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• Global Forced Migration: The Political Crisis of Our Time

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  From the Executive Summary: "The United States can and must lead a new global effort to address the global forced migration crisis. Current trends, including the challenge of climate change, will force more people to flee their homes, be on the move, and live in displacement. As the number of those forcibly displaced continues to balloon, the need for innovative and comprehensive international responses is imperative. Under the Trump administration, the United States has responded to the forced migration crisis with fear and regressive policies. In order to mitigate global instability and regain our standing as a nation committed to principled leadership in the world, the United States must reverse course and lead the charge in securing international cooperation and new solutions for today's forced migrants. How the United States chooses to respond to these events will define the world we will live in, and the role the United States plays in it."

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2020-06-18
• Letter from [Ranking Member of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations] to the [U.S. Department of State Inspector General] Regarding the [State Department's Withholding of Critical Security Assistance to Ukraine], October 3, 2019

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  From the Letter: "I am writing to renew my September 24th request for you to urgently investigate the State Department's withholding of critical security assistance to Ukraine and to expand that investigation to specifically cover the role of senior State Department officials in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, including Secretary of State Pompeo and his Counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl. Through information you provided to congressional committees and admissions by President Trump's agent, Rudy Giuliani, it appears that Secretary Pompeo may have inappropriately and unlawfully leveraged State Department resources-paid for by U.S. taxpayers- to cause an investigation solely designed to advance President Trump's personal and political agenda. Mr. Brechbuhl may have wittingly or unwittingly participated in this effort. Such behavior is squarely within your jurisdiction, and must be investigated in a thorough and expedited fashion."

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  Menendez, Robert, 1954-

  2019-10-03
• American Leadership in the Asia- Pacific, Part 2: Economic Issues, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 24, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the May 24, 2017 hearing on "American Leadership in the Asia- Pacific, Part 2: Economic Issues," held before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to receive testimony regarding economic issues in relation to American leadership in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as both threats and opportunities for U.S. interests in the region. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Tami Overby and Robert Orr.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-05-24
• Emerging External Influences in the Western Hemisphere, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 10, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the May 10, 2017 hearing on "Emerging External Influences in the Western Hemisphere," before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Dr. Ottolenghi: "Across the Western Hemisphere, Islamic terror networks are expanding their influence by increasingly cooperating with violent drug cartels, often with the assistance of corrupt political elites. This toxic nexus is fueling both the rising threat of global jihadism and the collapse of law and order across Latin America that is helping to drive drugs and people northward into the United States. Developing a strategy to combat this growing risk to the American homeland needs to be a U.S. policy priority. One of its primary targets should be Iran's most deadly proxy, the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah. Thanks to a vast network of support in key areas of Latin America, Hezbollah plays a central role in a new landscape where drug and human trafficking, gun running, illicit cigarette trade, trade-based money laundering, and terror financing can no longer be treated as distinct phenomena. [...] Iran's and Hezbollah's operations in Latin America thus intersect and mutually reinforce one another. Both pursue goals that are not only diametrically opposed to U.S. interests but also clearly pose a direct threat to American national security." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi and Eric Farnsworth.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-05-10
• Crisis in Libya: Next Steps and U.S. Policy Options, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, April 25, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the April 25, 2017 hearing, "Crisis in Libya: Next Steps and U.S. Policy Options," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the ongoing crisis in Libya, including its economic, governmental, religious, and societal aspects. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Frederic M. Wehrey and Deborah K. Jones.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-04-25
• Progress Report on Conflict Minerals, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, April 5, 2017

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  This is a testimony compilation of the April 5, 2017 hearing on "A Progress Report on Conflict Minerals" held before the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. From the opening statement of Rick Goss: "Numerous governments and credible independent observers report recent positive trends on breaking the links between armed groups and mining for 3T [tin, tantalum and tungsten] minerals. These officials note a significant reduction in the presence of armed groups -- including Congolese armed forces -- at 3T mining sites, largely due to increased transparency, monitoring, and control measures. Importantly, the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] government has increased its involvement by imposing greater controls, taxes, legal enforcement, and oversight. According to the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development], non-traceable exports of 3T trade at a discount of almost 30% compared to traceable materials." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Rick Goss, Mvemba Dizolele, and Arvind Ganesan.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-04-05
• European Union as a Partner Against Russian Aggression: Sanctions, Security, Democratic Institutions and the Way Forward, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, April 4, 2017

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  This is a testimony compilation of the April 4, 2017 hearing on "European Union as a Partner Against Russian Aggression: Sanctions, Security, Democratic Institutions and the Way Forward" held before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the statement of David O'Sullivan: "The European Union and the United States, along with others in the international community, have taken a principled position against the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, which we do not recognise, and against Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine. We have adopted a package of restrictive measures that we have agreed to maintain till the full implementation of the Minsk agreement. Close transatlantic coordination has been crucial for the effectiveness of these targeted measures." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: David O'Sullivan, Kurt Volker, and Daniel Baer.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-04-04
• Senate Resolution 116: Condemning the Assad Regime for Its Continued Use of Chemical Weapons Against the Syrian People, United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 115th Congress, First Session, April 4, 2017

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  "[T]he Senate (1) holds the Assad regime responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including its confirmed use of chemical weapons; (2) condemns Russia and China for repeatedly blocking collective response to Bashar al-Assad's confirmed use of chemical weapons through the United Nations Security Council; (3) calls on the United Nations Security Council to take immediate, decisive action in response to the Assad regime's continued use of chemical weapons; (4) supports the critical work of the United Nations Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Joint Investigative Mechanism; (5) expresses alarm that the continued use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime undermines the integrity of the Chemical Weapons Convention; (6) reiterates that Bashar al-Assad has lost legitimacy as Syria's leader; and (7) insists that Bashar al-Assad must be held accountable for his war crimes and crimes against humanity."

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-04-04
• Road Ahead: U.S. Interests, Values, and the American People, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 30, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 30, 2017 hearing, "The Road Ahead: U.S. Interests, Values, and the American People," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss, "the road ahead for U.S. interests, values, and the American people." In the testimony of Albright and Hadley, they offered their, "perspective on the current challenges to the international system, share[d] some insights relevant to this topic from [their] Middle East Strategy Task Force, and suggest[ed] some ways in which Congress might be able to help forge a new bipartisan consensus on American foreign policy." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Madeleine K. Albright and Stephen J. Hadley.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-30
• American Leadership in the Asia-Pacific, Part 1: Security Issues, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 29, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 29, 2017 hearing, "American Leadership in the Asia-Pacific, Part 1: Security Issues," before the United States Senate Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss, "some of the issues that impact US national security in the Asia-Pacific region. [...] [Particularly regarding] the security dimensions of the US-China relationship writ large, the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and the implications for nuclear terrorism of significant plutonium stocks accumulating in the civilian nuclear power programs of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Randy Forbes and Robert L. Gallucci.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-29
• U.S.-Mexico Relationship: Advancing Security and Prosperity on Both Sides of the Border, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 29, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 29, 2017 hearing, "U.S.-Mexico Relationship: Advancing Security and Prosperity on Both Sides of the Border," before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico in light of the diversity of viewpoints on the relationship expressed by the Trump Administration. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Roger F. Noriega and Bill Richardson.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-29
• View from Congress: U.S. Policy on Iran, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 28, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 28, 2017 hearing, "View from Congress: U.S. Policy on Iran," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss U.S. policy on Iran, including Iran's regional status, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and Iran's relationship with the United States. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michael Singh and Martin S. Indyk.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-28
• Six Years of War in Syria: The Human Toll, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 15, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 15, 2017 hearing, "Six Years of War in Syria: The Human Toll," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the humanitarian toll of the Syrian civil war that has taken place over the last six years. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Dr. Farida, Dr. Abdulkhalek, Dr. Mohamed Abu Rajab, Neal Keny-Guyer, and David Miliband.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-15
• Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, March 2, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the March 2, 2017 hearing, "Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss Venezuela and the various options for U.S. policy. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: David Smilde, Shannon O'Neil, and Mark Feierstein.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-03-02
• Iraq After Mosul, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 28, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the February 28, 2017 hearing, "Iraq After Mosul," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the state of affairs in Iraq in light of the current campaign against the Islamic State in Mosul. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michael Knights and Hardin Lang.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-02-28
• Democracy and Human Rights: The Case for U.S. Leadership, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 16, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the February 16, 2017 hearing on "Democracy and Human Rights: The Case for U.S. Leadership" before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crimes, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the testimony of Carl Gershman: "Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for holding this very timely and important hearing on the importance of U.S. leadership in supporting human rights and democracy in the world. As we know too well, democracy today is being challenged as never before since the end of the Cold War. The crisis has many dimensions, including the rise of ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] and other terrorist movements; growing illiberalism in Turkey, Hungary, the Philippines and other backsliding democracies; eleven consecutive years of decline in global democracy, as measured by Freedom House; and,most importantly, what the letter of invitation to this hearing calls 'resurgent authoritarianism.' An editorial in 'The Washington Post' last June defined resurgent authoritarianism as a modernday version of the totalitarian threat that Winston Churchill decried in his famous 'iron curtain' address in 1946. 'No longer is it about communism,' the editorial said, 'but rather the rise of despots who rule by force and coercion, from Russia to China, across the Middle East and Central Asia, to Latin America and Africa. In the past decade, these leaders have become more adept -- and daring -- at building a parallel universe to the liberal democratic order. In their construct, state power reigns supreme, political competition is extinguished, civil society elbowed out, and freedoms of expression, association and belief suppressed. Surprisingly, some of these leaders, particularly in Russia and China, have been wielding a sophisticated and deceptive soft power beyond their borders that is proving more enduring and effective than in the past.'" Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Carl Gershman, Mark Green, Kenneth Wollack, Garry Kasparov, Halah Eldoseri, and Danilo "El Sexto" Maldonado Machado.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-02-16
• United States, the Russian Federation and the Challenges Ahead, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 9, 2017

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  This hearing compilation is from the February 9, 2017 hearing on "The United States, the Russian Federation and the Challenges Ahead" before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the statement of Philip M. Breedlove: "The problem here is that thus far Moscow's extensive military operation in Syria has devoted little attention to these extremists. It has instead been directed against the weak moderates whom we support and lately, as it works with Ankara, against the Kurds. And its indiscriminate bombing against civilian populations has fueled refugee flows, exacerbating the refugee crisis in Europe. Moscow's principal objective in Syria is to shore up the weak, yet savage, Assad regime. If we back off active opposition to Assad - a serious concession to Mr. Putin -- is Moscow willing to be a real partner in Syria and beyond against Islamic extremists? [...] President Putin has made clear that he wants to upend the post-Cold War order established in Europe. He and senior Russian officials have justified aggression in Ukraine by claiming a right to protect ethnic Russians and Russian speakers there; and they have said that this principle applies elsewhere. Their goal is to weaken NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization], the European Union, and the Transatlantic relationship. [...] We have a vital interest in maintaining a strong NATO and vibrant Europe." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Philip M. Breedlove and Julianne Smith.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-02-09
• Confronting the North Korea Threat: Reassessing Policy Options, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, January 31, 2017

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  This hearing compilation is from the January 31, 2017 hearing on "Confronting the North Korea Threat: Reassessing Policy Options" before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the statement of Nicholas Eberstadt: "Our seemingly unending inability to fathom Pyongyang's true objectives, and our attendant proclivity for being taken by surprise over and over again by North Korean actions, is not just a matter of succumbing to Pyongyang's strategic deceptions, assiduous as those efforts may be. The trouble, rather, is that even our top foreign policy experts and our most sophisticated diplomatists are creatures of our own cultural heritage and intellectual environment. We Americans are, so to speak, children of the Enlightenment, steeped in the precepts of our highly globalized era. Which is to say: we have absolutely no common point of reference with the worldview, or moral compass, or first premises of the closed-society decision makers who control the North Korean state. Americans' first instincts are to misunderstand practically everything the North Korean state is really about. The DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] is a project pulled by tides and shaped by sensibilities all but forgotten to the contemporary West. North Korea is a hereditary Asian dynasty (currently on its third Kim)--but one maintained by Marxist-Leninist police state powers unimaginable to earlier epochs of Asian despots and supported by a recently invented and quasi-religious ideology." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Nicholas Eberstadt and Scott Snyder.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-01-31
• Hearing on the Nomination of Nikki R. Haley, of South Carolina, to be the United States of America Representative to the United Nations, Hearing Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, January 18, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the January 18, 2017 hearing, 'Hearing on the Nomination of Nikki R. Haley, of South Carolina, to be the United States of America Representative to the United Nations,' before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Nikki R. Haley: "I come before you today both humbled and honored to be considered to represent the United States of America at the United Nations. Just as other nominees for this position have done, I am here to outline my vision and discuss my qualifications." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Nikki R. Haley.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-01-18
• S. Hrg. 114-688: State Department and USAID Management Challenges and Opportunities for the Next Administration, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, December 8, 2016

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  This is the December 8, 2016 hearing on "State Department and USAID Management Challenges and Opportunities for the Next Administration," held before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of David Perdue: "The Inspectors General before us here today are charged with evaluating and assessing State and USAID's programs and operations and making recommendations to strengthen their integrity, effectiveness, and accountability. As such, the Inspectors General are dedicated to detecting and preventing waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. As we move forward into a new administration which will have new leadership and fresh ideas, I wanted to take the opportunity to bring you up-to really focus-to visit with us again, to focus again on the management piece of this mandate." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Steve A. Linick and Ann Calvaresi Barr.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017
• Southeast Europe: Strengthening Democracy and Countering Malign Foreign Influence Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, June 14, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 14, 2017 hearing, "Southeast Europe: Strengthening Democracy and Countering Malign Foreign Influence," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the witness testimony of Damon Wilson: "Over the past decade as Washington turned its attention elsewhere, and European Union (EU) strategy gave way to a bureaucratic process increasingly detached from political vision, the consensus in the region about its future has frayed. To those in the region, EU membership is a distant prospect, if viable and desirable at all. The short-term costs of reforms at home, including risking the forfeiture of patronage networks, outweigh the ambiguity of long-term benefits. Stagnation is giving way to backsliding. This dynamic is exacerbated by the uncertainties at the heart of Europe and the transatlantic relationship itself. When there is trouble in our core transatlantic community, its periphery is vulnerable to centrifugal forces." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Damon Wilson, Majda Ruge, Ivana Cvetkovic Bajrovic, and Hoyt Brain Yee.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017
• Review Congressional Authorizations for the Use of Military Force, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, June 20, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 20, 2017 hearing, "Reviewing Congressional Authorizations for the Use of Military Force," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the witness testimony of Kathleen Hicks: "The United States faces an array of threats from violent extremist groups that necessitate counterterrorism operations in disparate parts of the world. Current U.S. counterterrorism activities in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere generally operate under provisions of the 2001 AUMF [authorization for the use of military force], which was intended to sanction force against the individuals, groups, and states involved in the planning and execution of the September 11 attacks. To create a legal justification for U.S. military action taken against terrorist groups that have emerged since 9/11, notably including the Islamic State and Al Shabab, the executive branch has relied on an ever-expanding interpretation of the category of al-Qaeda "associated forces" provided for under the 2001 AUMF. Relying on a 16-year old authorization focused on countering 'core' al-Qaeda for current or potential operations against the Islamic State and other emergent terrorist threats strains credulity. It jeopardizes our nation's principled belief in the rule of law and thereby risks the legitimacy of the institutions designed to create, carry out, and enforce such laws." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John B. Bellinger, III and Kathleen H. Hicks.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017
• State-Sponsored Cyberspace Threats: Recent Incidents and U.S. Policy Response, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on East Asia the Pacific and International Cybersecurity, of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, June 13, 2017

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 13, 2017 hearing, "State-Sponsored Cyberspace Threats: Recent Incidents and U.S. Policy Response," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the witness testimony of Samantha Ravich: "Both traditional economic warfare and, more recently, cyber warfare have been extensively studied. What is much less understood, however, is the 'intersection' between these two subjects: The contemporary evolution of economic warfare within the new realities of cyberspace has not received the focused, comprehensive scrutiny and policy attention that it warrants. The questions we must be asking and answering are: Within the escalating cyber attacks on U.S. public and private organizations, is there lurking a new type of action - some form of 'concerted adversarial strategy' - to undermine the U.S. economically? Are some adversaries‟ strategies designed to cause economic harm that would weaken or significantly debilitate U.S. security capabilities? To what extent, and when, are they sponsoring proxies to achieve these nefarious goals? Is the U.S. prepared to identify and address such hostile strategies effectively? Does the U.S. government need new collection and analysis platforms to perform this critical function?" Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Samantha Ravich and Eric Rosenbach.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017
• Reviewing the Civil Nuclear Agreement with Norway, Hearing Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, September 15, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the September 15, 2016 hearing, 'Reviewing the Civil Nuclear Agreement with Norway' before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the testimony of Thomas M. Countryman: "It is a pleasure to testify before the Committee today regarding the President's submission of an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the United States and Norway. As you know, Norway is a long standing strategic ally and political partner of the United States, and this Agreement is an example of the strength of our bilateral relationship. The United States and Norway have had a strong partnership in the field of peaceful nuclear cooperation for more than half a century, and the United States is pleased to renew this cooperation with an updated 123 agreement. The terms of the new U.S.-Norway Agreement strongly reaffirm the two governments' shared commitment to nonproliferation as the cornerstone of our nuclear cooperation relationship. Norway has a strong track record on and has consistently reiterated its commitment to nonproliferation. It has been an extremely active partner with the United States across a wide breadth of bilateral and multilateral activities designed to ensure the implementation of the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation worldwide." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Thomas M. Countryman.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-09-15
• Protecting Girls: Global Efforts to End Child Marriage, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, September 14, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the September 14, 2016 hearing on "Protecting Girls: Global Efforts to End Child Marriage," before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crimes, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Anne Richard: "I want to focus my remarks on early and forced marriage among people who are refugees, internally displaced or stateless. My bureau aids refugees and others uprooted by conflicts and crises, and we see, time and time again, how these emergencies exacerbate the threat of early and forced marriage - not only in warzones but also in places where families seek safety and take refuge. Boko Haram and ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] outrage the world by enslaving girls and forcing them into marriage. But these are not the only places where abuses are being perpetrated. Tragedies also unfold every day around the globe, as combatants in conflicts use attacks on women and girls to terrorize, subjugate, and scatter innocent civilians. [...] Strengthening laws against early and forced marriage could help. Most nations prohibit marriage below a certain age. But awareness of these laws is limited and enforcement is spotty -- especially when laws clash with prevailing customs. Violations against displaced girls can be especially hard to address through legal means. [...] Preventing early and forced marriage and other forms of gender-based violence is a focus of our diplomacy as well as the humanitarian assistance we provide through UN agencies and other international and non-governmental organizations." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Anne Richard, Catherine Russell, Lakshmi Sundaram, and Suzanne Petroni.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-09-14
• Assessment of U.S. Economic Assistance, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, July 7, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the July 7, 2016 hearing, 'Assessment of U.S. Economic Assistance,' before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the testimony of Todd J. Moss: "I appreciate being invited to testify again and the opportunity to highlight ways the United States can more effectively support private sector growth and economic opportunity around the world. I proudly served in the State Department under Secretary Condoleezza Rice and continue to work closely on global economic policy issues at the nonpartisan Center for Global Development (CGD). I have three points today, drawing on my work at CGD with my colleague Ben Leo. First, development finance, rather than aid, is the future. Aid is the right tool for tackling health challenges and humanitarian crises. Aid has been much less effective at generating broad economic growth. However, when carefully targeted, aid can be useful in addressing specific barriers to business. The Millennium Challenge Corporation model, which uses five-year compacts to explicitly attack constraints to growth, is a great example. So too are the US Treasury's technical assistance programs and USAID's [United States Agency for International Development] laudable coordination of the Power Africa initiative. Yet it is development finance--or the deployment of commercial capital for public policy purposes--that is the most potent weapon we have for expanding markets and spurring private sector growth. When the United States wants to encourage job creation in Tunisia, wants to catalyze infrastructure investment in Nigeria, wants to bring Pakistani women into the banking sector, we turn to development finance. Development finance is the future because of the changing global landscape. Many previously poor countries are richer today and are looking for more than aid." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Todd Moss, Jeffrey Herbst, and Alicia Phillips Mandaville.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-07-17
• Zika in the Western Hemisphere: Risks and Response, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, July 13, 2016

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  This is the July 13, 2016 hearing on "Zika in the Western Hemisphere: Risks and Response" held before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues. From the statement of Judith G. Garber: "Forty countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are currently experiencing active, mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus. Several countries and territories in Africa and Asia are also experiencing outbreaks for the first time, including outbreaks of the epidemic strain circulating in the Americas. It is likely only a matter of time before we experience local transmission in the continental United States and Hawaii as well. In the short time since this epidemic began, international science and medical experts - my colleague Dr. Frieden foremost amongst them - have sought to understand the truly devastating impacts that this virus can have on its victims, and particularly on developing fetuses. It will be years before we know the full extent of what physicians are now calling 'Congenital Zika Syndrome.'" Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Judith G. Garber, Tom Frieden, and Irene Koek.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-07-13
• Public-Private Partnerships in Foreign Aid: Leveraging U.S. [United States] Assistance for Greater Impact and Sustainability, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, July 12, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the July 12, 2016 hearing, "Public-Private Partnerships in Foreign Aid: Leveraging U.S. [United States] Assistance for Greater Impact and Sustainability," before the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID [United States Agency for International Development] Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The witnesses from this hearing discuss their opinions on the role of the United States in providing assistance to underdeveloped countries. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Eric G. Postel, Daniel F. Runde, and Michael Goltzman.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-07-12
• Corruption: Violent Extremism, Kleptocracy, and the Dangers of Failing Governance, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, June 30, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 30, 2016 hearing "Corruption: Violent Extremism, Kleptocracy, and the Dangers of Failing Governance" before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the statement of Gayle Smith: "Chairman Corker, Ranking Member Cardin, and distinguished members of the Committee: thank you for inviting me here to discuss the United States Agency for International Development's work to combat corruption across the globe. I want to thank you for shining a light on this important topic, and for your continued leadership and ongoing commitment to root out corruption and advance accountability and transparency. Corruption takes on many forms, from the bribery of public officials to collusion in public procurement to the wholesale theft of government assets. Although its different forms may cause varying degrees of harm, corruption as a whole tears at the fabric of society and hinders inclusive economic growth and democratic governance. Additionally, corruption poses major security risks to the United States, often enabling radicalization and violent extremism and fueling political instability and conflict. That is why President Obama views corruption as a fundamental obstacle to peace, prosperity, and human rights, and our Administration has sought to elevate anti-corruption efforts across our foreign policy and development agendas." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Gayle Smith, Tomasz P. Malinowski, Carl Gershman, and Sarah Chayes.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-06-30
• Global Efforts to Defeat ISIS, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, June 28, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 28, 2016 hearing "Global Efforts to Defeat ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Brett McGurk: "The fight against ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] is an unprecedented challenge. More than 40,000 foreign fighters have flowed into Syria over the past five years, swelling the ranks of violent extremist organizations, the most significant of which is ISIL. ISIL is determined to establish a state in Iraq and Syria, and instill terror around the world as part of a perverse agenda, whereby, according to their own ideology, anyone who disagrees with them should die. We have no choice but to defeat ISIL by taking away its territory in Iraq and Syria, severing its global networks, and suffocating its global affiliates. I will describe today the progress we are making in all of these areas, but this progress does not discount the significant threat that remains, and will remain, for years to come. [...] We analyze the ISIL challenge in three dimensions: the core in Iraq and Syria (its phony self-proclaimed 'caliphate'); the global networks (foreign fighter, financial, and messaging networks); and the global affiliates (eight in all, with some far more serious than others). Any successful campaign must address all three, and our global effort, anchored by a coalition of 66 partners, is designed to do just that. At the same time, the ISIL core remains its center of gravity, allowing ISIL to extract resources, recruit, and plan sophisticated external terrorist attacks, as we have seen in Paris and Brussels. Thus, we are focused first and foremost on shrinking the core, uprooting ISIL from the cities, towns, and villages under its control, and destroying its underlying infrastructure, including the human capital of its leaders, now being eliminated one-by-one." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Brett McGurk.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-06-28