United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations facts for kids
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a special group of senators in the United States Senate. Think of it like a team that helps the Senate decide how the U.S. should work with other countries. This committee is very important for shaping America's foreign policy, which means how our country interacts with the rest of the world.
This committee helps create laws about foreign policy. They also discuss important issues related to other countries. They oversee how the U.S. gives help to other nations. This includes providing money and resources. They also approve plans for selling weapons and training to countries that are allies with the U.S.
Another big job for the committee is to interview people chosen for important roles in the State Department. The State Department handles America's relationships with foreign governments. The committee also reviews important agreements (called treaties) that the U.S. makes with other countries. For example, they looked at the Alaska Purchase in 1867. They also helped with the creation of the United Nations in 1945. They also approve people chosen for diplomatic jobs, which means representing the U.S. in other countries.
Contents
Who is on the Committee?
Members of the 116th Congress
The committee has members from both major political parties. The 116th Congress had these senators on the committee:
| Majority Party (Republicans) | Minority Party (Democrats) |
|---|---|
|
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What are the Subcommittees?
The main committee is divided into smaller groups called subcommittees. Each subcommittee focuses on a specific part of foreign relations. This helps them study topics in more detail.
| Subcommittee Name | Chairperson | Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|
| Africa and Global Health Policy | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Tim Kaine (D-VA) |
| East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy | Cory Gardner (R-CO) | Ed Markey (D-MA) |
| Europe and Regional Security Cooperation | Ron Johnson (R-WI) | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) |
| Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism | Mitt Romney (R-UT) | Chris Murphy (D-CT) |
| Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy and Environmental Policy | Todd Young (R-IN) | Jeff Merkley (D-OR) |
| State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development | Vacant | Cory Booker (D-NJ) |
| Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women's Issues | Marco Rubio (R-FL) | Ben Cardin (D-MD) |
Related pages
Images for kids
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Committee chairman Senator J. William Fulbright (left) with Senator Wayne Morse during a hearing on the Vietnam War in 1966
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Chris Murphy and another official from the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee inspecting burnt down printing press of Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna on December 7, 2013 while E. Saravanapavan, the Managing Director of the newspaper explaining something to him.
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1976 publication of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the occasion of its 160th anniversary
See also
In Spanish: Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado de los Estados Unidos para niños
