Chairman's Press
Chairman Risch on Administration’s Decision to Modernize the Missile Technology Control Regime
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the administration announced it would modernize drone export rules in relation to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an agreement between the United States and 34 other nations that aims to restrict the proliferation of missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction: "I strongly support the MTCR, which remains critical to achiev… Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Chairman Risch Opening Statement at Hearing on Advancing Effective U.S. Competition with China
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a full committee hearing on advancing effective U.S. competition with China, with witness testimony from Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun. Chairman Risch gave the following opening statement: "Thank you all for coming today - I want to thank all of you for being here. It is an honor to have Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun here today to testify on U.S. policy regar… Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Risch, Gardner, Romney, Young Introduce Landmark Legislation to Compete with China
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) today introduced the Strengthening Trade, Regional Alliances, Technology, and Economic and Geopolitical Initiatives Concerning China Act (The STRATEGIC Act) to advance a comprehensive strategy for U.S. competition with the People's Republic of China (PRC). "The Chinese Communist Party is re-shaping the international order to be… Continue Reading
July 20, 2020
ICYMI: Risch: With a U.N. Veto, Russia and China Add to Syria’s Misery
As seen in The New York Times: By: U.S. Senator Jim Risch - July 20, 2020 Earlier this month in the United Nations Security Council, the world saw a preview of what Russian and Chinese global "leadership" looks like: a world order where the most vulnerable suffer for the political gains of those at the top. Twice, Russia and China vetoed U.N. resolutions which would have ensured that lifesaving humanitarian aid could reach millions of suffering Syrians through vital border crossings. The rema… Continue Reading
July 17, 2020
Risch Statement on Nord Stream 2, Turkstream Sanctions Updates
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the administration's recent announcement that sanctions may be imposed on companies involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 and Turkstream pipelines: "I applaud the administration's recent announcement that sanctions may be imposed on companies involved in the construction of the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines. Projects l… Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Chairman Risch Statement on End of Preferential Treatment for Hong Kong
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order ending U.S. preferential treatment for Hong Kong, which means that the United States will treat Hong Kong in the same manner economically as the People's Republic of China and the United States will suspend or terminate relevant agreements with Hong Kong: "The executive order the president signed today means H… Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Chairman Risch: UK Decision to Ban Huawei is Right One
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the United Kingdom announced it would ban new Huawei purchases by the end of this year and remove all existing Huawei equipment from its telecommunications networks by 2027: "I am relieved to hear that the United Kingdom has initiated a plan to remove Huawei products from its communications systems. I have long been concerned about the national securi… Continue Reading
July 13, 2020
Risch, Menendez, Engel, McCaul: China’s Claims in South China Sea are Unlawful
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representatives Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statement on the administration's decision to clarify the United States' position on the South China Sea, making it clear that China's territorial claims are unlawful: "We fully suppor… Continue Reading
July 11, 2020
Chairman Risch Celebrates 25 Years of U.S.-Vietnam Relations
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam: "Today we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam. "Over the past quarter century, the United States and Vietnam have overcome the wounds of war to build a strong partnership in the areas of trade,… Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Risch, Menendez Statement on Turkey’s Hagia Sophia
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement in reaction to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's effort to convert the Hagia Sophia Museum of Istanbul from a world-famous cultural site into a mosque: "Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey is a place of deep spiritual significance for people of diverse backgrounds from around the world. For more than three qua… Continue Reading
July 09, 2020
Chairman Risch Statement on WHO Decision to Convene Interim Review of COVID-19 Response
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) will authorize an interim review of its COVID-19 response by an independent panel of experts: "I am encouraged by the WHO's agreement to convene an interim review of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with the recommendations that I and my fellow Senate Fo… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Chairman Risch Reaffirms U.S.-Canada Relationship With Deputy Prime Minister Freeland
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after a conversation with Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Freeland: "Today, I had a productive conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Freeland, covering many issues that are of great importance to people in both the United States and Canada. I know Ms. Freeland understands that despite ongoing challenges with COVID-19, keeping the northern border between our … Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Chairman Risch Statement on CCP’s Adoption of Hong Kong Security Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) adopted a national security law for Hong Kong: "The CCP's adoption of a national security law for Hong Kong essentially ends Hong Kong's autonomy. It subjects Hong Kong to the CCP's police-state, and puts every Hong Kong resident at risk. "The law provides for a maximum sentence of life in prison for vaguely defined ac… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Risch, Menendez, McCaul, Engel Support UN Cross-Border Humanitarian Operations in Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), ranking member and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statement in support of diplomatic negotiations at the United Nations (UN) to maintain the two current cross-border humanitarian operations and restore the Ya'rubiyah border crossing betw… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Chairman Risch Opening Statement at Hearing on COVID-19 and U.S. International Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response: Additional Perspectives
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a second full committee hearing on COVID-19 and U.S. international pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response, with witness testimony from the Honorable Mark Dybul, M.D., co-director of the Center for Global Health Practice and Impact and professor in the Department of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, Dr. Ashish K. Jha, M.D., director of the Harvard Global Healt… Continue Reading
June 26, 2020
Risch, Menendez, Rubio, Cardin Encourage Guyanese Authorities to Begin Democratic Transition of Power
BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, today released the following statement encouraging Guyanese authorities to begin a democratic transition of power that reflects the results of th… Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Chairman Risch Statement on 70th Anniversary of Korean War
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War: "On this day 70 years ago, tens of thousands of soldiers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) crossed the 38th parallel and invaded the Republic of Korea (ROK). Millions of U.S., ROK, and United Nations Command soldiers and civilians fought, suffered, and lost their lives in the thre… Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Chairman Risch Applauds State Department’s Annual Trafficking in Persons Report
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State released its 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report: "I applaud the State Department's release of the 2020 Trafficking in Persons report today. Human trafficking is a serious, global issue that affects an estimated 25 million people. "Unfortunately, this report highlights that there is still much work to be done to ensure we put … Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Chairman Risch Commends End of Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern D.R. Congo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today commended the declaration by the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) that the Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) outbreak that has ravaged northeastern DRC since August 2018 has ended. "As the world battles the coronavirus pandemic and the DRC continues to fight Ebola in Mbandaka, Équateur Province, the declaration of the end of… Continue Reading
June 24, 2020
Chairman Risch Discusses Sudan’s Transition with Prime Minister Hamdok
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today spoke with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok about Sudan's historic transition. "I was glad to speak with Prime Minister Hamdok this afternoon to discuss a number of important issues, including the statutory and policy process for the United States to lift Sudan's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation," said Risch. "I have been in close contact with the Department of State regarding th… Continue Reading
