Chairman's Press
Corker Urges President Obama to Impose New Sanctions on Russia to Deter Further Intervention in Ukraine
WASHINGTON - With European Union ministers to discuss new sanctions against Russia on Monday, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to President Barack Obama today calling on the U.S. to show leadership and impose additional sanctions on Russian-owned companies as a deterrent to further Russian military intervention in Ukraine. "Rather than wait for a Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine to implement additional sanctions, which… Continue Reading
April 09, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Corker Urges More Economic Sanctions Against Russia “As Another Shot Across the Bow”
WASHINGTON - In an appearance on MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown," U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for "another shot across the bow" to deter Russia from further intervention in Ukraine and urged the Obama administration to begin implementing the president's executive order authorizing additional sanctions that woul affect the Russian economy. Russian troops remain amassed on the Ukrainian border, and yesterday Secretary of State Joh… Continue Reading
April 08, 2014
Corker Asks Kerry to Follow Through on Commitment for Syria Briefing
WASHINGTON - In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked the secretary to follow through on a commitment to provide a detailed briefing for members of the committee on the U.S. strategy in Syria. In testimony today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Kerry offered to brief members on Syria. "Given your stated commitment to provide full information to our committee abou… Continue Reading
April 03, 2014
Corker: 150,000 Killed in Syria, Still No Strategy from the Obama Administration
WASHINGTON - A week after a senior State Department official agreed to discuss with senators in a non-public setting the U.S. contingency plans for Syria, including military options and support for the Syrian opposition, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said no briefing has been setup, leaving him to conclude that the Obama administration has no strategy for Syria even as the death toll in the conflict topped 150,000 this week. "A week… Continue Reading
April 02, 2014
Corker: Obama Administration Must Restore All Sanctions if Iranian-Russian Oil-for-Goods Deal Proceeds
WASHINGTON - In response to reports that Iran and Russia may be closer to signing an oil-for-goods deal, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Obama administration must be prepared to restore all U.S. sanctions if Iran and Russia proceed with the scheme that would violate existing sanctions on Iran and undermine the interim agreement over Iran's nuclear program. "I strongly question how the administration could believe that negoti… Continue Reading
April 02, 2014
Corker: House Passage of Senate Ukraine Bill “Allows Congress to Speak with One Voice”
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said House passage today of the Senate Ukraine bill that he coauthored "allows Congress to speak with one voice in support of the Ukrainian people and against Russian aggression." The legislation now goes to the president to be signed into law. "Passage of this bill allows Congress to speak with one voice in support of the Ukrainian people and against Russian aggression," said Corker. "Al… Continue Reading
March 29, 2014
Corker: President Obama’s Comments on Syria “Completely Divorced from Reality”
U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said President Obama's comments on CBS about the decision not to use military force in Syria are "completely divorced from reality." "The president is contradicting his own decision to request congressional authorization for the use of military force in Syria, saying a few strikes would not have made a difference. This new version of events is completely divorced from reality, coming six months after he… Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
Corker: Senate Passage of Ukraine Bill Sends Strong Message of Support to Ukrainian People, Condemns Russia for Actions in Crimea
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Senate's passage of Ukraine legislation sends a strong message of support to the Ukrainian people and a strong signal to Russia by imposing tough sanctions on the Putin regime for its illegal actions in Crimea. "This bill sends a strong message of support to the Ukrainian people and a strong signal to Russia that there will be severe costs for Putin's illegal actions in Crimea and… Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
Corker: U.S. Should Expand Sanctions on Russian Banks to “Turn Up the Volume” on Putin Regime
WASHINGTON - In an appearance on MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussed the upcoming vote on the Senate Ukraine bill today that he co-authored and said the U.S. should begin to implement sanctions against Russian banks to "turn up the volume" on the Putin regime. "[Y]ou don't want to throw the kitchen sink on the front end and not have anything left, otherwise Putin has nothing to lose. On the other hand, I… Continue Reading
March 26, 2014
Corker: Complete Failure of U.S. Policy in Syria Necessitates New Approach
WASHINGTON - At a hearing to examine next steps for U.S. policy toward the conflict in Syria after the failure of recent peace talks in Geneva, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today said the failure of a sound strategy necessitates new policy ideas, including legislation in Congress, to find a way to end the Syrian conflict, which U.S. intelligence officials have said threatens the U.S. homeland. "We have no strategy in Syria; we hav… Continue Reading
March 21, 2014
Corker: President Obama Should Target Russian State-Owned Companies with Sanctions
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called on President Obama to begin imposing sanctions against Russian state-owned enterprises that were authorized yesterday in his executive order. "The president's additional U.S. sanctions announced yesterday were appropriate steps, and he should target a number of state-owned companies to send shock waves into Russia's economy, demonstrating to the Putin regime that this is just… Continue Reading
March 18, 2014
Corker Urges Clear Consequences for Any Iranian Violations of Nuclear Agreement
NASHVILLE - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement regarding reports that Iran's daily oil exports continue to rise and could result in a violation of the terms negotiated in the Joint Plan of Action, an agreement between Iran, the United States and five other world powers to try to dissuade Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon. "Recent press reports indicate that as nuclear negotiations resume in Vienna, … Continue Reading
March 17, 2014
Corker Statement on Announcement of Additional Sanctions Against Russia
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's announcement that the U.S. will impose additional sanctions against Russia. "The president's announcement of additional sanctions against Russia represents a step in the right direction, but won't do enough to modify Russian behavior. So far, the administration's calibrated actions have failed to affect Vladi… Continue Reading
March 16, 2014
Corker on Fox News Sunday: We Must Show Resolve in Ukraine
"The fact is that we do have to show resolve [in Ukraine]. The sanctions that we passed out of the foreign relations committee are very biting, one of a kind; we've never done this before where economic extortion and corruption are a part of those [sanctions]. This will be a major miscalculation on behalf of Putin if he were to move into eastern Ukraine," said Corker. Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry said, "We hope President Putin will recognize that none of what we're saying is meant a… Continue Reading
March 14, 2014
Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge President Obama to Engage with Congress as Administration Develops New U.S. Policy Options for Syria
WASHINGTON, DC - Nine U.S. Senators urged President Obama to engage with Congress as he moves forward with developing new U.S. policy options for Syria. The letter was signed by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Corker (R-TN), Carl Levin (D-MI), James Inhofe (R-OK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John McCain (R-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Angus King (I-ME). In their letter to President Obama, the nine Senators write: "The situation and our options may have grown more complicated, bu… Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Corker: U.S. Leadership Stiffens European Resolve on Sanctions in Response to Ukraine Crisis
WASHINGTON - Appearing on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports," U.S. Senator Bob Corker, (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today said U.S. leadership has "stiffen[ed] the European resolve" regarding sanctions in response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine. Yesterday, Corker supported committee passage of bipartisan legislation that provides U.S. assistance for Ukraine and imposes sanctions against threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrit… Continue Reading
March 12, 2014
Corker Statement on Committee Passage of Ukraine Aid and Sanctions Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement regarding the committee's passage of bipartisan legislation in response to the crisis in Ukraine. The bill, which passed 14-3, will support Ukraine's political and economic transition without adding to the debt and impose sanctions on those who threaten Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "This bill cements more fully 60 years of U.S. nationa… Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Corker Urges Strong, Unified U.S. Response to Russia’s Actions in Ukraine
WASHINGTON - At a hearing today that included testimony from Obama administration officials on the U.S. response to the crisis in Ukraine, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. needs "a unified and very strong reaction" to Russia's military intervention in Crimea "over a long time." Corker continues to work with Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., on bipartisan legislation that will support Ukraine's political and economic transit… Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Corker: Syria “Disaster” a U.S. Foreign Policy Failure
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today called the Obama administration's approach to resolving the worsening conflict in Syria "a failure" of U.S. foreign policy. "I could not be more disappointed at where we are in Syria. It's kind of amazing how prognosticators, both here on this panel…[and] around the world, stated what was going to happen to Syria over time if we didn't change the balance on the ground, and unfo… Continue Reading
March 01, 2014
Corker: U.S. Must Lead Immediate International Effort to Halt Russian Military Intervention in Ukraine
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, today called on President Obama to lead an immediate international effort to halt Russian military intervention in Ukraine, including targeted sanctions. Russian actions violate commitments made to ensure Ukraine's territorial integrity under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum and when the 1997 Friendship Treaty was signed. "Vladimir Putin is seizing a neighboring territory - again - so President… Continue Reading
