Ranking Member's Press
Menendez Statement on OIG Report into Political Retaliation at State Department
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today on the newly released report by the State Department Office of the Inspector General (OIG) into politically-motivated retaliation against career Department employees within the Bureau of International Organization Affairs: "Today, the OIG substantiated many of the concerns State Department employees have raised with the Committee since day one of the Trump pr… Continue Reading
August 07, 2019
Menendez, Engel Statement on Status of Jammu and Kashmir
WASHINGTON-In response to the steps India has taken to revise the status of Jammu and Kashmir, Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement: "As the world's largest democracy, India has an opportunity to demonstrate for all its citizens the importance of protecting and promoting equal rights, including freedom of assembly, access to informa… Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Menendez Raises Alarm over Trump Admin’s Failure to Adequately Respond to Ebola Outbreak Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today marked the one year anniversary of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by calling on the Senate to immediately take up and pass his bipartisan Ebola Eradication Act of 2019. Overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in June, the proposal would direct the Trump Administration to drop its delay, and use all available tools and resourc… Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Menendez, Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Commending the Inter-American Foundation on its 50th Anniversary
WASHINGTON - Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, were joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in introducing a bipartisan Senate resolution commending the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) on its 50th anniversary. The resolution applauds the IAF for its significant accomplishments and contributions … Continue Reading
July 31, 2019
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Publishes Report on Ambassador Kelly Craft
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today published a Committee Minority Report examining the nomination of Kelly Knight Craft to serve as U.S. Representative to the United Nations. The report lays out the case for Ms. Craft's nomination to be rejected by the Senate due to her lack of qualifications to lead the U.S. mission to the U.N., her rampant and inexcusable absenteeism while serving as Ambassador to Canada, and potential co… Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Democrats Reiterate Concerns about Trump Admin’s Lack of Strategy for Central America
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 23 Senators today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterating their concern about the Trump Administration's lack of a coherent strategy to address the root causes forcing people to flee El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for the United States. As the Administration continues restricting access to the U.S. asylum system and tries to choke off migration from the Northern Tri… Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Menendez, Markey, Leahy, Schatz Urge Pompeo to Address China’s Maritime Aggression at ASEAN Summit
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in calling on the Trump Administration to do more to deter further Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Senators urge the Administration to put China's expansionist behavior in the South China Sea at the center of its discussions at the upcoming… Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Menendez Calls out Republican’s Hypocrisy after they Block Venezuela TPS Legislation in Senate
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the Senate Floor after Senate Republicans blocked a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately approve the House-passed Venezuela TPS Act of 2019. Menendez was joined on the Senate Floor by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL). The bipartisan legislation would provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 200,000 eligible Venezuelans that c… Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Menendez on Vote to Override Pres. Trump’s Veto to Stop Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Floor of the Senate, urging his colleagues to vote to override President Trump's veto of three joint resolutions of disapproval that would halt certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Senate last month approved a total of 22 resolutions authored by Menendez blocking the Trump Administration's attempt to evade Congress and push through over $8 billion in … Continue Reading
July 25, 2019
Menendez Statement on the Passing of Tunisian President Beiji Caid Essebsi
NEWARK, N.J. - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement today on the passing of Tunisian President Beiji Caid Essebsi. "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the people of Tunisia and President Essebsi's family as they mourn his death. "President Essebsi will forever hold a unique place in Tunisian history as its first democratically elected president. Following a decades-long career in public service, President Es… Continue Reading
July 25, 2019
Menendez Announces Bipartisan Path Forward Ahead of Committee’s Business Meeting
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the opening of today's business meeting, announcing a path forward to consider legislation and a package of nominations, and maintaining the longstanding bipartisan tradition of the Committee. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am very pleased that we were able to come together today and reach an agreement on a path forward for the legislation on the agenda today, a… Continue Reading
July 24, 2019
Menendez Opening Remarks at Hearing on AUMF
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the opening of a committee hearing titled "Reviewing Authorities for the Use of Military Force": "Thank you Mr. Chairman, for holding a very important hearing. And I know the response of several of our colleagues-Senator Kaine, Senator Young, Senator Udall, Senator Merkley, just to mention some-who have been pressing this issue for some time, so I appr… Continue Reading
July 23, 2019
Menendez Leads 22 Democratic Senators in Letter Opposing State Department Commission Set to ‘Redefine’ Human Rights
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with twenty-two of his Democratic Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlining their opposition to the Trump Administration's establishment of a new Commission on Unalienable Rights. Described as a new body to advise the Secretary of State on human rights in U.S. foreign policy, the Trump Administration's new commission will seek to redefine well-estab… Continue Reading
July 23, 2019
Ahead of Partisan Meeting at White House, Foreign Relations Committee Democrats Urge Pres. Trump to Work with Both Parties to Sanction Turkey for Purchase of Russian S400 Missile System
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led a letter to President Trump from all of the Democrats on the Committee, urging him to impose sanctions on Turkey for its decision to accept delivery of the Russian S400 air defense system, and to engage with Democrats on this critical national security issue. Despite bipartisan support for sanctions-including from members of the Administration-President Trump has chosen to exclude Dem… Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
***PHOTO RELEASE*** Senators Menendez and Risch Meet with Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz MK of Israel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, welcomed Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz MK of Israel to the U.S. Capitol. "It was a pleasure to welcome Foreign Minister Katz to the U.S. Capitol. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to engage in frank and open dialogue about challenges facing the region as well as the United States' unwavering and bipartisan support for the state of Israel," said Ran… Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
Menendez, Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Resolution in Remembrance of the 1994 Bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Jewish Community Center
WASHINGTON - Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, were joined by senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) in introducing a bipartisan Senate resolution remembering the 25th Anniversary of the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Community Center in Bu… Continue Reading
July 17, 2019
Menendez Commemorates Fifth Anniversary of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Downing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, issued the following statement marking the five years since Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by pro-Russian separatists while flying over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. "On this day five years ago, 298 innocent civilians were killed when Russian government-backed separatists shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. The victims included peo… Continue Reading
July 16, 2019
Menendez, Durbin Statement on President Trump’s Refusal to Designate Venezuela for TPS
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration, in a letter from controversial Acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli, stated that it will not designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). In March, Menendez and Durbin led a bipartisan group of 24 Senators in a letter t… Continue Reading
July 12, 2019
Bipartisan Leadership of Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees Condemn Turkey S-400 Acquisition
WASHINGTON - In response to news that Turkey began receiving the first shipment of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air-missile system, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and today released the following statement: "By accepting delivery of the S-400 from Russia, President Erdogan has cho… Continue Reading
July 11, 2019
Senators Menendez, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Resolution in Support of Falun Gong
WASHINGTON - Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Jerry Moran (R-K.S.) introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution expressing solidarity with Falun Gong, a Chinese spiritual discipline based upon universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. The resolution condemns the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China's oppression of Falun Gong practitioners, including the practice of … Continue Reading
