Chairman's Press
Menendez Seeks Additional Info from State Department about Saudi Hack of Jeff Bezos’ Phone
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week seeking answers about allegations that the government of Saudi Arabia hacked and attempted to extort Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post. Senator Menendez, who has previously warned about Saudi Arabia's use of technology to target perceived opponents of Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman, asked the State Department… Continue Reading
January 27, 2020
Menendez & Engel Statement on a Two-State Solution
Washington- Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs today made the following statement: "As longtime supporters of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and the two-state solution, we welcome any effort that will help advance those goals. "Israel and the United States share important values, including support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. These value… Continue Reading
January 25, 2020
Senators to Sec. Pompeo: Your Insults and Attacks on NPR Journalist are Beneath the Office of the Secretary of State
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in sending a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing serious concerns about an official State Department statement issued earlier today attacking NPR's All Things Considered co-host Mary Louise Kelly. The Secretary's statement follows an NPR report from Kelly which reve… Continue Reading
January 24, 2020
Leading Senate Dems Demand Delay of Trump Admin Limits on Travel of Pregnant Women
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined tonight by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) in sending a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding the Trump … Continue Reading
January 24, 2020
SFRC and HELP Leadership Statement on Novel Coronavirus Outbreak Briefing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), ranking members and chairmen of the the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, respectively, today released the following statement after holding an all-senator briefing with top administration health officials regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak that was first detected in Wuhan, China: "We are monitoring t… Continue Reading
January 17, 2020
Menendez Blasts Trump Admin for Loosening Export Controls on Semi-Automatic Arms and Sniper Rifles for Export
NEWARK - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump Administration formally announced on Friday that it was moving forward with its plans to drastically weaken U.S. firearms export regulations despite the Senator's official hold. The move, which was being blocked by Menendez over concerns that the Trump Administration wanted to dilute congressional oversight of foreign sales of lethal weapons, lo… Continue Reading
January 17, 2020
Menendez, Inhofe, Senators Send Letter Congratulating Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Reelection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), co-chairs of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, led a letter today congratulating President Tsai Ing-wen on reelection as President of Taiwan. They were joined by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Shelley M… Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
As Senate Impeachment Begins, Menendez Calls for Rigorous Investigation of Marie Yovanovitch Security Risk
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke today with CNN's Poppy Harlow about the Senate's impeachment trial of President Trump. The Senator also provided a reaction to the latest revelations from Rudy Giuliani's associate about the apparent surveillance of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Yesterday, Menendez wrote a letter to the State Department demanding a briefing on the matter. CLICK HERE TO WATCH In … Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Menendez Demands Immediate Briefing Following Menacing Text Messages Suggesting Amb. Yovanovitch was Stalked by Giuliani Associates
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter demanding the State Department immediately brief him about what Secretary Pompeo and the State Department knew regarding any threats to the safety of U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. The Senator's letter follows the release of new evidence as part of the House impeachment investigation. The evidence includes threatening text messages from Rudy Giuliani's associates sug… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
National Security Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Develop 5G Alternatives to Huawei
WASHINGTON - Today, a bipartisan group of leading national security Senators introduced legislation to encourage and support U.S. innovation in the race for 5G, providing over $1 billion to invest in Western-based alternatives to Chinese equipment providers Huawei and ZTE. Heavily subsidized by the Chinese government, Huawei is poised to become the leading commercial provider of 5G, with far-reaching effects for U.S. economic and national security. With close ties to the Communist Party of Chi… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Menendez Expresses Concern about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to express his serious concerns about India's Citizenship Amendment Act and the potential for the establishment of a National Register of Citizens. The Citizenship Amendment Act seeks to give citizenship to most religious minority groups in the country except for Muslims. Meanwhile, a National Register could require all Indians to provide documents… Continue Reading
January 13, 2020
Save Our Seas 2.0 Act Passes Senate Unanimously
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate today voted unanimously to pass the Save Our Seas (SOS) 2.0 Act, S. 1982, legislation introduced by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) , Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to address the plastic debris crisis threatening coastal economies and harming marine life. SOS 2.0 builds on the success of the Save Our Seas Act, introduced by Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse, and signed into law by President Trump in October 2018. "As marine debris and plasti… Continue Reading
January 11, 2020
Menendez Statement on Passing of Sultan Qaboos of Oman
NEWARK - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the passing of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman: "I extend my deepest condolences to the royal family and friends of the Sultan and all those in mourning in Oman. One of his greatest legacies will be a strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Oman. We stand in support as the country transitions to new leadership under Haitham bin Tariq … Continue Reading
January 11, 2020
Ranking Member Menendez Statement on Elections in Taiwan
NEWARK - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-chair of the U.S. Senate Taiwan Caucus, issued the following statement regarding the election results in Taiwan: "I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on her re-election. Taiwan's vibrant democracy is a tribute to the aspirations of the people of Taiwan, and an inspiration for those who strive for the freedom of speech and assembly, … Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
Menendez, Engel, Risch, McCaul Seek Answers about World Bank Hiring Practices Concerning Employees from Taiwan
Washington-Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Representative Michael T. McCaul (R-Texas), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee today requested an explanation about the World Bank Group (WBG) telling employees with Taiwan passports that their employmen… Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
***VIDEO*** Menendez Responds to Sec. Pompeo’s Claim that He Briefed Senate on Imminent Threat Justifying Soleimani Killing
NEWARK - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, responded live on MSNBC to a press conference by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday morning. While announcing new sanctions against Iran, Secretary Pompeo claimed he had provided Congress all the intelligence needed to prove the Administration's claim of an imminent threat justifying President Trump's approval of an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. On the A… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Save Our Seas 2.0 Act Passes Senate Unanimously
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate today voted unanimously to pass the Save Our Seas (SOS) 2.0 Act, S. 1982, legislation introduced by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to address the plastic debris crisis threatening coastal economies and harming marine life. SOS 2.0 builds on the success of the Save Our Seas Act, introduced by Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse, and signed into law by President Trump in October 2018. "As marine debris and pla… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Menendez and Engel Request New Threat Assessment for U.S. Diplomatic Personnel and Compounds Created by Soleimani Killing
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today sent a letter requesting the Trump Administration provide them an updated assessment within the next 7 days of the current risk and threat matrix created by the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Members requested a detailed e… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Menendez Delivers Remarks on President Trump’s Spiraling Foreign Policy
"Simply put, President Trump's foreign policy, like President Trump himself, is completely shortsighted, self-interested and transactional." "I know that national security is not a popularity contest, but the erosion of America's standing in the world makes it less safe for Americans. It undermines our diplomacy. It hinders economic opportunity. And it undercuts our ability to promote our values; betraying our centuries-long vision of our nation as a City on a Hill." WASHINGTON - Senator Bo… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
***ICYMI*** Ranking Member Menendez Discusses Latest on Iran Crisis Following Soleimani Killing
WASHINGTON - In multiple interviews with MSNBC and CNN, Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussed the latest in the escalating crisis with Iran and the increased threat to our national and homeland security resulting from President Trump's approval of an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The Senator's media appearances follow a letter he and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent to President Trump calling on him to d… Continue Reading
