Washington, D.C. - Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) announced the following upcoming committee events.
Wednesday, December 6
Subcommittee Hearing: Advancing Human Rights to Combat Extremism
10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 6, in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman
Invited witnesses include.
Thomas Farr, Ph.D.
President, Religious Freedom Institute
Director, Religious Freedom Research Project
Georgetown University
John Lenczowski, Ph.D.
Founder and President
The Institute of World Politics
Sayyid Syeed, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor
Office of Interfaith and Community Alliances
Islamic Society of North America
Chairman Smith on the hearing: “The advancement of fundamental human rights - in particular, freedom of religion - should be a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. By emphasizing such principles, we counter extremist messaging, support moderate voices, and promote the popular aspirations of people around the world who wish to live in freedom and peace. We need to encourage such voices of moderation in the Islamic world, while waging a full-throated war of ideas with radical extremists such as ISIS. The ideological battlefield is just as important as the territorial one."
Wednesday, December 6
Subcommittee Hearing: U.S. Policy Toward Tibet: Access, Religious Freedom, and Human Rights
2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL), Chairman
Invited witnesses include.
Mr. Richard Gere
Chair of the Board of Directors
International Campaign for Tibet
Mr. Tenzin Tethong
Director of the Tibetan Service Radio Free Asia
Mr. Carl Gershman
President
National Endowment for Democracy
Chairman Yoho on the hearing: “Amid the ongoing turbulence in the Asia-Pacific, China’s growing oppression in Tibet has not received sufficient international attention. Observers believe the Tibetan people’s struggle for survival, dignity and autonomy is approaching a crossroads. The question of the Dalai Lama’s succession is growing, bringing uncertainty for the peaceful resistance movement. China may seek to designate its own chosen successor, which could cause Tibet to boil over. In the intervening period, China has sought to consolidate its control, with dire consequences for religious and cultural practices, human rights, freedom of movement and the access of journalists and others to Tibet. In this hearing, the Subcommittee will hear from experts on the current situation, their projections for the future and recommendations on how to promote access, religious freedom and human rights in Tibet."
Wednesday, December 6
Subcommittee Hearing: Brexit: A Negotiation Update
2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, in 2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chairman
Invited witnesses include.
Nile Gardiner, Ph.D.
Director
Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom
The Heritage Foundation
Ms. Marjorie Chorlins
Vice President for European Affairs, and
Executive Director of the U.S.-U.K. Business Council
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Thomas Wright, Ph.D.
Director
Center on the United States and Europe
Brookings Institution
Chairman Rohrabacher on the hearing: “The vote last year by the British people to exit the European Union and to return sovereignty to their shores reflected the will of the majority. While the negotiations to determine the ultimate relationship between the EU and Great Britain are still underway, the implications for the transatlantic relationship, from trade to security, loom large. This hearing will provide Members with a timely update of the process and will illustrate America’s interest in the outcome."
Thursday, December 7
Hearing: Counterterrorism Efforts in Africa
9:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 7, in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman
Invited witnesses include.
The Honorable John J. Sullivan
Deputy Secretary
U.S. Department of State
Mr. Mark E. Mitchell
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict
U.S. Department of Defense
Chairman Royce on the hearing: “Radical Islamist terrorists in Africa are waging a brutal war that threatens U.S. national security interests. The recent tragic deaths of four American soldiers in Niger was a sad reminder of the dangers involved. This hearing will provide an opportunity for members to examine counterterrorism efforts in Africa, the depth of the threats we face and the importance of continued U.S. engagement on the continent."
***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.
***Coverage note: All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-feed.
