Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) announced the following upcoming Committee events:

Thursday, June 9

Subcommittee Hearing: The Impact of Low Oil Prices on Energy Security in the Americas

10 a.m. on Thursday, June 9 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Mr. Amos Hochstein
Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs
Bureau of Energy Resources
U.S. Department of State

Ms. Melanie Kenderdine
Director
Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis
U.S. Department of Energy

The Honorable Adam Sieminski
Administrator
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Chairman Duncan on the hearing: “Today, the price of oil is just under $49 – a dramatic fall from over $100 a barrel only two years ago. The economies of Latin America, home to some of the world’s largest reserves of oil, have been hit hard. This hearing will provide Congressional oversight of the Administration’s energy diplomacy efforts in the region, especially in view of the crisis in Venezuela. We will also examine the impact low oil prices have had on the region, ways the situation might lead to greater market-oriented economic policies, and how the abundance of U.S. shale gas and oil might create a low-cost alternative for Central American and Caribbean markets in order to achieve greater regional energy diversity and security.”

Thursday, June 9

Subcommittee Hearing: Examining the President’s FY 2017 Budget Proposal Europe and Eurasia

2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Ms. Alina Romanowski
Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Mr. Daniel Rosenblum
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Thomas Melia
Assistant Administrator
Europe and Eurasia Bureau
U.S. Agency for International Development

Ms. Ann Marie Yastishock
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Bureau for Asia
U.S. Agency for International Development

Chairman Rohrabacher on the hearing: “This hearing will provide much needed oversight for the Obama Administration’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request for Europe and Eurasia. Members of Congress will press the witnesses on U.S. policy and how specifically our aid dollars are being spent. At this time of increased attention on Europe, it is vital that Congress maintain a focus on U.S. foreign aid programs and their activities.”

Thursday, June 9

Subcommittee Hearing: Sri Lanka’s Democratic Transition: A New Era for the U.S.-Sri Lanka Relationship

2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

Ms. Lisa Curtis
Senior Research Fellow
Asian Studies Center
The Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy
The Heritage Foundation

Ms. Kara L. Bue
Founding Partner
Armitage International

Chairman Salmon on the hearing: “Observers the world over have interpreted Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s surprise electoral victory in 2015 as an opportunity for the country to establish more democratic governance, heal internally after decades of civil war, and pursue a more balanced foreign policy. The Sirisena administration has begun important reforms, paving the way towards a closer U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership, but change in Sri Lanka remains stymied by difficult domestic politics and continued ethnic friction. In this hearing, we will discuss Sri Lanka’s ongoing political evolution and investigate opportunities for improved U.S. relations with this strategically-located nation.”

Thursday, June 9

Subcommittee Briefing and Hearing: Leveraging U.S. Funds: The Stunning Global Impact of Nutrition and Supplements During the First 1,000 Days

2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 in 2255 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman

Invited Briefers Include:

Mr. Ajay Markanday
Director
Liaison Office for North America
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Invited Witnesses Include:

Beth Dunford, Ph.D.
Assistant to the Administrator
Bureau for Food Security
U.S. Agency for International Development

Chairman Smith on the hearing: The First 1000 days of life, from conception to roughly the second birthday, is an absolutely critical window in terms of human development. USAID has had great success with food and nutrition interventions during this period, greatly reducing stunting in a number of developing countries and thereby contributing to economic growth. In so doing, USAID has partnered with organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, wisely leveraging taxpayer dollars.”

Thursday, June 9

Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Stopping the Money Flow: The War on Terror Finance

2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 in 2118 Rayburn House Office Building

Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Chairman

Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Chairman

Invited Witnesses Include:

The Honorable Daniel Glaser
Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing
U.S. Department of the Treasury

Mr. Andrew Keller
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Ms. Theresa Whelan
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict
U.S. Department of Defense

Mr. William Woody
Chief of Law Enforcement
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Chairman Poe on the hearing: “Our financial war against the persistent threat of terrorism is one of the most pressing U.S. national security priorities. The rise of ISIS, described as the richest terrorist group in the world, and the proliferation of terrorist groups throughout the world over the past decade has underscored the urgency to target the financial resources of our enemies. Terrorists draw their finances from a variety of resources, including taxation, kidnapping for ransom, human and wildlife trafficking, and a network of private donors.  This hearing will examine the efficacy of our strategy to counter terror finance.”

Chairman Wilson on the hearing: “As our enemies grow increasingly murderous, a critical component of our counterterrorism operations must be to target their resources and financial operations to protect American families. I am grateful to Chairman Ted Poe for joining me in discussing this key issue and look forward to hearing from the witnesses.”

 

***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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