Glacier Country News

Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke has been appointed to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Zinke brings military and diplomatic experience from his 23-year career as a U.S. Navy SEAL officer, along with his tenure as the 52nd Secretary of the Interior, where he oversaw federal relationships with U.S. territories and Freely Associated States. He will vacate his position on the Science, Space and Technology Committee but will remain on the Appropriations Committee and the Joint China Commission.

“I am honored to answer the call to work alongside Chairman McCaul and the rest of the Foreign Affairs Committee to do the increasingly necessary work to keep Americans and our allies safe at a time when every corner of the globe is at or on the precipice of conflict,” said Congressman Zinke. “Under the rudderless direction of the Biden Administration, our enemies don’t fear us, and our allies don’t trust us. Our territories and compact states feel neglected with China breathing down their neck, and the Administration has presented absolutely no actionable plan for Ukraine. I look forward to holding the line and holding the Biden Administration accountable.”

“I’m pleased to welcome Rep. Ryan Zinke to the House Foreign Affairs Committee,” said Chairman McCaul. “With his long tenure in the U.S. military, where he served as a U.S. Navy SEAL for more than 20 years, Rep. Zinke will bring valuable experience and knowledge to the committee.”

Ryan Zinke served 23 years as a U.S Navy SEAL Officer including as Deputy Commander of Joint Special Operations in Iraq and as Naval Special Warfare liaison to NATO during normalization of military relations with post-Soviet European states. As Secretary of the Interior, Zinke was responsible for overseeing U.S. government relationships with Pacific territories such as Guam and American Samoa, as well as Freely Associated States like Palau, Marshall Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia—all regions facing rising Chinese aggression.

The House Foreign Affairs Full Committee has jurisdiction over legislation and oversight related to foreign assistance, national security developments affecting foreign policy, strategic planning and agreements, war powers, treaties, executive agreements, deployment and use of U.S. Armed Forces, peacekeeping operations, arms control and disarmament measures, USAID activities, international law enforcement initiatives, embassy security protocols, public diplomacy efforts, Peace Corps operations among other matters not specifically assigned to subcommittees.

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