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WASHINGTON – In the wake of this month’s terrorist attack in New Zealand, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (D-Idaho), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, were joined by Senators Gary Peters (D-Mi.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senate Majority Leader...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement regarding nominations: “There are a number of vital positions that are waiting to be filled at the State Department. Today our committee had the opportunity to hear from three very qualified nominees...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement regarding the administration’s announcement of new sanctions on 14 individuals and 17 entities related to nuclear weapons development in Iran:  “I applaud the Trump administration’s...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement after voting in opposition to S.J.Res.7, a joint resolution that directs removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen:   “There is no arguing that, after four years of conflict,...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement on the release of the Annual Human Rights Report by the Department of State: “The Annual Human Rights Report provides the opportunity to name and shame countries who are failing to support the most basic...

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a hearing on "A New Approach for an Era of U.S.-China Competition." The committee heard testimony from the Honorable Jim Talent, a former U.S. senator and current commissioner of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following remarks after a briefing for all members of the Senate led by Mr. Martin Griffiths, United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen: “We still have a long way to go to solve the crisis in Yemen – a country that’s...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have introduced bipartisan legislation that commends Canada for upholding the rule of law and expressing concern over actions by China in response to a request from the U.S. to Canada calling for...

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a hearing on two nominations. The nominees are General John Abizaid to be Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Ambassador Matthew Tueller to be Ambassador to Iraq.  Chairman Risch delivered the following opening remarks: "As far...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement after a committee briefing from the administration on the status of the Global Magnitsky investigation related to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi: “The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a briefing with...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement following President Trump’s departure from the Hanoi Summit with no final agreement between the U.S. and Chairman Kim of North Korea: “For more than 20 years, U.S. presidents of both parties have sought...

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a hearing on "Assessing the Role of the U.S. in the World." The committee heard testimony from former Ambassador William Burns and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.  Chairman Risch delivered the following...

Washington, D.C. -- Ahead of upcoming briefings and committee activities related to Saudi Arabia and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement: “The administration has been in constant communication with me regarding the ongoing...

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-MN), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Rob Portman (R-OH), Todd Young...

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today welcomed His Excellency Ivan Duque, president of Colombia to the Capitol for a working coffee meeting. “The U.S. relies on Colombia as an anchor of stability and an important friend and ally in Latin America,” said Chairman...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced subcommittee chairmen and membership assignments for the 116 th Congress.  “The Senate Foreign Relations Committee subcommittee chairs for the 116 th Congress bring an...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) issued the following statement announcing that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will take up S. Res. 27, a resolution calling for the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and, in response to...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday met with Chrystia Freeland, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and David MacNaughton, Canada's Ambassador to the U.S., to discuss pressing international issues, including a number of issues of importance to Idahoans, like the...

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) welcomed the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S. 1) in an...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement on today’s announcement that the United States has given notice that it will withdraw from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in six months:  “I support the withdrawal of the United...