January 28, 2021

Congressman Castro Elected Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact

WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was elected Chair of its Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact for the 117th Congress. Castro will continue to serve on the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration, and International Economic Policy. Chairman Castro released the following statement on leading the new subcommittee:

“I’m honored to be elected as Chair of the Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact and ready to get to work. I congratulate my friend, Tom Malinowski, for being elected to be the Vice Chair of the Committee, a position I held last Congress, and my colleagues for being elected to chair the five regional subcommittees. 

“Foreign development assistance and international organizations are critical components of the United States’ infrastructure for diplomacy that must be revitalized and reengaged. For years, our development programs have been under-resourced and underfunded. We need to reinvest in USAID’s efforts, particularly on urgent challenges such as COVID vaccine distribution worldwide, combating climate change, and transnational corruption. From cyber security and migration to human rights and threats to democracy, we must work closely with our allies and partners, including through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations that multiply the strength of our diplomacy. U.S. leadership in international organizations is a key pillar of our nation’s strength, and our absence is either filled by chaos or aspiring rivals. Neither is in our interest. And at the forefront of our foreign policy must be the impact on America’s working families, ensuring our efforts around the world improve their lives here at home. Multinational corporations have grown increasingly powerful abroad, and we have a responsibility to hold them accountable for their actions.”

“I look forward to continuing my work on the Western Hemisphere subcommittee, engaging in U.S.-Mexico relations and addressing the root causes of migration from Central America. I will also continue to champion the need to rebuild the Department of State, including structural reforms to ensure America’s diplomats reflect the diversity of the American people.”

“As Chair, I will work in collaboration with the Biden-Harris administration and in a bipartisan manner to overcome global challenges and advance U.S. interests and values. At our best, the United States can be a North Star in the world — and together we must reignite that beacon of hope.”

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