Jewish Dems Congratulate New Chairs of House Foreign Affairs & Appropriations Committees

WASHINGTON – Following today’s selection of Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) as the new Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) Executive Director Halie Soifer released the following statement:

“Jewish Dems congratulate Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) on becoming the next chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), where he’ll work with the Biden administration to further America’s national security, strengthen our international alliances, and defend human rights around the world.

“Rep. Meeks has a long history and strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship, and we are confident he will work with President-elect Joe Biden to restore American global leadership, including in the Middle East.

“We are confident that Rep. Meeks will also work with a strengthened Biden Administration State Department to restore the importance of diplomacy and multilateralism as core tenets of U.S. foreign policy. This is important to Jewish Americans, who want to see America work with our allies to confront global challenges such as COVID-19, climate change, and Iran’s nuclear development.

“We thank Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) for his decades of leadership, including as chair of HFAC, and deeply appreciate his steadfast support of Israel.  We know that Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) will continue their roles on this committee, and we are heartened that the Democrats had such a strong group of candidates to choose from to lead this critically important committee.

“We also congratulate Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) on becoming the next chair of the House Appropriations Committee. It has often been said that your budget reflects your values, and Rep. DeLauro is a proven advocate for the values and priorities of Jewish Americans. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), who is also a powerful advocate for Jewish values, will continue her important role on this vital committee, and we are proud of her leadership.”