Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is leading a congressional delegation to Ukraine during the two-week April House recess, the Orange County Register reports.
The delegation will also visit Azerbaijan to discuss regional security issues, and will commemorate the Armenian genocide–in which 1.5 million were killed by Turkey in 1915–in a visit there that will coincide with Remembrance Day Apr. 24.
Royce has led efforts in Congress to provide assistance to Ukraine, taking particular pride in Section 103 of the Ukraine Support Act (H.R. 4278), which boosted financial support for broadcasts by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Voice of America in Russian, Ukrainian, and Tatar.
He has also backed increased sanctions on Russia, and supports lifting U.S. export restrictions on oil and gas, which could help reduce Russian leverage.
Photo: AP/J. Scott Applewhite