Let’s prioritize solving the problems right in front of us and redouble our efforts to protect American national security by making sure our hemisphere is stable.
Redouble efforts to protect American national security by ensuring the Western Hemisphere is stable.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
The committee homepage lists Chairman Risch's most recent posted majority press item as 'April 21, 2026 Chairman Risch Thanks Foreign Relations Committee Spring 2026 Interns,' with no May 2026 Western Hemisphere or Latin America item visible in the current listing.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
The press-room listing shown in the current crawl surfaces late-April 2026 items and does not show any May 17-19, 2026 Risch press release or hearing item tied to the Western Hemisphere claim.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held a business meeting to pass nominations, including Juan Segura to be Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term expiring September 20, 2032, agreed to favorably by roll call vote 14-8.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Public Law 118-159, division E, title LI, subtitle B established the Western Hemisphere Partnership Act. Section 5112 states U.S. policy is to promote economic competitiveness, democratic governance, and security in the Western Hemisphere, including stronger economic relations, democratic principles, and capacity for democratic partner institutions including law enforcement, judiciary, attorneys general, and security forces.
Assessments
The promise was broad but tied to federal national security and Western Hemisphere stability. During Risch's continuing Senate service, Congress enacted the Western Hemisphere Partnership Act in Public Law 118-159, codifying U.S. policy to promote regional security, democratic governance, institutional capacity, and economic competitiveness. Risch also continued to materially advance related executive capacity as Senate Foreign Relations chair by moving Western Hemisphere nominations. This is enough to credit delivery in the same federal Senate term, though the breadth of the promise limits confidence.
Risch made material federal legislative efforts during his Senate term to strengthen Western Hemisphere stability and U.S. national security, including sponsoring the Western Hemisphere Partnership Act of 2023 and helping advance it through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Its provisions were later included in the FY2025 NDAA, a federal law enacted during the same Senate term, addressing democratic governance, economic competitiveness, security cooperation, and rule of law in Latin America and the Caribbean. Because the promise was broad and effort-oriented rather than tied to a measurable regional stability result, these enacted provisions are sufficient for delivery credit.