U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today delivered a speech on the role of Congress in U.S. foreign policy to the Council on Foreign Relations. In the speech, Flake discussed his view of Congress’s role in foreign policy as revolving around advancing three major goals:

"First and foremost, it is our job to protect U.S. national interests by reinforcing U.S. leadership abroad. Second, our national interest is best served when the U.S. promotes and supports the principle of liberty and the democratic process abroad. Finally, just as with domestic policy, Congress should protect U.S. taxpayers from wasteful and egregious spending in our foreign policy."