FEDERALhearing transcript

Review of 2015 U.S. Policy in the Western Hemisphere

Original title: YEAR IN REVIEW: U.S. POLICY TOWARD A CHANGING WESTERN HEMISPHERE

January 1, 2016

foreign policy Western Hemisphere international relations national security economic policy

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing provides a formal record of congressional oversight regarding U.S. diplomatic and security priorities in the Americas during 2015, influencing how federal resources and policy focus were directed toward regional partners.

Who is mentioned in the record

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

U.S. Department of State

The agency's policies and programs in the Western Hemisphere were the subject of congressional review and assessment.

Latin American nations

The political, economic, and security conditions of these nations were evaluated as part of U.S. foreign policy oversight.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2015 House Subcommittee hearing held to evaluate U.S. foreign policy and regional developments in the Western Hemisphere. Lawmakers and expert witnesses discussed economic shifts, security challenges, and political changes across Latin American nations.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on December 9, 2015, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
The subcommittee reviewed U.S. policy regarding economic performance, security, migration, and natural disasters in the Western Hemisphere.
The chairman noted increased influence of Iran, China, and Russia in the region.
The Organization of American States (OAS) appointed a new Secretary General in 2015.
Panama hosted the Seventh Summit of the Americas, which included Cuba for the first time.
The U.S. began a 2-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2015.
Colombia made progress in peace talks with the FARC, with the legislature approving a referendum proposal.
Brazil faced economic decline and the initiation of impeachment proceedings against its president.
Latin America experienced its worst economic performance since 2009 during the 2015 calendar year.
The hearing aimed to assess regional progress in democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the rule of law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The hearing was held to review the Obama administration's policies in the Western Hemisphere and assess the state of democracy, security, and economic conditions in the region.

Who testified at the hearing?

The witnesses were Roger Noriega (American Enterprise Institute), Mary Beth Long (Metis Solutions), and Dr. Cynthia J. Arnson (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars).

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

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

policy shift90% confidence

2015 Regional Instability

The hearing highlights a convergence of economic decline and political upheaval across multiple major Latin American nations in 2015.

Brazil Colombia Venezuela

Connected Entities

organizationSubcommittee on the Western Hemisphere“House committee conducting the hearing”Map →

personRoger Noriega“Witness, visiting fellow at American Enterprise Institute”Map →

personCynthia J. Arnson“Witness, director of the Latin American Program at Woodrow Wilson International ”Map →

personMary Beth Long“Witness, founder and CEO of Metis Solutions”Map →

personJeff Duncan“Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance40
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz5
Current news / social attention level

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