Chairman's Press
SFRC Chairman Menendez Statement on Biden Administration’s Plans to Provide Assistance to Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the below statement following the Biden administration's decision to waive section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which bans most U.S. military assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan until it takes demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh: "I am deeply disappointed to see the Department of State once aga… Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Senators Menendez, Risch, Colleagues Introduce Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today were joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) in unveiling new legislation to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over two decades. Authorizing the appropriation of over $410,000,000 per year, the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022 proposes to incre… Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Risch Applaud Committee Approval of Resolution Recognizing 75th Anniversary of Marshall Plan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the below statements following the Committee's approval of their resolution recognizing the Marshall Plan's role in founding a transatlantic community committed to the preservation of peace, prosperity, and democracy. The bipartisan resolution, which reaffirms the United States' policy to cooperate with transatlantic allies and partners and… Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Starvation as a Weapon of War
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and SFRC Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) ?announced that their bipartisan Senate resolution condemning the use of starvation and hunger as weapons of war was unanimously voted out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Senators introduced the resolution last month, not only condemning the use of h… Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
En una Columna, el Senador Menéndez Delinea el Impacto del Boicot del Presidente Mexicano a la Cumbre de las Américas
WASHINGTON - El Senador Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), Presidente del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores en el Senado, publicó hoy una columna para el periódico mexicano Reforma sobre el impacto de la decisión del Presidente Mexicano Andrés Manuel López Obrador de perjudicar la relación entre Estados Unidos y México al utilizar la Cumbre de las Américas para hacer demandas en nombre de las dictaduras de Cuba, Venezuela y Nicaragua. El Se… Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
In Op-Ed, Chairman Menendez Outlines Impact of Mexican President’s No-Show at Summit of the Americas
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today published an op-ed for the leading Mexican newspaper Reforma on the impact of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's decision to strain the U.S.-Mexico relationship by using the Summit of the Americas to make demands on behalf of the dictatorships in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. The Chairman raised concerns about the pressures on democracy and the rule of law in Mex… Continue Reading
June 22, 2022
Chairman Menendez Opening Statement at Committee Hearing on Proposed Accession of Sweden, Finland to NATO
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today delivered the following opening remarks at this afternoon's full Committee hearing: "NATO Enlargement: Examining the Proposed Accession of Sweden and Finland." Testifying before the Committee were Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander. "In many ways, Finla… Continue Reading
June 21, 2022
Senator Menendez, Congressman Lieu Lead Colleagues in Introducing Resolution in Observance of World Refugee Day
WASHINGTON - On the heels of World Refugee Day (June 20), U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA-33) were joined by 20 of their Senate colleagues, 67 of their House colleagues, and 11 leading refugee advocacy and human rights organizations in unveiling a resolution reaffirming the United States' commitment to promote the welfare of refugees and displaced persons worldwide - including children - as they flee confli… Continue Reading
June 17, 2022
Menendez, Graham Introduce Comprehensive Legislation to Overhaul U.S.-Taiwan Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced they have introduced the bipartisan Taiwan Policy Act of 2022. The new legislation, which comes in the wake of last week's threats by Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe's that China will "not hesitate to start a war" and "smash to smithereens" Taiwan, represents the most comprehensive restructuring of U.S. policy towards Taiwan since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.… Continue Reading
June 17, 2022
Menendez, Meeks Joint Statement on Appointment of Desirée Cormier Smith to Serve as State Department Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.),Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.),Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement applauding the appointment of Desirée Cormier Smith as Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice at the Department of State: "We applaud the Biden administration's creation of the new position of Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice a… Continue Reading
June 15, 2022
Menendez, Risch, Meeks, McCaul Statement on Threatened Turkish Incursion into Northern Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the below statement in reaction to the threatened Turkish incursion into Northern Syria: "We are extremely concerned about continued threats by Turkey to begin another military incursion into northern Syr… Continue Reading
June 14, 2022
Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Risch Introduce Resolution Recognizing the 75th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined in introducing a resolution in recognition of the Marshall Plan's role in founding a transatlantic community committed to the preservation of peace, prosperity, and democracy. In addition to reaffirming U.S. policy to cooperate with transatlantic allies and partners to advance shared values, the bipartisan resolution also congratulates the … Continue Reading
June 14, 2022
Chairman Menendez Statement on Efforts to Upend Northern Ireland Protocol
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the British government's new legislative effort to unilaterally upend the Northern Ireland protocol: "I am deeply disappointed in the United Kingdom's decision to unilaterally try to upend the Northern Ireland protocol. The decision to disapply portions of a legally binding agreement negotiated between the government and the European Union has significant impli… Continue Reading
June 13, 2022
Bipartisan Group of Senators Reject Arbitrary Sentencing of Former Bolivian President
WASHINGTON - Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the below statement on the continued politicization of Bolivia's judiciary following the arbitrary sentencing of former Interim President Jeanine Áñez by a court in La Paz: "In 2019, the United States Senate unanimously passed our b… Continue Reading
June 10, 2022
Following Quad Summit, SFRC Chairman Menendez Urges Greater Focus on Sri Lanka
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today wrote a letter congratulating Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on a successful Quad Leaders' Summit. While applauding the launch of the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) and the 13-nation Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (… Continue Reading
June 09, 2022
SFRC Approves Stop Iranian Drones Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the below statements following the Committee's approval of H.R. 6089, the Stop Iranian Drones Act, with an amendment, which seeks to prevent Iran and any terrorist or militia groups aligned with Iran from being able to acquire lethal drones. As the U.S. intensifies efforts to stop Tehran's flourishing lethal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) p… Continue Reading
June 09, 2022
Menendez, Risch, Colleagues Applaud Committee Passage of Resolution in Support of Finland, Sweden Joining NATO
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.), today applauded committee passage of their resolution (S.Res.646) in support of Finland's and Sweden's accession to NATO. "I'm proud to see the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reaffirm in a Senate resolution our strong support for Finland's and Sweden's swi… Continue Reading
June 09, 2022
Following Greek Prime Minister’s Address to Joint Meeting of Congress, SFRC Approves Resolution Celebrating Enduring United States-Greece Partnership
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the below statements following the Committee's approval of their bipartisan resolution welcoming His Excellency Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, to the United States for an address to a joint meeting of Congress. The resolution was originally introduced concurrently with Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Michael McCau… Continue Reading
June 09, 2022
Menendez, Risch Applaud SFRC Passage of their International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the below statements following the Committee's passage of their International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2022, comprehensive legislation to reauthorize and enhance critical programming, policy, and funding essential to the United States' efforts to combat human trafficking around the world. Expanding up… Continue Reading
June 08, 2022
SFRC Chairman Menendez Opening Remarks at Hearing: “The Path Forward On U.S.-Syria Policy: Strategy And Accountability”
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks at this morning's full Committee hearing: "The Path Forward On U.S.-Syria Policy: Strategy And Accountability." Testifying before the Committee on the first panel were Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul. Testifying before the Committee on the second pa… Continue Reading
