WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Center for European Policy Analysis posted the following commentary on July 17, 2025: * * * Belarusian Prisoner Releases: The Dictator's Gambit The regime is probing to see if the West will make concessions. There are good grounds for skepticism. By Katia Glod The release from jail of the opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski and five other Belarusian political prisoners in June offered a rare moment of hope in a country that has had few reasons for optimism sinc more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 17, 2025: * * * DeLauro Statement to House Rules Committee Opposing Republican Rubberstamp on President's Stealing from the American People House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) delivered the following remarks at the House Rules Committee in opposition to the Senate's rescissions bill: Thank you, Chairwoman  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing entitled "Breaking China's Chokehold on Critical Mineral Supply Chains": * * * Good morning and welcome to East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee hearing titled Breaking China's Chokehold on Critical Mineral Supply Chains. I want to thank our witnesses for joining us this morning. Critical minerals -- lithium, cobalt, more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Files Discharge Petition to Move Bill Supporting Ukraine and Sanctioning Russia * Washington, D.C. - Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement following the filing of his discharge petition for H.R. 2913 (link is external), the Ukraine Support Act. The bill offers  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on July 17, 2025: * * * ICYMI: Ranking Member Shaheen Introduces Amendments to Protect and Advance America's Soft Power and Diplomatic Infrastructure This week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered multiple amendments to the Congressional Republican's rescissions bill to save cr more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-New York, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on July 17, 2025: * * * Meeks Files Discharge Petition to Move Bill Supporting Ukraine and Sanctioning Russia Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement following the filing of his discharge petition for H.R. 2913, the Ukraine Support Act. The bill offers strong sanctions more PR

BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 17 -- NATO issued the following news: * * * NATO Deputy Secretary General discusses a stronger and fairer NATO, and deterring aggression, at LANDEURO symposium * On Thursday (17 July 2025), NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska addressed the LANDEURO symposium of The Association of the United States' Army, discussing the role of the Allies' armed forces and industry in deterring aggression. Thank you, General Brown. And good afternoon, everyone. It's more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 17, 2025: * * * Once Again, Republicans Follow President Trump's Marching Orders to Steal Taxpayer Money Cuts Package Makes Americans Less Safe, Robs Communities of Access to Critical Public Broadcasting * Yet again, House Republicans rubberstamped Elon Musk's stealing of American taxpayer money. The $9 billion rescissions package does n more PR

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: * * * Reed Statement on FY26 National Defense Authorization Act * WASHINGTON, DC --Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced that they have filed S. 2296, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA). Senator Reed issued the following statement after filing the bill: "This yea more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, issued the following news release: * * * RELEASE: Senate Approves $9 Billion in DOGE Cut Savings for Taxpayers * Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) released the following statement on this morning's passage of S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4, Rescissions Act of 2025. The package targets $9 billion in taxpayer-funded public broadcasting and wasteful foreign aid: "This is the first step in the right direction to claw  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. George Latimer, D-New York, issued the following floor remarks on July 14, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. Speaker refers to the presiding officer of the House at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. Speaker, today President Trump announced that the U.S. will provide NATO allies with weapons to send to Ukraine. Finally. This is welcome news, but it comes 6 months late. Wasn't it candidate Trump who promised to end this war on day one? How many Ukrainia more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-New York, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a July 15, 2025, hearing entitled "FY26 State Department Posture: Management and Resources": * * * Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Deputy Secretary Rigas, I appreciate your being here to explain the Secretary's reorganization plans. This is a dark time for American diplomacy. President Trump continues to isolate the United States, alienate our allie more PR

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * Schatz Details Trump Administration's Destruction Of USAID, Deadly Consequences That Followed As Senate Considers Codifying DOGE Cuts * WASHINGTON - As the U.S. Senate considers a rescissions package to codify $9 billion dollars in cuts to foreign assistance and public broadcasting, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) spoke out against the Trump administration's illegal dismantling of the United St more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following opening statement on July 17, 2025, at a judicial nominations hearing: * * * Good morning. On today's agenda, we have twelve nominations. Nicholas Chase and Daniel Rosen, U.S. Attorney nominees, are listed for the first time and will be held over. We'll vote today on Emil Bove, nominee to be a judge on the Third Circuit, and district court nominees Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe,  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Passes Legislation to Rescind Wasteful Federal Spending * WASHINGTON, D.C. - By a vote of 51 to 48 the United States Senate advanced the Rescissions Act of 2025 to rescind $9 billion in unnecessary, wasteful federal funds. The bill, which passed the House of Representatives in June by a vote of 214 to 212, will now return to the House for final consideration. The Rescissions Act of 202 more PR

PARIS, France, July 17 [Category: Media] -- Reporters Without Borders issued the following news: * * * Six months of Trump's war on the press: importing and exporting authoritarian tendencies * Six months into US President Donald Trump's second term, his administration has become increasingly hostile towards the press, both mimicking and inspiring authoritarian and quasi-authoritarian regimes around the world. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of the dangers of a transnational anti-press more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee released the following testimony by Kimberly Guilfoyle, President Trump's nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Hellenic Republic, from a July 7, 2025, confirmation hearing: * * * Chairman Hagerty and esteemed Members of this committee, it is with a profound sense of honor and deep humility that I appear before you today as President Trump's nominee to serve as the United States Ambassador to Greece. I extend my sincerest gratitude to  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee released the following testimony by Jennifer Locetta, President Trump's nominee to be U.S. representative to the United Nations for special political affairs, from a July 7, 2025, confirmation hearing: * * * Chairman Hagerty and distinguished Members of the Committee - Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am grateful to be nominated by President Trump to serve as the Alternate Representative of the United Sta more PR