as amended, H.R. 500, the Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act, introduced by Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA), which establishes the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking to review Federal Government policy on human trafficking;
  • as amended, H.R. 1567, the Global Food Security Act of 2015, introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), which would authorize a comprehensive, strategic approach for United States foreign assistance to developing countries to reduce global poverty and hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, promote inclusive, sustainable agricultural-led economic growth, improve nutritional outcomes, especially for women and children, build resilience among vulnerable populations;
  • as amended, H. Res. 50, introduced by Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), which calls for the release of Ukrainian fighter pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who was captured by Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine and has been held illegally in a Russian prison since July 2014.

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

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