December 13, 2019

Castro Named Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today was elected Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the 116th Congress. He will continue in his role as Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and continue serving on the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade. Chairman Castro released the following statement on his election:

“I am honored to be elected as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The United States has a responsibility to lead by example and pursue a foreign policy that represents who we are and who we want to be as a nation. Our efforts in this subcommittee continue that bipartisan commitment, as we work to strengthen our national security, support our allies, build new partnerships, and work multilaterally to confront both challenges and opportunities with renewed vigor.

“This subcommittee has a mandate to conduct oversight into our government and on our nation’s foreign policy. My goal as Chairman is to advance and promote our diplomacy, ensure our diplomats have the resources they need to advance American interests, and investigate any abuses swiftly and deliberately. Congressional oversight is a crucial element of any effective foreign policy.

“Under this Administration, our national security and foreign policy have been coopted for political and personal purposes, and efforts to shed light on these questionable practices have been stonewalled. As a co-equal branch of government with a duty to the American people, we will hold those committing wrongdoing to account. Now more than ever, we need stable, consistent leadership to advance U.S. interests around the globe.

“I look forward to continuing in my role as Vice Chairman of the Committee, and assuming my new role as Chair of this Subcommittee, alongside the leadership of Chairman Engel and all of my colleagues.”

Chairman Engel said: “Mr. Castro has done a great job as the Committee’s Vice Chairman and I’m grateful that he’s taking on even more responsibility as chair of our Oversight Subcommittee. At a time when the Administration has attempted to sideline American diplomacy and has stonewalled legitimate investigations, it’s important that we continue to have strong leadership on this key subcommittee. I look forward to Chairman Castro getting to work.”

Background: Today, Chairman Castro was appointed as Chairman to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. In January of this year, he was elected Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and appointed to the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade under Chairman Albio Sires (NJ-08), and the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment under Chairman William Keating (MA-09). Chairman Castro has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee since coming to Congress in 2013. He is also the founding co-chair of the ASEAN and the U.S. -Japan Caucuses. He also has a podcast devoted to foreign policy and national security challenges called The Diplomatic Cable which can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.

# # #