Foreign Affairs
My top priorities in Congress have always been “Jobs, Justice, and Peace,” and I have been a leader in Congress for policies that promote peace and international cooperation so that we can focus on economic development both at home and abroad.
From my early opposition to the War in Vietnam, to my grave concerns about the ongoing War on Terror, I strongly believe that it is our responsibility to seek out all peaceful options to resolve conflict before we put our servicemen and servicewomen in harm’s way. I believe we must strictly adhere to international law and avoid unilateral military action that is so costly to our nation in both blood and treasure.
I also believe that we must exercise the utmost caution in our efforts to arm and train foreign fighting forces. We must always beware of unintended consequences—it is unacceptable if U.S. arms or training inadvertently facilitate human rights violations or hurt our national interests.
Finally, I am concerned about our vastly disproportionate military spending and nation-building abroad, at a time when we urgently need to rebuild here at home.
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More on Foreign Affairs
Washington, D.C. (Oct. 14, 2016)—Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, John Conyers, Jr., Eliot L. Engel, and Bennie G. Thompson, the Ranking Members of the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Homeland Security, issued the following statement in response to evidence that the Trump campaign apparently knew months beforehand about the hacking of emails from the account of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta:
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representatives John Conyers, Jr.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), the Dean of Congress, and Mia Love (R-UT) today led a bipartisan letter signed by 158 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives calling on the U.S. State Department to “immediately and unreservedly exercise its leadership” to ensure that the United Nations takes responsibility for the devastating cholera epidemic that it caused in Haiti. The lawmakers are insisting on U.S.
“In the midst of a global refugee crisis, we cannot turn our backs on the world’s refugees. Millions of Syrians are fleeing the very violence and depravity in their war-torn home country that we saw on gruesome display in Paris on Friday, the 13th. Rather than betraying our values, we must continue to focus on the most effective tools to keep us safe while also providing refuge for the world’s most vulnerable.
“The Obama Administration’s determined diplomatic efforts have yielded one of the most important international agreements in memory: a verifiable deal to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
WASHINGTON— Today, following the announcement of a long-awaited nuclear agreement between Iran, the United States, and world powers, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) released the following statement:
“President Obama Administration's determined diplomatic efforts have yielded one of the great international agreements of our time: a verifiable deal to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) released the following statement after voting against Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation to “fast-track” consideration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP):
“Today’s House vote will help stop the rush toward another massive job-destroying trade deal. This development is a win for workers, the environment, and human rights.
WASHINGTON— Late yesterday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives considered H.R. 2685, the “Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2015.” During consideration of the legislation, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) offered bipartisan amendments to block the training of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi paramilitary militia “Azov Battalion,” and to prevent the transfer of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles—otherwise known as Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS)—to Iraq or Ukraine.