Both the Senate and House of Representatives held hearings this week to examine U.S. policies in Iran and Iraq respectively while new development in Syria prompted a reevaluation of U.S. policy. Below is a roundup of top articles and news highlights from around the region over the last week:
United States Policy:
- The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a full committee meeting covering negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. Lawmakers had been ...
On January 16, Congress passed, and President Obama signed into law, the FY2014 Omnibus appropriations bill, also referred to as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. This marks the first budget passed since December 2011 (FY2012) and appropriates approximately $1.1 trillion in federal discretionary spending. By passing the bill, Congress has funded most of the federal government’s activities through September 30, 2014.
The Omnibus includes funding for the State Department and Foreign...
In mid January the United States Congress passed the FY2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, an Omnibus bill that appropriates funds for all government departments, including the Departments of State and Defense. The last time Congress passed a comprehensive Omnibus bill was the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act. A close look at both bills can provide useful insights into U.S. policy goals for the upcoming year, and how those goals may...
This post was drafted by WOLA Program Assistant Ashley Davis.
Last month the U.S. Congress approved, and President Obama signed into law, a 2014 Omnibus appropriations bill, funding most of the federal government’s budget for the rest of the year. The bill includes funding for the State Department and foreign aid. Below are some highlights of how it affects aid to Latin America and the...
“It’s a relatively small place, near the Galerías shopping mall in western Bogotá. It now doesn’t have the sign outside that had idenfitied it, hanging over the two windows with glass that blocks the view of the interior. In a small terrace, under a black awning, there are eight tables and 24 chairs. Inside there are seven more tables, and a
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The President of Colombia's Congress, Juan Fernando Cristo, was in Washington, DC two weeks ago to promote the idea of a "Plan Colombia II" to lawmakers. This proposed restructuring of aid that would move away from funding security forces, and instead would focus on providing for conflict victims, promoting rural development, ensuring human rights and repairing the justice system...