WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced on Tuesday that he has been named Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, which includes U.S.-Russia policy. Murphy will remain a member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, and will join the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.

“It’s an honor to serve as Ranking Member of the European subcommittee, especially as the Trump Administration begins imposing its dangerous agenda. We have a president who has refused to criticize Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria, openly rooted for the break-up of the European Union and suggested that NATO is obsolete. And it looks like we’re about to have a Secretary of State who has consistently sided with Russia against the interests of the United States and our allies in Europe. Congress’s oversight responsibilities have never been more important. I look forward to working with Chairman Johnson to provide strong, constant oversight over the Administration's policies in the region,” said Murphy.

“I also look forward to continuing to serve on the Middle East and counterterrorism subcommittee and joining the subcommittee on cybersecurity. We are in the middle of a war against ISIL, and we need to confront extremist groups and hostile foreign nations while not repeating mistakes of the past,” continued Murphy. “I’ll never stop fighting to protect the American people while upholding our Constitutional values.”

As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Murphy will lead Democratic subcommittee members in dealing with all matters – including terrorism, U.S. foreign assistance programs, and trade and exports – concerning U.S. relations with countries in Europe and the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and regional intergovernmental organizations. This subcommittee also has global responsibility for regional security cooperation.

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