Christopher S. Murphy

Introducing Hon. Vernon D. Oliver, Nominee to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut

I think this committee would have a lot to say about whether the conduct of Saudi Arabia over the course of the last 5-10 years has merited that kind of commitment.

We have enormous influence and leverage there made much easier by an embassy reopening.

Any security or defense guarantee provided to Saudi Arabia would be submitted to Congress for ratification.

Undeniably, a normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would be a pivotal and immensely positive development.

I do not judge them to be apolitical. I do not think that they have fashioned themselves in a way that would communicate that to the Tunisian people.

I think a reorientation of our policy there would send an important signal beyond Tunisia that your partnership with us is dependent on your commitment to continuing to head your democracy and your civil protections in the right direction.

I continue to look forward to working with the Administration on this committee and on the Appropriations Committee to try to get this right.

The military is participating in President Saied's campaign of repression. They are holding military tribunals against his political opponents.

This is, of course, a region where the bulk of our assistance dollars go.

Good morning to our witnesses, colleagues, and guests who are convening the subcommittee today to discuss the FY24 budget request for the Middle East and North Africa.

We are not asking Kosovo to change their constitution, but let us be clear, in other circumstances in the region, there are changes in constitutions necessary to preserve peace.

We will not accept, and nor we support, anything that remotely resembles a Republika Srpska.

I share the chairman's concerns about Serbia's pensions to make commitments that often are not made good on.

I also share your sentiment, Mr. Chollet, that so far we have not seen a lot of progress on either side.

That is why ASAM strongly supports passage of the Parity Enforcement Act, which would finally add civil monetary penalty authority to the DOL's oversight.

There is a burden that Ukraine needs to bear in waging this war. It cannot do it on its own financially or militarily.

We can talk about expanding our sanctions, but two, we can just talk about elevating this question of Russia lifelines with our friends.

There is a question of whether Ukraine can ultimately carry the cost of this war for as long as is necessary.

This approach has empowered Sudan's strongman while victimizing the Sudanese people and undermining the country's democratic future.

I am concerned the United States continues to partner with the same authoritarian actors in the region that have bargained away Sudan's democratic future in order to secure their own interests.

We must end this cycle of doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.

The Administration must change not only the architecture, but also the architects of this policy.

Congress has spoken in a bipartisan manner with an unmistakable voice on Sudan throughout the post-Bashir transition. Put the Sudanese people first and end the stranglehold of Sudan's security forces on the country.

At this point, I believe the greatest threat to our success lies not in any adversary overseas, but division and polarization here at home.