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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Black Thursday massacre in Chad where more than 125 pro-democracy protesters were killed by Chadian forces. “Today, we stand...

BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today sent a letter to U.S. Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Dodaro requesting a review of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Special Procedures. This is of particular relevance as the UN has a special rapporteur on the...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) this week sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging for the immediate appointment of a U.S. presidential special envoy to Sudan within the Department of State. “Sudan's...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week joined U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus, and 46 other colleagues in urging President Biden to put his full attention on the freeing of American hostages that were taken...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week cosponsored legislation to block Iran from accessing the $6 billion in funds that the Biden Administration released in August. “Iran is Hamas’ number one supporter and the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. Between lax...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s decision to ease sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports after the Maduro regime made a deal with Venezuelan political groups to hold sham elections: “Lifting sanctions on the...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led a group of Senate Republicans in a press conference in support of Israel. On Congress’ unwavering support for Israel: “We’re going to aid Israel. We’re all in with Israel. You heard what was said in this room about what these...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nomination hearing. The nominee included Jacob J. Lew, nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel. Ranking Member Risch gave the following remarks: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch, (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement following introduction of a bipartisan resolution in support of Israel, which he co-led with Senate leadership and Chairman Ben Cardin, (D-Md.). “I am pleased to have worked with Leaders McConnell and Schumer,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the Final Report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States. The...

BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the atrocities and war crimes Hamas has committed against Israel:  “As we learn more about the devastating events over the weekend, the reality has become clear. Hamas, a U.S. designated terrorist...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statements on their intent to introduce a bipartisan resolution supporting Israel when the Senate returns to session next week. “The devastating attacks against Israel are a reminder of...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and U.S. Representative Brian Mast (R-Fla.), last week sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken...

BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the terrorist attacks against Israel: “The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with our friend and partner Israel in the aftermath of an unprovoked attack at the hands of Palestinian terror...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, this week sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding his administration engage transparently with Congress on its strategy for supporting a...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing on the Build Act reauthorization and Development Finance Corporation oversight. Witnesses included The Honorable Scott A. Nathan, chief executive officer at the Development...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): “It is well known that UNRWA has a history of employing people connected to terrorist movements like Hamas,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last week joined Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a letter with their Senate Republican colleagues demanding a full accounting of actions taken by a senior Pentagon official who has close...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in a letter to President Biden asking him to hold accountable the former President Rafael...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently welcomed five new committee interns for the fall term. “I am pleased to welcome five new interns to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” said Risch. “These interns will have the opportunity to experience firsthand how the Senate...