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Washington D.C.- House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has released the following statement on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s participation at the Arctic Council Ministerial in Iceland this week.

“With Russia assuming the chairmanship of the Arctic Council, U.S. engagement and leadership in the Arctic is more critical now than ever. Russia and the Chinese Communist Party are increasing their malign influence in the region, testing the limits of the U.S. and our allies in the region. It is critical that this administration recognizes the strategic competition that is playing out in the Arctic, calls it what it is, and acts swiftly to counter it to ensure the Arctic remains a secure, environmentally-sound, and stable region.”

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