Chairman's Press
Menendez Writes to Pompeo on Safety of U.S. Diplomats in Venezuela
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, requesting specific details about the State Department's security assessment and contingency plans for American diplomats in Venezuela. The senator's letter comes after senior members of former President Maduro's regime made threatening remarks about the U.S Embassy in Caracas, and media reports suggested that some U.S. personnel had been or… Continue Reading
January 24, 2019
Menendez Blasts Trump Admin’s Refusal to Sanction Russia for Chemical Weapon Attack
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding the Trump Administration comply with a U.S. law requiring further sanctions on Russia for its use of chemical weapons in the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England. The Senator's letter comes after the State Department officially determined Russia's involvement in the use of chem… Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Menéndez y Rubio Expresan Su Apoyo al Presidente Provisional de Venezuela
Los senadores Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), miembro de Más Alto Rango del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado, y el senador Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Presidente del Subcomité de Relaciones Exteriores para el Hemisferio Occidental, emitieron la siguiente declaración en apoyo a Juan Guaidó como presidente provisional de Venezuela: "En un día histórico como el 23 de enero, que marca el 61º aniversario de la caída de una dictadura mili… Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Menendez, Rubio Joint Statement in Support of Venezuela’s Interim President
WASHINGTON - Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, issued the following statement in support of Juan Guaidó as the Provisional President of Venezuela. "On a historic day marking 61 years since the overthrow of a military dictatorship, the people of Venezuela are once again taking to the streets to defend their huma… Continue Reading
January 18, 2019
SFRC Dems to Pompeo: What was State Department’s Role in and Knowledge of Trump-Putin Meetings?
WASHINGTON -Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to identify the specific State Department officials, including interpreters, who may have relevant information or records on the five private meetings between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Senators' letter follows a series of news reports that indicate there may be little to no official reco… Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Menendez Questions State Department & USAID’s Plan to Circumvent Trump Shutdown
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would order State Department and USAID employees to return to work by reprogramming allocated funds to pay for their salaries during President Trump's government shutdown. "There is no doubt that President Trump's temper tantrum over his wall and his pointless government shutdown continues to create a real risk for U.S. … Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Menendez, Reed Seek Proof that Trump Kept Records of his Meetings with Putin
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today sent a letter to the White House requesting confirmation that President Trump properly preserved all records of his communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The senators also requested that the White House permit Congress to interview the interpreters present at President Trump's meetings wi… Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Menendez Calls for Credible Elections in Nigeria in New Senate Resolution
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last night introduced a bipartisan Senate Concurrent Resolution reaffirming support for democracy in Nigeria, and calling on the Nigerian government to take the necessary steps to facilitate elections that are credible, transparent, and peaceful. Nigeria has presidential elections scheduled for February 16, and gubernatorial and National Assembly elections scheduled for March 2. "I along with a b… Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Menendez Statement on Terror Attack in Nairobi
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after Tuesday's terror attack in Kenya, where gunmen stormed a luxury hotel complex in the capital city of Nairobi, killing at least fifteen people, including one American. "I condemn in the strongest terms yesterday's terror attack on Nairobi's Dusit hotel complex, where at least fifteen people were reportedly killed, including one American, Jason Spindler of N… Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Menendez Statement on Death of U.S. Troops in Terrorist Attack in Syria
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. military confirmed several U.S. service members were killed during an explosion while on patrol in Syria today. "My deepest sympathies go out to the families of the U.S. Service members killed in a brutal suicide bombing in Manbij. The fight against ISIS is clearly not over, and as we await more details on the circumstances of this tragic attack,… Continue Reading
January 11, 2019
Menendez Expresses Concerns About the Political Contest in DRC
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement expressing concerns about the political contest in the Democratic Republic of Congo resulting from the December 30, 2018 presidential elections. "I congratulate the Congolese people who actively participated in the long overdue presidential elections at the end of last year, and admire their patience for official results. I join others with concerns about a lack… Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Menéndez Acerca de la Presidencia Ilegítima de Nicolás Maduro
WASHINGTON - El Senador Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), el Miembro de Más Alto Rango en el Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado de los Estados Unidos, publicó las siguientes declaraciones uniéndose a un grupo creciente de más de 40 países que rechazan el ilegítimo gobierno venezolano de Nicolás Maduro, quien tomó posesión el día de hoy para un segundo período presidencial tras las elecciones fraudulentas del … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Senator Menendez on Maduro’s Illegitimate Presidency
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement joining a growing group of over 40 countries in rejecting the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn-in this morning for a new six-year term after fraudulent elections. "Today, Nicolas Maduro loses what little legitimacy he ever had and simply becomes a criminal dictator abusing power at Venezuela's expense. His continued stranglehold on the cou… Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Senators Menendez, Rubio Introduce Senate Resolution Condemning Castro Regime’s Forced Labor of Cuban Doctors
WASHINGTON - Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), today introduced a Senate Resolution condemning the Cuban regime for a program that sends tens of thousands of Cuban medical professionals to foreign countries to work under conditions that qualify as human trafficking. The resolution describes the ordeal of thousands of Cuban medical professionals who are forced to participate in a state-sponsored program requiring… Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Menendez’s Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act Signed into Law
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the President today signed into law legislation he coauthored to strengthen U.S. global leadership in the fight to end human trafficking. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017 (TVPRA), which amends and reauthorizes international provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protect Act, will require the State Department to evaluate concrete a… Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Ahead of Trump Speech on Shutdown over Wall, Menendez Pens Letter to Pompeo on Admin’s False Border Security Claims
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he and other senior Trump administration officials repeatedly used false statements about suspected terrorists coming across the US-Mexico border as an excuse for President Trump's shutdown of the federal government. "It appears that President Trump and senior members of his Administration are deliberately carrying out a misleading cam… Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Menendez Statement on Passing of Larry Weinberg
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the passing of former AIPAC President Larry Weinberg. "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former AIPAC President Larry Weinberg. Larry's dedication to building and maintaining the strong bonds between the United States and Israel through education and engagement was inspiring and has undoubtedly left a lasting impact for generations to come. As a ve… Continue Reading
December 21, 2018
Menendez, Leahy Call for Expulsion Of Top Sudanese Diplomat
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, yesterday sent a letter to President Trump calling for the expulsion and potential sanctioning of the Charge D'Affaires at the Embassy of Sudan in Washington. Citing Mohamed Atta al-Moula's former role as the head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), the Senators refer to a well-documente… Continue Reading
December 20, 2018
Menendez on the Resignation of Secretary Mattis
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the resignation of Secretary of Defense James Mattis: "Secretary Mattis had a long, distinguished career of service to his nation, and earned the respect of service members and commanders throughout his 44 years of service as a Marine. He came out of retirement to serve the United States once more as Secretary of Defense and we are a grateful nation for his se… Continue Reading
December 20, 2018
Menendez: Withdrawal from Syria Without Success is Failure
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today in reaction to President Trump's sudden decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, and his persistent failure to hold the Kremlin to account for its misdeeds and aggressions across the world. Below are his remarks as delivered: "Mr. President, yesterday Christmas came early to the Kremlin. First, we have Trump's announcement to pull our… Continue Reading
