Ranking Member's Press
Corker Returns from Trip to North and West Africa, Says International Coordination Needed to Confront Terrorist Threat to Region
WASHINGTON - At the conclusion of a trip to Senegal, Mali, Algeria and Tunisia today, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said confronting the terrorist threat to the region requires international coordination. "It goes without saying that the security situation in North Africa has substantially deteriorated in recent months. The flow of weapons from Libya has armed terrorists in the region and destabilized at least one government. An incr… Continue Reading
February 19, 2013
Corker Statement on Resignation of Tunisian Prime Minister
TUNIS, Tunisia - Following meetings today with the president of Tunisia and other senior leaders of major Tunisian political parties, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement regarding the resignation of Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali. "The United States strongly supports the people of Tunisia and their desire to form a constitutional republic based on the core values of democracy and political and religious … Continue Reading
January 22, 2013
Corker to be Named Ranking Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Today
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., will be the lead Republican or "ranking member" of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the 113th Congress. Corker's appointment will be confirmed today during a lunch meeting of Senate Republicans and is expected to be ratified when the Senate passes a resolution officially organizing committees in the coming days. As ranking member, Corker will work with the chairman to represent the interests of his Republican colleagues and help carry out… 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
Lugar Statement on Death of Ambassador Chris Stevens
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Dick Lugar made the following statement on the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, who served on his staff as a Pearson Fellow: "I was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and other American diplomatic personnel in Libya. My thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones. "Ambassador Stevens served on my Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff as a State Department detailee in 2006 and 2007. I benefitted gre… Continue Reading
November 30, 2011
Lugar - Bill Would Force Keystone Construction Permit in 60 Days
Bill Would Force Keystone Construction Permit in 60 Days, Lugar - Hoeven - Vitter introduce bill U.S. Senators introduced legislation today to force the Obama Administration to issue a construction permit for the Keystone XL pipeline in 60 days. "Jobs will be created right away and billions of dollars in investment will be unleashed through legislation introduced to permit the $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline, the largest infrastructure project ready in the United States, to commence constructi… Continue Reading
November 29, 2011
UNDP Making Transparency Progress, Lugar Says
UNDP Making Transparency Progress, Lugar Says U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar, the Ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today lauded the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for taking the initial steps to ensure greater public scrutiny of its spending activities. Lugar said the UNDP's new open-data portal, http://data.undp.org, allows users to track aid and helps governments in developing countries manage aid more effectively. Data now available online reflect activities i… Continue Reading
November 28, 2011
Lugar: Burma – North Korea Ties Should Be Disclosed
Lugar: Burma - North Korea Ties Should Be Disclosed Following is Senator Lugar's statement regarding developments in Burma. "The United States is appropriately testing the appearance of reforms within Burma. The Congress in 2008 created the position of Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma to explore ways of changing the regime's behavior. President Obama nominated Derek Mitchell in April of 2011 to assume that role. The sincerity with which a wide range of reforms has been… Continue Reading
November 22, 2011
Lugar Welcomes Energy Diplomacy Focus
Lugar Welcomes Energy Diplomacy Focus As a former Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and current Ranking Member, U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar has been the Senate's leading advocate for more vigorous energy diplomacy. This week, he welcomed the news that the State Department is finally opening the Bureau of Energy Resources after several years of deliberation. The office is derived from legislation Lugar authored to establish an International Energy Coordinator. The office will be led … Continue Reading
July 20, 2011
Lugar Opening Statement for Western Hemisphere Nomination Hearing
I join the Chairman in welcoming our distinguished nominees. I appreciate this opportunity to examine, not only their credentials, but also current U.S. policy toward Mexico and Guatemala. Over many decades we have taken for granted the benefits of peaceful relationships with bordering countries. Our neighbors have been among our most important trading partners, with Canada currently ranking first in overall trade with the United States and Mexico ranking third. Historically, few great power… Continue Reading
July 14, 2011
Lugar Opening Statement: Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Sudan
U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar today delivered the following prepared statement at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Sudan. Thank-you Mr. Chairman. I join you in welcoming back to the Committee our distinguished witness, who has a long record of service to our country and an unsurpassed depth of experience in African affairs. On July 9, 2011, the Republic of South Sudan was declared by its elected government to be independent of the Republic of Sudan. This is a rare modern mileston… Continue Reading
June 28, 2011
Lugar Amendment Rejecting Obama Libyan War Justification Passes, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Asserts War Powers Act
President Obama's assertion that U.S. military engagement in the Libyan civil war did not amount to "hostilities" under the War Powers Act was soundly rejected today by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee adopted an amendment proposed by its Republican leader, Senator Richard G. Lugar, that repudiated the legal arguments made earlier in the day by State Department Legal Adviser Harold Koh. The amendment establishes that current U.S. military operations in Libya do constitute … Continue Reading
June 28, 2011
Lugar Opposes Obama’s Intervention In Libya’s Civil War
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Republican Leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement at the beginning of the committee "mark-up" on a resolution authorizing United States engagement in the Libyan civil war: Today the Committee will consider perhaps the most important question within its jurisdiction: whether to authorize the President to wage war. We do so at a time when the United States is still engaged in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and our national … Continue Reading
June 23, 2011
Lugar to Propose 5 Amendments Restricting Obama’s Libyan War Powers Resolution
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Republican Leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced today that he will offer five amendments restricting presidential powers when the committee considers next week S.J. Res. 20, which would belatedly authorize President Obama using U.S. forces in the Libyan civil war. Since the beginning of the Libyan war three months ago, Lugar has demanded that President Obama obtain congressional approval as prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, and detailed in… Continue Reading
June 22, 2011
Lugar Says Afghan Troop Withdrawal Not Enough; Mission Must be Narrowed to Counter Terrorism
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Republican Leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will tell Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a committee hearing tomorrow that the Obama Administration must re-orient its policies in Afghanistan and Pakistan to eliminate "nation building" in Afghanistan, focus on counter terrorism activities, and ensure the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Such a strategy, Lugar says, does not require more than 130,000 troops. In previous testimony before the c… Continue Reading
June 21, 2011
Lugar Highlights U.S.-Kazakhstan Nunn-Lugar Cooperation
Senator Richard Lugar, Republican Leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today delivered the following statement at the hearing to consider the nomination of Kenneth Fairfax to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan: I would like to welcome all our nominees on the second panel. I would like, in particular, to recognize Kenneth Fairfax, who has been nominated by President Obama to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan. I was encouraged to read a recent piece in Foreign Policy b… Continue Reading
June 21, 2011
Lugar Tells New U.S. Middle East Envoys to Promote Reform while Protecting American Security
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement at a hearing for the nominations of the new American Ambassadors to Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Kazakhstan: Americans were moved by the power and speed of Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution and by the resolve of Egyptians to change the course of their history. We celebrated the calls for greater political participation, the protection of basic human right… Continue Reading
June 08, 2011
Lugar Tells Afghan Nominee U.S. Must Focus Strategy, Defending Vital Security Interests at Less Cost
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following opening statement on the nomination of Ryan Crocker to be Ambassador to Afghanistan: I join the Chairman in welcoming our distinguished nominee. Ambassador Crocker has returned from his well-earned retirement to again apply his unsurpassed experience at managing civil-military collaboration in a dynamic conflict environment. I thank him for his commitment and know that he will bring … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Senator Lugar's Opening Statement for the Nomination Hearing of Gary Locke to be Ambassador to China
I join the Chairman in welcoming Secretary Locke. The post for which he is nominated is one of the most difficult and complex in the entire Federal government. I appreciate this opportunity to express our views about the priorities of the U.S.-Chinese relationship and learn about the nominee's vision. China's global leverage has increased as it has positioned itself as the leading creditor nation with more than 18 percent of the world's current account balance surplus. According to recent da… Continue Reading
May 24, 2011
Lugar Says State Dept. Must Maintain Long-Term Strategic Focus Arms Control, Trade, Energy and Food Security Critical
Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following opening statement at the nomination hearing of William J. Burns to be Deputy Secretary of State: I join the Chairman in welcoming Ambassador Burns once again to the Foreign Relations Committee. Ambassador Burns is a good friend and familiar figure to this Committee. We have often benefited from his analysis on some of the most important issues facing the United States. He is a… Continue Reading
