New Chairman Of U.S. House Committee On Foreign Affairs Visited Cuba in December 2006, May 2014 And March 2016
/Rep Meeks Elected Chair of House Foreign Affairs Committee
December 3, 2020
Press Release
Meeks Becomes First Black Chair of HFAC
Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was elected to Chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, becoming the first African-American Chair in the committee’s history. He released the following statement:
“I am incredibly honored to be elected Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a committee that I have served on throughout my tenure of service in Congress. There is extraordinary talent across the committee and Democratic caucus, and I look forward to working closely with Members as we look ahead to a new era of US global affairs.
“The committee under the next Congress will preside over an historic shift in US foreign policy, and there is no shortage of work ahead of us. Not only will we need to re-engage with a world that has felt the marked absence of US global leadership, but we must also rethink traditional approaches to foreign policy.
“This will not be a return to normal, but a leap towards a new way of doing business. We will broaden our scope and outreach to parts of the world we’ve historically overlooked. We will return as partners to our European allies, but we will also need to build new multilateral relationships in the Western Hemisphere and Africa. We can only address the systemic challenges posed by Moscow and Beijing with the help of like-minded friends.
“We will work to rejoin the JCPOA and WHO, but we will also need to establish new coalitions to address the existential crisis of climate change and emerging threats. In pushing further on the fight for human rights across the world, we must lead by humble example with the weight of US moral credibility. We will need to take back Congress’ constitutional authority, tightening the scope of AUMFs that have led to ambiguous forever wars.
“None of that work, however, can be completed without a considerable rebuilding of our Department of State. Diplomacy must be moved front and center as the primary tool for conducting US foreign policy, no longer second to military action. The Foreign Affairs Committee must take a leading role in how we rebuild the State Department. We will broaden the conversation, hearing testimony from organizations and non-traditional diplomats. We will press for greater diversity so our diplomatic corps looks more like the America it represents abroad, strengthening the initiatives that serve as a pipeline for diverse communities.
“In order to deepen the expertise of the committee and prepare for the challenges ahead of us, there is no substitute for on-the-ground experience, engaging with foreign governments and the people they’re meant to serve, through bi-partisan delegations. As Chair, I will utilize the expertise of our Committee members both in the Committee room and abroad, repairing old relationships and establishing new ones.
“We can no longer be America first, but America forward. Our challenges before us are global in scale, and it will require global cooperation, spearheaded by American leadership. I am eager to begin work with my colleagues on the committee, and look forward to working with the new Biden-Harris administration on the tasks ahead of us.”
Biography (From www.house.gov)
From public housing to the nation’s Capital, Gregory Weldon Meeks has lived a true American success story. Known for his compassionate and tenacious representation of his constituents, and his coalition-building skills, Meeks proudly serves the constituents of New York’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Early Life
Congressman Meeks’ compassion and ability to collaborate are rooted in his upbringing. His family ventured north during the Great Migration from Rock Hill, South Carolina, eventually settling in East Harlem. He grew up in a public housing project and knew in his early years that he wanted to be a lawyer. He was inspired by a mother and father who worked hard to ensure that their children would have opportunities for advancement that they never did. Meeks’ parents passed on to him a profound sense of social justice, commitment to community, and willingness to extend a helping hand to those in need.
He carried these values with him to Adelphi University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. At Howard University Law School, Meeks embraced the jurisprudence of his idol, Thurgood Marshall, and of Charles Hamilton Houston. In the years to follow, Congressman Meeks worked as a Queens County Assistant District Attorney, a prosecutor for a special anti-narcotics taskforce, and chief administrative judge for New York State’s worker compensation system. In 1992, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he served until 1998, when he won a special election to represent the Fifth Congressional District of New York.
Work in Congress
Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, now in his eleventh term, has devoted his energy and skill to serving one of the most diverse constituencies in the nation. His efforts on behalf of his district, New York City and State, and the nation as a whole have earned Rep. Meeks the respect of his constituents, New Yorkers, and Democrats and Republicans alike. He is known for being an effective, principled, and common sense leader. As a fervent supporter of the Affordable Care Act enacted under President Obama, Congressman Meeks believes that it should be enhanced. Congressman Meeks is one of sixty-one forward-thinking, pro-growth Democratic members who comprise the New Democrat Coalition (NDC). He co-chairs the NDCC Trade Task Force.
Congressman Meeks is a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, where he serves as the Chairmen of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions which oversees all financial regulators such as, FDIC, Federal Reserve and all matters pertaining to consumer credit and the stability of the banking system. Rep. Meeks previously served as a Dodd-Frank conferee. Key provisions in the Wall Street reform law – including its stress testing requirement, the creation of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at the financial regulatory agencies, and the requirement that U.S. public companies who use natural resources to report their due diligence in stamping out conflict minerals– were co-authored by Congressman Meeks and remain in the law today. Rep. Meeks introduced a bill that would require government contractors and public companies to submit data on the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of their corporate boards.
Congressman Meeks is also a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he is serves as an influential member on both the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment and the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade. Meeks is a multilateralist with decades of experience in foreign policy. He believes that the United States should build coalitions around our interests and work with other countries to build a stable and prosperous future. Additionally, Congressman Meeks is the co-chair of several international organization caucuses, such as the European Union Caucus.
District Work
Congressman Meeks is focused on revitalizing the economy, creating jobs, and enhancing the resiliency of the Fifth District’s transportation, housing and environmental infrastructure, which were hit hard by Superstorm Sandy.
Throughout his tenure in Congress, Congressman Meeks has fought to make New York City accessible and full of opportunity for all New Yorkers. One result of Representative Meeks’ tireless efforts came to fruition in April of 2017, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Crossing at Jamaica Station. The housing and retail project, which will bring approximately 4,000 construction jobs to Jamaica, includes hundreds of new affordable residential units. To make this crucial economic development possible, Congressman Meeks secured $21 million in federal tax credits.
Ever striving to improve NYC’s accessibility, Congressman Meeks strengthened the major regional transportation hub in Jamaica, Queens via the Intermodal Enhancement and Atlantic Avenue Extension—which includes parts of the LIRR and NYC subway system, Airtrain connection to JFK Airport, and a total of 31 bus lines. He secured over $6 million and $10 million through the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration respectively, to vastly improve transportation in his district, especially to and from JFK airport. Congressman Meeks also worked with Governor Cuomo to provide a significant $10 billion upgrade to JFK Airport. Ever focused on increasing diversity, Congressman Meeks advocated for Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in the bidding process.
Increasing diversity in all sectors of the economy is important to Congressman Meeks and in 1999 he secured $250,000 in federal funding to initiate the Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) at CUNY’s York College. The SEMAA program continues to educate and inspire young students to this day.
Not only has Congressman Meeks worked to build up Jamaica, but he has been keen on building up Far Rockaway, too. To this end, Congressman Meeks collaborated on the monumental Roadmap for Action, introduced in 2016, which will provide $91 million for the revitalization of Downtown Far Rockaway. These funds marked the continuation of Meeks’ ongoing effort to increase affordable housing options, improve transportation infrastructure, and boost the local economy.
Additionally, in the spring of 2017, Congressman Meeks and New York City launched a new ferry service, “NYC Ferry,” in the Rockaways a month ahead of schedule. This critical project had been in the works since 2005, when Representative Meeks procured $15 million in federal funding.
For years, Congressman Meeks has introduced a bill to allow for fairness in the recoupment of disaster assistance, to help not only his district rebuild after Superstorm Sandy, but also other districts suffering from natural disasters.
Personal Life
Congressman Meeks is a member of the Allen AME Church in St. Albans, New York and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. As a huge sports fan, Meeks enjoys watching the New York Knicks, the New York Giants, and the New York Mets. He is married to Simone-Marie Meeks and has three daughters – Ebony, Aja, and Nia-Aiyana.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
United States House of Representatives
Washington DC
(a) Full 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); 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; the International Development Finance Corporation, the United States Agency for International Development; activities and policies of the State, Commerce, and Defense Departments and other agencies related to the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign assistance Act, including export and licensing policy for munitions items and technology and dual-use equipment and technology; international law; promotion of democracy; international law enforcement issues, including narcotics control programs and activities; international cyber issues; U.S. Agency for Global Media; embassy security; international broadcasting; public diplomacy, including international communication and information policy, and international education and exchange programs; and all other matters not specifically assigned to a subcommittee. The full Committee will have jurisdiction over legislation with respect to the administration of the Export Administration Act, including the export and licensing of dual-use equipment and technology and other matters related to international economic policy and trade not otherwise assigned to a subcommittee, and with respect to the United Nations, its affiliated agencies, and other international organizations, including assessed and voluntary contributions to such organizations. The full Committee may conduct oversight and investigations with respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee as defined in the Rules of the House of Representatives.
(b) Subcommittees. There shall be six (6) standing subcommittees. The names and jurisdiction of those subcommittees shall be as follows: Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation, Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment, Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism, Oversight and Investigations, Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade. The subcommittees shall have jurisdiction over the following within their respective regions: (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 and oversight regarding human rights practices in particular countries.
(3) Legislation with respect to region- or country-specific loans or other financial relations outside the Foreign Assistance Act.
(4) Legislation with respect to disaster assistance outside the Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, and international claims. (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 challenges relating to U.S. interests in the region including terrorism and cyber issues.
(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 other subcommittees insofar as they may affect the region.
(10) Oversight of foreign assistance activities affecting the region.
(11) Such other matters as the Chairman of the full Committee may determine.
The Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations: In addition to its regional jurisdiction, oversight of: international health issues, including transboundary infectious diseases, maternal health and child survival, and programs related to the global ability to address health issues; population issues; the United Nations and its affiliated agencies (excluding peacekeeping and enforcement of United Nations or other international sanctions); the American Red Cross; and the Peace Corps. In addition, legislation and oversight pertaining to: implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; other matters relating to internationally recognized human rights, including legislation aimed at the promotion of human rights and democracy generally; and the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and related issues.
The Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation: In addition to its regional jurisdiction, oversight of: nonproliferation matters involving nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction.
The Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment: In addition to its regional jurisdiction, oversight of: global energy trends; energy security, responses to energy crises and challenges; international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; development of renewable energy technologies; promotion of transparency and good governance in the global energy sector; universal access to uninterrupted and affordable energy; environmental conservation and wildlife protection.
The Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism: In addition to its regional jurisdiction, oversight of: international terrorist threats, United States’ efforts to manage and coordinate international programs to prevent and combat terrorism as coordinated by the Department of State and other agencies, and efforts to bring international terrorists to justice.
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: With the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee, oversight and investigations of all matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee.
The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade: In addition to its regional jurisdiction, oversight of: matters relating to international economic and trade policy; commerce with foreign countries; international investment policy; the International Development Finance Corporation and Trade and Development Agency; commodity agreements; and special oversight of international financial and monetary institutions; the Export-Import Bank, and customs; civilian security, including transnational organized crime and preventing violence by state or non-state actors. With the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee, legislative jurisdiction over measures related to export promotion and measures related to the International Development Finance Corporation and the Trade and Development Agency.
