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FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on the Future of the European Union

Original title: THE EUROPEAN UNION'S FUTURE

January 1, 2015

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing provides a record of U.S. legislative perspectives on the stability of the European Union and the Greek debt crisis as of July 2015, which influenced U.S. foreign policy and economic outlooks regarding European allies.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Greek citizens

The economic conditions in Greece, including high unemployment and debt, are central to the subcommittee's discussion on EU stability.

European Union member states

The hearing evaluates the management and future integration of the 28 member nations.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2015.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2015 House Subcommittee hearing regarding the stability and future of the European Union. Lawmakers and academic experts discussed the challenges of European integration, specifically focusing on the economic crisis in Greece and the management of the EU's diverse member states.

Key Facts

  • The hearing took place on July 14, 2015, before the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats.
  • The European Union consists of 28 national governments representing over 500 million people.
  • The combined GDP of the European Union is stated to be over $18 trillion.
  • The Greek economy had shrunk by 25 percent at the time of the hearing.
  • Youth unemployment in Greece was reported at 50 percent in July 2015.
  • The subcommittee discussed a recent agreement intended to keep Greece in the eurozone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
The subcommittee met to examine the future of the European Union, specifically addressing concerns about its size, management, and the ongoing economic crisis in Greece.
Who provided expert testimony?
The witnesses included Dr. John McCormick, Dr. Stephen Walt, and Dr. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard.

Why It Matters

The hearing provides a record of U.S. legislative perspectives on the stability of the European Union and the Greek debt crisis as of July 2015, which influenced U.S. foreign policy and economic outlooks regarding European allies.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

60 Plus Association

2026

TAXATION/INTERNAL REVENUE CODEENVIRONMENT/SUPERFUNDCOPYRIGHT/PATENT/TRADEMARKHEALTH ISSUES

Signed a coalition letter opposing any efforts to raise the corporate tax rate above the 21% level set in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Signed a coalition in support of the Family Business Legacy Act, H.R. 6329. This legislation creates parity in the tax code between the estate and gift taxes by allowing an estate tax deduction for contributions to 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) organizations. Signed a coalition letter urging opposition to proposals that would raise taxes on carried interest investment income.The letter is urging Congress to reject the misnamed Carried Interest Fairness Act, legislation recently reintroduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and other progressive members of Congress. This legislation that would increase the tax rate on carried interest investment by 70%, from 23.8% to 40.8%. Signed a coalition letter in support of H.R.574 - ALIGN Act and highlight the 100% bonus depreciation provision's importance as the tax cut reauthorization efforts continue. Signed a coalition to support of repealing IRA's green new deal subsidies in reconciliation to pay for tax cuts. Signed a coalition letter regarding digital services taxes (DST) in an effort to stop Canadas imposition of a discriminatory digital services tax (DST) on U.S. firms and your efforts to include restrictions on the imposition of DSTs and other unfair digital policies in recently announced trade agreements-providing a model for future trade negotiations. Signed a coalition letter urging the President to index capital gains for inflation.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Historical Context of Greek Debt

The chairman explicitly referenced the 1953 debt relief provided to Germany as a point of comparison for the Greek economic situation.

Connected Entities

personJohn McCormickJean-Monnet Professor of European Union Politics at Indiana University-Purdue UnMap →
personJacob Funk KirkegaardSenior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International EconomicsMap →
personDana RohrabacherChairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging ThreatsMap →
personStephen WaltProfessor of International Affairs at Harvard UniversityMap →
organizationEuropean UnionThe primary subject of the hearingMap →
locationGreeceDiscussed in the context of its economic crisis and eurozone membershipMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance40
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz5
    Current news / social attention level

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