Wednesday, February 29, 2012

FULL Committee Hearing: “Assessing U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities Amidst Economic Challenges: The Foreign Relations Budget for Fiscal Year 2013”

1:30 p.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman

Witnesses:

• The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State

Thursday, March 1, 2012

 Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Mark up of H.R. 3783

10:30 a.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, Chairman

Markup of:

• H.R. 3783: To provide for a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran’s growing presence and hostile activity in the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes.

Hearings held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn H.O.B. are available via live video through the Committee’s website at: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, February 29, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will receive testimony from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the State Department’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2013 during a hearing titled “Assessing U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities Amidst Economic Challenges: The Foreign Relations Budget for Fiscal Year 2013.”

When:
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
1:30 p.m.

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State


Hearings held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn H.O.B. are available via live video through the Committee’s website at http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/. TV and Radio outlets must register with the House Radio-TV Gallery on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 after 4pm. Please call 202-225-5214 to register. Print reporters may contact Andrew Lee to reserve a seat at the press table.

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs will host two hearings this week examining recent developments in Egypt. This week marks one year since Hosni Mubarak stepped down as the leader of Egypt in response to massive and sustained protests by the Egyptian people. Since then the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), under the leadership of Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, has ruled Egypt with the stated goal of turning power over to a civilian government. Egypt’s transition has not been as smooth as many had hoped. A year later, the SCAF is still in control and Islamist groups hold a majority in the Lower House of the Egyptian Parliament.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 15), the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia will hold a hearing examining developments in Egypt over the past year titled “Reflections on the Revolution in Egypt, Part One.” The following day (Thursday, February 16) the Full Committee will hold a hearing titled “Egypt at a Crossroads,” focusing on the current situation in Egypt and the way forward. Thursday’s hearing will feature testimony from the presidents of four prominent Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) heavily involved in Egypt: the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Freedom House and the International Center for Journalists. The witnesses are expected to discuss the current prosecution of NGO personnel, including 19 Americans.

I. Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia: “Reflections on the Revolution in Egypt, Part One”

When:
Wednesday, February15, 2012
2:30 p.m.

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:

Robert Kagan, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow
Brookings Institution

Michele Dunne, Ph.D.
Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East
Atlantic Council

Mr. Eric Trager
Ira Weiner Fellow
Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Tamara Wittes, Ph.D.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs


II. Full Committee: “Egypt at a Crossroads”

When:
Thursday, February 16, 2012
10:00 a.m.

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:

The Honorable Lorne Craner
President
International Republican Institute

Mr. Kenneth Wollack
President
National Democratic Institute

The Honorable David J. Kramer
President
Freedom House

Ms. Joyce Barnathan
President
International Center for Journalists


Hearings held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn H.O.B. are available via live video through the Committee’s website at http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/. TV and Radio outlets must register with the House Radio-TV Gallery on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 after 4pm for the Subcommittee hearing and on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 after 4pm for the Full Committee hearing. Please call 202-225-5214 to register. Print reporters may contact Andrew Lee to reserve a seat at the press table.

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs will host a hearing on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 titled: “Export Controls, Arms Sales, and Reform: Balancing U.S. Interests, Part II.” In August 2009, President Obama announced the launch of a comprehensive review of the U.S. export control system. That plan took shape in April 2010 when the Administration announced a sweeping proposal that would fundamentally restructure the U.S. export control system by creating a single export control licensing agency, a unified control list, a single integrated information technology system (including a single database of sanctioned and denied parties), and a single enforcement coordination agency. The Administration’s unprecedented plan to completely rewrite the entire U.S. Munitions List (USML) and related reforms necessitates active and ongoing Congressional oversight, as mandated by the Arms Export Control Act.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs will review the Executive Branch’s progress of ongoing efforts to modernize the United States export control system. In addition, the hearing will examine the Administration’s proposals to transfer numerous military end-items as well as many thousands of other more sensitive parts and components to the Department of Commerce. The Committee will also assess whether the application of a new Commerce license exception could possibly result in the unauthorized diversion of U.S. military hardware and technology to Iran.

Ros-Lehtinen has introduced H.R. 2122, “The Export Administration Renewal Act,” which would prioritize the removal of the least sensitive spare parts and components from the United States Munitions List to the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. During the Committee’s previous hearing in April, Ros-Lehtinen suggested that moving more sensitive defense items to the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce would require more extensive Congressional scrutiny. The legislation also authorizes the reauthorization of the Export Administration Act of 1979 and provides the Commerce Department with several new enforcement powers.

When:
TOMORROW - Tuesday, February 7, 2012
10:00 a.m.

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:

Ms. Marion C. Blakey
President & Chief Executive Officer
Aerospace Industries Association

Mr. Mikel Williams
Chief Executive Officer
DDi Corp.

Ms. Patricia A. Cooper
President
Satellite Industry Association

Hearings held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn H.O.B. are available via live video through the Committee’s website at http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/. TV and Radio outlets must register with the House Radio-TV Gallery on Monday, February 6, 2012 after 4pm. Please call 202-225-5214 to register. Print reporters may contact Andrew Lee to reserve a seat at the press table.

I. EXPECTED COMMITTEE ACTIVITY ON THE FLOOR

· At this time, no foreign affairs-related legislation is expected on the floor next week.

II. COMMITTEE HEARING and MARKUP SCHEDULE

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

· FULL Committee Hearing: “Export Controls, Arms Sales, and Reform: Balancing U.S. Interests, Part II”
10:00 a.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman

Witnesses:

- Ms. Marion C. Blakey, President & Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Industries Association
- Mr. Mikel Williams, Chief Executive Officer, DDi Corp.
- Ms. Patricia A. Cooper, President, Satellite Industry Association

· Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Hearing: “The U.S.-Philippines Alliance: Deepening the Security and Trade Partnership”
2:00 p.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Edward R. Royce, Chairman

Witnesses:

- The Honorable Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
- Peter Lavoy, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

· Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights Markup
2:00 p.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith, Chairman

Markup of:

- H.R. 1410: To promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam

· Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: “Baluchistan”
2:30 p.m. in Room 2200 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrbacher, Chairman

Witnesses:

- C. Christine Fair, Ph. D, Assistant Professor, Georgetown University
- Mr. Ralph Peters, Military Analyst and Author
- Mr. Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan Director, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

Thursday, February 9, 2012

· Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia Hearing: “Creating Jobs: Economic Opportunities in Europe and Eurasia”
1:00 p.m. in Room 2172 RHOB, U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, Chairman

Witnesses:

Panel I

- The Honorable Robert D. Hormats, Under Secretary, Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, U.S. Department of State

Panel II

- Mr. John G. Murphy, Vice President of International Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Dan Hamilton, Ph.D., Director, Center for Transatlantic Relations, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, The John Hopkins University


Hearings held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn H.O.B. are available via live video through the Committee’s website at: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/

You Ask a Question: For Full Committee hearings, members of the public are invited to submit questions for the witness(es) through the Committee’s “You Ask a Question” online feature. The Committee will review the questions, and some may be asked by Members on behalf of the submitter. To participate, please visit: