Chairman's Press
Chairman Risch: Administration’s Decision to Extend New START for Five Years is Ill-Advised
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration's decision to extend the New START Treaty for five years: "I disagree with the Biden Administration's decision to extend the New START Treaty for five years. By failing to seize the opportunity for a shorter extension, they have forfeited the opportunity for follow-on arms control negotiations. Having secured the longer extension h… Continue Reading
January 19, 2021
Chairman Risch Opening Statement at Nomination Hearing for Antony Blinken to be Secretary of State
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a full committee nomination hearing for Antony J. Blinken to be secretary of State. Chairman Risch gave the following opening statement: "The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee will come to order. "We have an important hearing this afternoon, obviously, as we talk about the president-elect's nomination of Anthony J. Blinken to be secretary of State, and we'll get to … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Risch, McCaul: Museveni, Ugandan Military Must Respect Polls
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statement ahead of tomorrow's general election in Uganda. In recent months, the government of Uganda has violently dispersed opposition events, repeatedly jailed human rights defenders and opposition leaders, closed bank accounts of civil society organizations, shut… Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
ICYMI: Chairman Risch: Helping Our Neighbors: U.S. Leadership Promotes Partnerships, Saves Lives in Global Fight against Hunger
As seen on the CSIS website: By: U.S. Senator Jim Risch - January 13, 2021 The United States has long been the most generous donor of global food assistance, both financial and with in-kind contributions. This role has allowed us the opportunity to share our knowledge and bounty, save millions of lives, build mutually beneficial economic and trade partnerships, and promote the growth of healthier, more stable societies. Americans are proud of this legacy, as we should be. Yet today, despite un… Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Risch, McCaul: Terrorism Designation in Yemen Must Include Mitigation of Humanitarian Impacts
WASHINGTON - The State Department has announced its intent to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization beginning on January 19th. The Houthis have committed horrifying acts of violence, including rampant human rights violations, kidnappings, missile and drone strikes, and threats to international freedom of navigation. However, this designation must be paired with sufficient steps to mitigate negative impacts on Yemeni civilians. Below is a statement from Senate Foreign Relation… Continue Reading
January 05, 2021
Risch, Cardin, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Their Resolution Condemning Violence in Anglophone Cameroon
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, along with Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas),… Continue Reading
January 02, 2021
Chairman Risch: China is the Greatest Challenge of this Century
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today highlighted significant achievements and steps taken during his first term as chairman to counter the challenges the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pose to the United States and its allies and partners. "China is a strategic and global competitor of the United States, and is the greatest foreign policy challenge we face this century," said Risch. "Ov… Continue Reading
December 31, 2020
Chairman Risch Statement on EU-China Investment Agreement
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the new investment agreement between the European Union (EU) and the People's Republic of China (PRC): "I have taken note of the EU's decision to conclude an investment agreement with the PRC. The agreement is said to have obtained commitments that China has been unwilling to make for decades, including transparency in its subsidies, a prohibition on for… Continue Reading
December 22, 2020
Risch, Rubio, Cardin, Feinstein Welcome Passage of Their Bipartisan Bill in Support of Tibet
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), welcomed the passage of their bipartisan Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019 (S.2539). The legislation, included in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill, seeks to update and strengthen the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 to address emerging human rights, religious freedom, and other challenges faced by the Tibetan peopl… Continue Reading
December 21, 2020
Risch Applauds Passage of Belarus, Taiwan Legislation in Bipartisan Omnibus Package
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today applauded the passage of the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act and the Taiwan Assurance Act within Congress' end-of-year omnibus package. Also included in the package is a Risch-led provision creating a sanctions coordinator at the U.S. Department of State. "I am pleased that the bipartisan omnibus package passed today includes several Senate Foreign Relations Committee pr… Continue Reading
December 14, 2020
Chairman Risch: SST Rescission Reflects Changed Sudan, Stronger U.S.-Sudan Relations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the announcement of the Trump Administration's formal rescission of Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST): "Sudan's removal from SST reflects a major milestone in its fragile democratic transition and is the product of hard work by the Trump Administration and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's civilian-led government. The United States re… Continue Reading
December 14, 2020
Chairman Risch: Sanctions on Turkey are Result of Erdogan’s Decisions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement regarding the Trump Administration's announcement that it will impose sanctions on the government of Turkey over its purchase of S-400 missiles from Russia: "I am very glad to see that Turkey has finally been sanctioned for its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. These sanctions, which are mandated under the Countering America's Adversaries Thr… Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Chairman Risch Highlights S-400 Sanctions and Expanded Nord Stream 2 Sanctions in FY2021 NDAA Passage
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today applauded final passage of H.R.6395, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA). "Today's bipartisan passage of the NDAA for fiscal year 2021 is an important step in fulfilling our obligations to the U.S. military, and an opportunity to further several Senate Foreign Relations Committee-related priorities," said Risch. "It is unacceptable that a North Atlantic Treaty O… Continue Reading
December 09, 2020
Risch, Cardin Introduce Resolution Encouraging Peaceful Resolution to Tigray Conflict in Ethiopia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees civilian security, democracy and human rights, today introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front to cease all hostilities, protect the human rights of all Ethiopians, and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Tigray re… Continue Reading
December 07, 2020
Chairman Risch on Fraudulent Elections in Venezuela
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on yesterday's fraudulent congressional elections in Venezuela: "The Maduro regime's dismantling of the National Assembly, the last remaining democratic institution in Venezuela, is shameful, but predictable. The absence of representative democracy in Venezuela is a growing threat to the stability, peace, and development of the Americas. The United States rem… Continue Reading
December 03, 2020
Chairman Risch Speaks with President Ivan Duque of Colombia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after speaking with Colombian President Iván Duque: "Today, I was glad to speak with President Iván Duque of Colombia and reaffirm our longstanding, values-based relationship. We discussed our ongoing interest in helping the Venezuelan people reclaim their freedom, building upon our decades-long counternarcotics cooperation, and advancing econom… Continue Reading
December 02, 2020
Risch Statement on Sentencing of Pro-Democracy Hong Kong Activists
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the sentencing of three pro-democracy Hong Kong activists: "Today's sentencing of Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam in Hong Kong for supporting pro-democracy protests is despicable. Beijing's overreach in Hong Kong has resulted in the complete erosion of rule of law. These three activists as well as others should be immediately released and have all ch… Continue Reading
November 18, 2020
ICYMI: Chairman Risch Discusses Greater Transatlantic Cooperation on China with EU, U.K. Parliamentarians
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a virtual event with Member of European Parliament David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, to mark the release of his new report, "The United States and Europe: A Concrete Agenda for Transatlantic Cooperation on China." Th… Continue Reading
November 18, 2020
Chairman Risch Publishes Report, Discusses Greater Transatlantic Cooperation on China with Parliamentarians
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today published a majority report entitled "The United States and Europe: A Concrete Agenda for Transatlantic Cooperation on China,"to advance greater collaboration between the United States and Europe on the challenges posed by China. Risch is convening a virtual event to mark the release of the report with Member of European Parliament David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament's Committ… Continue Reading
November 12, 2020
Chairman Risch: All Sides Must Cease Fighting, Pursue Dialogue in Ethiopia
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the ongoing fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF): "The risk of the conflict in Ethiopia descending into civil war is a real, present, and immediate danger to regional stability, U.S. national security interests, and, most importantly, the safety and w… Continue Reading
