A Look Ahead—June 13-17

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) announced the following upcoming Committee events: Tuesday, June 14 Hearing: U.S. Policy Toward Putin's Russia 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Committee on Foreign Affairs Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman Invited Witnesses Include: The Honorable Michael McFaul Senior Fellow and Director at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Stanford University (Former American Ambassador to Russia) The Honorable Jack Matlock Fellow Rubenstein Fellows Academy Duke University (Former American Ambassador to the U.S.S.R) Leon Aron, Ph.D. Resident Scholar and Director of Russian Studies The American Enterprise Institute Chairman Royce on the hearing: "The Obama administration's policy toward Putin's Russia is clearly failing.  From invading Ukraine to bombing Syrian hospitals and schools, Putin has only become more belligerent, in part due to a lack of U.S. leadership and credibility.  We must work with Russia from a position of strength.  This hearing will look at ways to improve our U.S. policy in order to counter Russia's aggression and secure American interests." Wednesday, June 15 Subcommittee Hearing: Egypt: Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Policy 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman Invited Witnesses Include: The Honorable Mark Green President International Republican Institute Mr. Mokhtar Awad Research Fellow Program on Extremism Center for Cyber and Homeland Security George Washington University Ms. Amy Hawthorne Deputy Director for Research Project on Middle East Democracy Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: "Egypt's ongoing political, economic, and security struggles pose a number of challenges and opportunities for U.S. policy. As a valuable strategic ally, Egypt's success is essential to U.S. interests and it is important that we find the appropriate balance in our partnership in order to continue our counterterrorism cooperation while helping Egypt make necessary economic and democratic reforms. This hearing will allow subcommittee members to hear from a variety of experts about recent developments in Egypt and assess what changes, if any, need to be made to the U.S.-Egypt relationship." Thursday, June 16 Markup: H.R. ____, H.R. ____, H.R. 5208, H.R. 5332 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, June 16 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Committee on Foreign Affairs Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman Measures to be Marked Up Include: H.R. ____, Digital Global Access Policy Act of 2016; H.R. ____, State Sponsors of Terrorism Review Enhancement Act; H.R. 5208, North Korea State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act of 2016; and H.R. 5332, Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016. Thursday, June 16 Subcommittee Hearing: The Global Religious Freedom Crisis and Its Challenge to U.S. Foreign Policy 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman Invited Witnesses Include: Panel I The Honorable David N. Saperstein Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom U.S. Department of State Panel II Robert P. George, Ph.D. McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Princeton University (Former Chairman, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom) Chairman Smith on the hearing: "International religious freedom remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time.  In some parts of the world this fundamental freedom is constantly and brutally under siege, posing direct challenges to U.S. global interests. It is no coincidence that the worst violators of religious freedom globally are often those who are the worst threats to the U.S., those who wish to do Americans the most harm, and those who most want to tear down the pillars of tolerant and democratic societies.  Religious freedom diplomacy has developed under three administrations of both parties; sadly our nation has had little effect curbing the rise of persecution, anti-Semitism, and religion-based violence. It is worth asking why. This hearing will ask not only what the State Department is doing regarding religious freedom, but what can be done better. It will ask where are the persecution flashpoints around the world and what can the U.S. do better to address one of the great crises of the 21st century." ***See www.foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates. ***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

###