State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (113th Congress)
[[{"fid":"69","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"Rep. Nita Lowey","title":"Rep. Nita Lowey","height":"100","width":"73","style":"float: left;","class":"media-element file-full","data-delta":"1"}}]]Nita Lowey (NY), Ranking Member
Barbara Lee (CA)
José Serrano (NY)
Jurisdiction
Diplomacy and Development
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Peace Corps
Department of State
United States Agency for International Development
Export and Trade
Export-Import Bank
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Trade and Development Agency
Department of the Treasury
International Affairs Technical Assistance
International Financial Institutions
Related Agencies and Programs
African Development Foundation
The Asia Foundation
Broadcasting Board of Governors
Center for Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Trust Fund
East-West Center
Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program
Inter-American Foundation
Israeli Arab Scholarship Program
National Endowment for Democracy
United States Institute of Peace
Commissions
Border Environment Cooperation Commission
Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad
Commission on International Religious Freedom
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China
International Boundary Commission
International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico
International Fisheries Commissions
International Joint Commission
United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Thank you, Chairwoman Granger and Chairman Rogers. It has been a pleasure to work with you on this bill, and I greatly appreciate your continued commitment to our development and diplomacy efforts worldwide.
The agencies and programs funded by this bill are a vital part of our national security and foreign policy. They also directly impact our ability to focus on domestic priorities like rebuilding the middle class and restoring our economy by providing stability and preventing costly security threats abroad.
Thank you, Chairwoman Granger, not only for your continued bipartisan approach to this bill but also for your friendship. It is a pleasure to work with you. Thank you, also, to the full committee chairman, Mr. Rogers, for the bill allocation's recognition of the importance of foreign assistance and diplomacy.
I also want to express my appreciation for the hard work of our staffs: Anne Marie Chotvacs, Craig Higgins, Alice Hogans, Susan Adams, Clelia Alvarado, Jamie Guinn, David Bortnick, and Johnnie Kaberle; as well as my staff: Steve Marchese, Erin Kolodjeski, Siobhan Hulihan, Sonali Korde, and Marin Stein.
I am very pleased you are at the helm of USAID and appreciate your leadership, as well as the tireless efforts of your colleagues at USAID. The strength of USAID is, and always has been, its dedicated public servants from the top down. As a result of the continued generosity of the American people, USAID remains on the frontlines helping reduce poverty, hunger, and disease while making targeted investments to advance democracy, education, and health.
Ambassador Power, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you today.
I must begin by raising yesterday's media reports that Palestinian President Abbas applied for recognition from 15 UN conventions and treaties. This reckless effort signals a break down in the peace process, with far-reaching repercussions on the United States' relationship with the UN and specialized agencies. Madame Ambassador, I hope you will begin your remarks today by discussing the Administration's response to this news.
This is a highly distressing development because the United Nations plays an integral and indispensable role in maintaining international peace and security, promoting economic and social development, alleviating hunger, championing human rights and supporting efforts to address humanitarian crises.