Foreign Policy

The following are the remarks given by U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (MA02) during a panel, The Legacy of the Jesuits on U.S. Foreign Policy toward El Salvador and Central America and on the Society of Jesus, at University of Central America José Simeón Cañas on Saturday, November, 15, 2014. Read more »

The 53-year-old economic embargo against Cuba has not worked. It has not overturned the Cuban government. But it has done grave harm to the lives of ordinary Cubans and increasingly isolated the United States in the region, the hemisphere and the world. The Cold War is over. It’s time to change. Read more »

I was pleased to meet Minister Garzón, whom I have admired and respected for many years. We had a wide-ranging discussion about the importance of labor rights to the peace process and how much remains to be done in Colombia to guarantee labor rights and protect workers and labor activists. Read more »

I strongly protest the detention of Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, and I call upon the Government of Bahrain to release him immediately. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), along with his Rules Committee colleague U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) have coordinated a bipartisan letter calling on the House Leadership urging them to bring an authorization for the use of military force in Iraq when Congress returns to Washington in November. Read more »

M. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule.  Let us be very clear about one of the implications of the language before us:  A vote for this rule is a vote to shut off the mechanisms of the War Powers Resolution for the next two months.  If any Member of this House has any concerns about the on-going military operations in Iraq, the potential of U.S. military airstrikes… Read more »

M. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this Rule and in opposition to the amendment on Syria that will be offered later today. If it was a bad idea before to get involved in Syria’s civil war, why is it now a good idea? Is it only because ISIL has expanded its operations over a fluid border into Iraq?  How long will we support the Syrian Free Army?  Who are these people?… Read more »

Yesterday, Congressman Walter Jones, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Jim McGovern sent a letter to Speaker Boehner calling for debate and vote on an authorization for the use of military force in Iraq when the House returns on September 8th. Read more »

Rep. McGovern recently made several requests to Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a guarantee of access to Bahrain for himself, one of his staff, and Brian Dooley, Director of the Human Rights Defenders program at Human Rights First. Rep. McGovern planned a fact-finding mission and sought to engage in discussions of the current situation with all involved parties – Bahraini government, opposition, and civil society organizations. Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to provide a guarantee that Rep. McGovern would be able to travel to Bahrain. Read more »

            “These strikes do involve the United States directly in hostilities, regardless of how limited they are and regardless of whether there’s a humanitarian purpose involved.  The President is acting according to the powers of his office – and Congress must do the same.  If these operations are continuing when Congress… Read more »