Foreign Affairs
As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am honored to have a voice in our nation's foreign policy. The United States of America is a shining example of freedom, and has the ability to lead the world by example. Our nation is a generous one, and while the temptation to give money and aid to all corners of the globe is great we must also be proper stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars. Foreign aid, while a noble cause, must be reformed to ensure that money is spent both efficiently and wisely. Additionally, we must begin to shift our aid model from one of direct monetary aid to one of trade. Strong trade has the potential to benefit all and creates a stable economic environment that will lift countries out of needing aid in the first place. A stable economy attracts businesses, which in turn creates jobs. Rather than one country becoming reliant on another, we help them become a member of the world economy. However, we must also always be mindful of any trade negotiation to ensure that our trade agreement does not come at the cost of our sovereignty. It is possible to have commerce with nations without losing your sovereignty to them. I welcome a robust foreign policy that encourages this approach.
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Go with the ‘Goldilocks approach.’
The evidence collected by Special Counsel Robert Mueller—and others—have revealed that Russia clearly attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, although the efficacy of that effort may be subject to debate.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s latest agreement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in shouldn’t lead to any sanctions relief, a top Republican lawmaker urged Wednesday.
“Maximum pressure campaign should proceed,” House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce tweeted.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill this week that would have the White House create and maintain a database containing all the names of individuals and cyber-threat groups associated with foreign cyber-espionage operations active against the US.
The bill, named the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act of 2018 (H.R. 5576), was proposed in June by Rep. Ted Yoho (R, Florida), and passed in the House on Wednesday, September 5, after a voice vote.
The House passed a bill this week that would direct the White House to form a database "containing all the names of individuals and cyber-threat groups associated with foreign cyber-espionage operations" targeting the U.S., ZDNet reports.
A proposed U.S. development finance institution with a lending cap of $60 billion is aiming to be "a clear alternative" to China'scontroversial Belt and Road program, according to stakeholders.
The proposed entity, known as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), looks to consolidate existing U.S. agencies in charge of public and private capital in less developed countries. Lawmakers introduced the idea earlier this year through the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act, which is currently pending approval from the Senate.
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, scored a win this week as the House passed his proposal protecting the nation from cyberattacks.
Yoho, the chairman of the U.S. House Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, brought out the “Cyber Deterrence and Response Act” back in April. The proposal sets up a three-step process for the federal government to identify, deter and respond to state-sponsored cyberattacks.
The U.S. is finalizing plans to double funding for big infrastructure projects around the world, seeking to counter China’s growing influence.
After El Salvador announced it was severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, two Republicans in the Florida delegation called for action.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. Senate Appropriations and Foreign Relations Committees, said he was working with U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Col., to bring out an amendment restricting American support to El Salvador.
Washington, D.C. - House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Ted S. Yoho (R- FL) released the following statement:
“El Salvador’s switch of diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China is deeply troubling. For the third time this year, a nation has been bought off by China. Not only has China bought one of Taiwan’s remaining 18 allies, but it is gaining alliances in our backyard. China is taking advantage of these countries to isolate Taiwan further and build influence in Latin America.
Prior my service as an American diplomat in Mongolia, my knowledge of that country focused largely on Genghis Khan, Marco Polo and the Gobi Desert. As I later discovered, it sometimes also appears in international headlines as a land-locked country situated between Russia and China that emerged out of the Soviet shadow in the early 1990s to unexpectedly establish both a functioning democracy and vibrant free market economy.