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Introduction
The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States
House of Representatives, also known as the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of
Representatives. In the United States Congress, standing committees are
permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of
Representatives and United States Senate rules. Due to their permanent nature,
these committees exist beyond the adjournment of each two-year meeting of
Congress.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs considers legislation that impacts the
diplomatic community, which includes the Department of State, the Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, the United Nations, and the
enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act.
The members of the committee are chosen to represent eaither the majority or
minority party. Out of the 47 current members, 26 are from the majority party
which is the republican party and 21 are from the minority party which is the
democratic party
The chairman is always selected from the majority party and the ranking member
is the most senior member of the minority party. The majority party ensures it
has a majority on every committee.
The Full Committee will be responsible for oversight and legislation relating to:
foreign assistance (including development assistance, Millennium
Challenge Corporation, the Millennium Challenge Account, HIV/AIDS in foreign
countries, security assistance, and Public Law 480 programs abroad);
the Peace Corps;
national security developments affecting foreign policy;
strategic planning and agreements;
war powers, treaties, executive agreements, and the deployment and use
of United States Armed Forces;
peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and enforcement of United Nations or
other international sanctions;
arms control and disarmament issues;
Subcommittees' Jurisdiction
The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the following within Sub-Saharan Africa:
(1) Matters affecting the political relations between the United States and other
countries and regions, including resolutions or other legislative measures directed
to such relations; (2) Legislation with respect to disaster assistance outside the
Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, and international claims; (3) Legislation
with respect to region- or country-specific loans or other financial relations
outside the Foreign Assistance Act; (4) Legislation and oversight regarding human
rights practices in particular countries; (5) Oversight of regional lending
institutions; (6) Oversight of matters related to the regional activities of the
United Nations, of its affiliated agencies, and of other multilateral institutions; (7)
Identification and development of options for meeting future problems and issues
relating to U.S. interests in the region; (8) Oversight of base rights and other
facilities access agreements and regional security pacts; (9) Concurrent oversight
jurisdiction with respect to matters assigned to the functional subcommittees
insofar as they may affect the region; (10) Oversight of foreign assistance
activities affecting the region, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the full
Committee; and (11) Such other matters as the Chairman of the full Committee
may determine.
Importance of Committee
Though the Executive Branch does take the lead on nearly every aspect of
foreign policy, the congressional committees have used their "power of the
purse" to exert influence upon the Presidents agenda. In 1947, after lengthy
hearings in the House Foreign Affairs Committee (as the House Committee on
International Relations was called after one of several name changes), the
Marshall Planthe Economic Cooperation Act of 1948was agreed to by a vote
of 329 to 74. This support of the Administrations proposal draws a stark
comparison to the use of the purse in 1970, to curb the expansion of the
geographic region that the U.S. would deploy forces. To end U.S. participation
decisively in Vietnam, on August 15, 1973, Congress prohibited the use of funds
that would directly, or indirectly, support combat activities in North and South
Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia. The Vietnam War encouraged the committee to
scrutinize the actions of the Executive Branch more closely, and the role of the
House International Relations Committee has, as a result, gained more prestige
and earned more respect.
In 1985, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dante B.
Fascell, coordinated efforts with the Chairman of the House Budget Committee to
introduced H.R. 1460, the " Anti-Apartheid Act of 1985," which was later limited
by the Executive Order of President Reagan. Legislation now heralded as having
been pivotal to ending the Apartheid government in South Africa can be credited
to the Africa Subcommittee, which approved H.R. 4868 to increase economic
sanctions, which was enacted over President Reagans veto, with a vote of 313 to
83 in the House and 78 to 21 in the Senate. Legislation passed through the
Committee on International Relations has affected citizens of the U.S. and the
rest of the world.
Throughout history, the committee has been composed of some of Americas
most able legislators and statesmen. Two American Presidents have served on it:
James K. Polk, from 1827 to 1931, and John Quincy Adams, who became
Chairman in 1842 after he returned to the House following his term as the Chief
Executive. In more recent times, J. Danforth Quayle, former Vice President, served
on the committee in the 96th Congress.
Many former Chairmen of the Committee have their names written in history
books
Chairman
Rep. Ed Royce represents Southern Californias 39th Congressional District, which
includes Fullerton where Ed and his wife, businesswoman Marie Royce, have
long resided. As chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce is a
leader in the global fight to advance human rights, free and fair elections, and
solutions to promote security and economic growth.
Now serving his 13th term in Congress, Chairman Royce has built a strong record
as an effective legislator and common-sense conservative. In 2014, he
spearheaded bipartisan congressional opposition to the Iran nuclear agreement
warning that the deal fails to shut off the regimes path to a nuclear weapon.
Today he continues to lead efforts to hold Iran accountable for its dangerous and
provocative acts, while also pushing for robust policies to take the fight to radical
Islamist terrorists both on the ground and over the Internet.
Ranking Member
Congressman Engel is the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. He also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including
the Subcommittee on Health, and the Subcommittee on Communications and
Technology. He is the founder and Co-Chair of the House Oil and National Security
Caucus, which is seeking clean, energy efficient alternatives to America's over-
reliance on oil. He also sits on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, the
Bipartisan Task Force for Combatting Anti-Semitism, the HIV/AIDS Caucus, the
Long Island Sound Caucus, and the Animal Protection Caucus, among others.
Congressman Engel was born in the Bronx on February 18, 1947. He grew up in a
city housing project and attended New York City public schools. In 1969, he
graduated from Hunter-Lehman College with a B.A. in History and received a
Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1973 from Herbert H. Lehman
College of the City University of New York. In 1987, he received a law degree from
New York Law School.
For twelve years prior to his election to Congress, Mr. Engel served in the New
York State Assembly (1977-1988), where he chaired the Committee on Alcoholism
and Substance Abuse, as well as the Subcommittee on Mitchell-Lama Housing.
Prior to that, he was a teacher and guidance counselor in the New York City public
school system.
A lifelong resident of the Bronx, Congressman Engel is married to Pat Engel. They
have three children.
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