Global affairs is a broad field that encompasses the interactions and relationships between countries, organizations, and non-state actors on a worldwide scale. It involves studying and analyzing a wide range of issues, including: International relations, Global governance, Security, Human rights,, Economic development and Environmental issues.

• There are many issues related to Global Affairs that Congress is looking to address with legislation. In the ‘About’ section of this post is an overview of the issues and potential solutions, party positions, and web links. Other sections have information on relevant committees, chairs, & caucuses; departments & agencies; and the judiciary, nonpartisan & partisan organizations, and a wikipedia entry.
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The Global Affairs category has related posts and three posts on issues of particular focus: Russia, China, and the Middle East.

The United States foreign policy toward the People’s Republic of China originated during the Cold War. At that time, the U.S. had a containment policy against communist states. The leaked Pentagon Papers indicated the efforts by the U.S. to contain China through military actions undertaken in the Vietnam War. The containment policy centered around an island chain strategy. President Richard Nixon’s China rapprochement signaled a shift in focus to gain leverage in containing the Soviet Union.

• In the ‘About’ section of this post is an overview of the issues or challenges, potential solutions, and web links. Other sections have information on relevant legislation, committees, agencies, programs in addition to information on the judiciary, nonpartisan & partisan organizations, and a wikipedia entry.
• To participate in ongoing forums, ask the post’s curators questions, and make suggestions, scroll to the ‘Discuss’ section at the bottom of each post or select the “comment” icon.

The China category has related posts on government agencies and departments and  committees and their Chairs.

Russia and the United States maintain one of the most important, critical and strategic foreign relations in the world. Both nations have shared interests in nuclear safety and security, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and space exploration. Due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations became very tense after the United States imposed sanctions against Russia. Russia placed the United States on a list of “unfriendly countries”, along with Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, European Union members, NATO members (except Turkey), Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Micronesia and Ukraine.

• In the ‘About’ section of this post is an overview of the issues or challenges, potential solutions, and web links. Other sections have information on relevant legislation, committees, agencies, programs in addition to information on the judiciary, nonpartisan & partisan organizations, and a wikipedia entry.
• To participate in ongoing forums, ask the post’s curators questions, and make suggestions, scroll to the ‘Discuss’ section at the bottom of each post or select the “comment” icon.

The Russia category has related posts on government agencies and departments and  committees and their Chairs.

Currently stated priorities of the U.S. government in the Middle East include resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and limiting the spread of weapons of mass destruction among regional states, particularly Iran.

• In the ‘About’ section of this post is an overview of the issues or challenges, potential solutions, and web links. Other sections have information on relevant legislation, committees, agencies, programs in addition to information on the judiciary, nonpartisan & partisan organizations, and a wikipedia entry.
• To participate in ongoing forums, ask the post’s curators questions, and make suggestions, scroll to the ‘Discuss’ section at the bottom of each post or select the “comment” icon.

The US Democracy category has related posts on government agencies and departments and  committees and their Chairs.

The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the nation’s foreign policy and international relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nations, its primary duties are advising the U.S. president, administering diplomatic missions, negotiating international treaties and agreements, and representing the U.S. at the United Nations.

The department is headquartered in the Harry S Truman Building, a few blocks from the White House, in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.; “Foggy Bottom” is thus sometimes used as a metonym.

Mission:  
The Committee on Foreign Relations is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs; funding arms sales and training for national allies; and holding confirmation hearings for high-level positions in the Department of State.

House counterpart: Foreign Affairs Committee

Democratic Members (Minority):
Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire – Ranking Member
Chris Coons, Delaware
Chris Murphy, Connecticut
Tim Kaine, Virginia
Jeff Merkley, Oregon
Cory Booker, New Jersey
Brian Schatz, Hawaii
Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
Tammy Duckworth, Illinois

Republican Members (Majority):
Jim Risch, Idaho – Chair
Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania
Steve Daines, Montana
Rand Paul, Kentucky
John Barrasso, Wyoming
Ted Cruz, Texas
Bill Hagerty, Tennessee
Tim Scott, South Carolina
Mike Lee, Utah
Rick Scott, Florida
John Curtis, Utah
John Cornyn, Texas

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 The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has jurisdiction over bills, programs, and investigations concerning the foreign affairs of the United States.

Senate counterpart: Committee on Foreign Relations

Subcommittees:

• Africa
• Europe
• Indo-Pacific
• Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia
• Western Hemisphere
• Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations
• Oversight and Accountability

Chair: Michael McCaul, Texas (R)
Ranking Member: Gregory Meeks, New York (D)

Majority Staff Director: Brendan Shields
Minority Staff Director: Sophia Lafargue
Meeting Location: HVC-210, Capitol Visitors Center, House Side, Second Floor, Room 210; (202) 226-8467

Featured Video: Secretary Blinken: The Biden Administration’s Priorities for U.S. Foreign Policy – March 10, 2021
Web Links

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT) and conducting covert action through its Directorate of Operations.

As a principal member of the United States Intelligence Community (IC), the CIA reports to the Director of National Intelligence and is primarily focused on providing intelligence for the President and Cabinet of the United States. Following the dissolution of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) at the end of World War II, President Harry S. Truman created the Central Intelligence Group under the direction of a Director of Central Intelligence by presidential directive on January 22, 1946, and this group was transformed into the Central Intelligence Agency by implementation of the National Security Act of 1947.

Source: Wikipedia