Chairman's Press
Chairman Kerry on North Korea’s Rocket Launch
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today released a statement following the announcement that North Korea had launched a rocket with an attached satellite. "It's 'Groundhog Day' once again with another provocative and destabilizing act in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. It will only succeed in further isolating an already isolated North Korea, and the United States, our allies, and our partners will take approp… Continue Reading
December 11, 2012
Kerry: Ambassador Lyman Will Be Sorely Missed
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today released a statement following the announcement of Ambassador Princeton Lyman's resignation as the president's special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. In the events leading up to the 2011 referendum and subsequent independence of South Sudan, Senator Kerry and Ambassador Lyman worked closely together to ensure relative calm for the transition: "Ambassador Lyman of all people deserves a rest after such … Continue Reading
December 06, 2012
Kerry: Russian Trade Means Opportunities for Massachusetts Businesses
WASHINGTON - Following the Senate's approval by a vote of 92-4 of a measure to normalize trade relations with Russia and remove prohibitive, antiquated trade barriers today, Senator John Kerry pointed towards new export opportunities for businesses in Massachusetts. In July, Kerry joined Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus in submitting an op-ed to POLITICO in which they argued for improved trade relations with Russia: "[W]e know that if U.S. workers and businesses are 'first to market'… Continue Reading
December 04, 2012
Kerry: Failure to Pass Disabilities Treaty is Evidence of a Broken Senate
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today after Senate Republicans voted down the "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," an international agreement for protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, by a vote of 61 to 38. The Treaty required 66 votes to pass or two-thirds of the Senators who were present. "This is one of the saddest days I've seen in almost 28 years in the S… Continue Reading
December 04, 2012
Senator Kerry: Objections to Disabilities Treaty don't stand up to scutiny
Today's the vote that will decide the Disabilities Treaty. We're just a few short hours away. I was up late last night getting ready for the final floor debate, and I searched Twitter to see what folks were saying.There's obviously a lot of good and needed activism happening, and that's gratifying. But there's also a lot of misinformation being spread to defeat the Treaty -- and that's the nature of democracy -- we should debate the issues fully and rigorously -- and yes -- loudly. An… Continue Reading
December 03, 2012
Senator Kerry: 24 Hours to Decide
Watching cable television you might not know it, but the Senate is on the eve of a major decision that - either way - will ripple around the globe. It's time for action in the Senate on the Disabilities Treaty, and it's time for grassroots action to help push us across the finish line. Here in the Senate tomorrow, with all the world's eyes watching, we can approve the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and keep faith with the best of America's tradition of leadership in th… Continue Reading
December 01, 2012
Kerry Marks World AIDS Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement in honor of World AIDS Day, recognized on Saturday, December 1, 2012. "For years, this was an annual day of mourning. Now it is arguably a day of hope, as long as we do not abandon the fight. The United States has spearheaded the battle against global HIV/AIDS, investing more than $44 billion through our bilateral programs and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tubercul… Continue Reading
November 15, 2012
Kerry Supports Appointment of Mark Dybul as Executive Director of Global Fund to Fight AIDS
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement today welcoming the appointment of Ambassador Mark Dybul, former United States Global AIDS Coordinator, as Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. "The Global Fund's appointment of Ambassador Mark Dybul as its new Executive Director is terrific news, for the Global Fund and the incredibly important work that it does. Dr. Dybul helped create… Continue Reading
November 09, 2012
Kerry Statement on Attack of Congolese Doctor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement today on the recent attack of Congolese doctor, Dr. Denis Mukwege. "The Democratic Republic of Congo has seen far more than its share of violence. A recent attack on a humanitarian underscores the consequences of the lawless violence that plagues eastern Congo in particular. Dr. Denis Mukwege is the founder and medical director of Panzi Hospital, which receives support through U… Continue Reading
October 20, 2012
Kerry Statement on Document Release by House Oversight Committee
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the release of documents, concerning the recent events in Libya, by the House Oversight Committee. "The wholesale release of State Department documents by the House Oversight Committee has exposed Libyan nationals working with the United States to possible danger. This is irresponsible and inexcusable, and perhaps worst of all it was entirely av… Continue Reading
September 28, 2012
Kerry Defends Ambassador Rice Against Attacks
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the call made by Rep. King (R-NY) for Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to resign. "I'm deeply disturbed by efforts to find the politics instead of finding the facts in this debate. Everyone who cares about the four fallen Americans in Benghazi would do well to take a deep breath about what happened and allow Secretary Clinton's proac… Continue Reading
September 27, 2012
Kerry Reacts to Sudan, South Sudan Agreement
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement today after the announcement from Addis Ababa that Sudan and South Sudan have signed an agreement on several of the most contentious issues between the newly divided countries. "It appears that Sudan and South Sudan have reached what we all hope is a genuine breakthrough on a number of critical issues, including oil and security arrangements, and that is a major step forward in th… Continue Reading
September 25, 2012
Kerry on Executive Order on Human Trafficking
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement after President Obama's Executive Order today strengthening the U.S. government's approach to human trafficking. The President discussed the scourge of modern-day slavery that plagues almost every country in the world, including the United States. He outlined plans to better protect victims and help them thrive as survivors, make creative use of technology, and improve efforts to "sp… Continue Reading
September 19, 2012
Kerry Calls for Swift Confirmation of Beecroft as Ambassador to Iraq
Washington, DC - This morning, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) delivered the following statement on the nomination of the Honorable Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq. "Our Embassy in Baghdad, the consulates in Basra and Erbil and other offices supporting the Embassy and Office of Security Cooperation still number about 14,000 people, and that makes it our largest Mission in the world. We are going to need someone wi… Continue Reading
September 19, 2012
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves Legislation, Resolutions, Ambassadorial Nominations
Washington, DC - At a business meeting led by Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) this afternoon, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the following legislation, resolutions, and nominations en bloc by voice vote: S. 2215, the Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act of 2012, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute S. 2318, the Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012, with an amendment in … Continue Reading
September 13, 2012
Kerry Resolution Honors Work of Special Envoy to Dalai Lama
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced a resolution to honor the contributions of Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari as Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and in promoting the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Tibetan people. Senators Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Mark Udall (D-N.M.), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), John McCain (R-AZ), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Caif.) … Continue Reading
September 13, 2012
Lugar, Kerry Resolution Honoring Ambassador Stevens, Other Victims and Condemning Libya Violence Passes Senate Tonight
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate tonight passed a resolution by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, commending the four American public servants who died in Benghazi, Libya, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, for their tireless efforts on behalf of the American people. The resolution, S.Res.551, also condemned the violent attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi. "The deaths of Am… Continue Reading
September 12, 2012
Kerry Statement on Embassy Attacks, Death of Ambassador Stevens
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement today in response to the violence that took place at the Egyptian and Libyan Embassies, resulting in the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other American embassy personnel. "The deaths of Ambassador Stevens and his team are heartbreaking. It's easy for a lot of people to forget that our diplomats are on the frontlines of the world's most dangerous places and the… Continue Reading
September 05, 2012
Kerry Statement on Release of Ramil Safarov
Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today responded to the transfer and release of Ramil Safarov, an Azeri soldier who hacked an Armenian soldier to death in his sleep at a Partnership for Peace exercise in 2004. The Hungarians released Safarov to Azerbaijan where he was set free and treated like a hero. "Hungary recently transferred Ramil Safarov, who had been serving a life sentence for the axe murder of an Armenian soldier at an international … Continue Reading
September 04, 2012
Kerry Statement on Colombian Peace Negotiations with FARC
Washington, DC - Senator Kerry made the following comments today after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced upcoming peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). "Colombians have suffered for far too long from the violence and insecurity associated with its decades-long internal armed conflict. President Santos has taken the difficult steps toward negotiating a political solution and has indicated that lessons learned from prior peace talks will be ta… Continue Reading
