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USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Two big cases underway over Trump's higher education policy. Here are the key takeaways
BOSTON ― A federal courthouse was the epicenter of the legal world on July 21 as federal judges heard arguments in two cases surrounding the Trump administration's efforts to revoke federal funding from Harvard University and to deport foreign-born student protesters for pro-Palestinian activism. In courtroom 18 at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse, U.S. District Judge William Young heard closing arguments in American Association of University Professors (AAUP) v. Rubio. The organization's chapters at several universities, as well as the Middle East Studies Association, sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio in March over what it described as an "ideological deportation policy" the administration was using to retaliate against noncitizens for pro-Palestinian speech. Steps away, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs heard oral arguments in Harvard's lawsuit against the administration over the more than $2.5 billion in federal funding it pulled from the school, citing its alleged inaction on antisemitism. The First Amendment lies at the heart of both cases, which could have significant implications for the future of higher education and free speech in the U.S. Here are key takeaways from the trials. Research, civil rights and lives are at stake, attorneys say Harvard's attorneys argued that the loss of federal funding would significantly damage the school's ability to conduct research that serves a public benefit while not meaningfully addressing antisemitism, NPR reported. The Trump administration, on the other hand, said Harvard's Jewish students are harmed by the school's alleged inaction on antisemitism, which it has said amounts to a violation of federal civil rights law. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, along with co-counsel Sher Tremonte law firm, sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration on behalf of the association's chapters at several universities, including Harvard, and the Middle East Studies Association in March. In AAUP v. Rubio, attorneys from the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Sher Tremonte law firm argued that the Trump administration's 'ideological deportation policy' affected not only the activists who have been arrested thus far but created a chilling effect on the free speech of noncitizen students and faculty. The government's attorneys disputed the existence of such a policy. If it did exist, lawyer William Kanellis said, 'you'd see many more arrests.' Judges questioned some arguments Both judges were skeptical of some of the arguments attorneys attempted to make in their courtrooms. The notion that the government has the authority to slash Harvard's federal funding for any reason was a 'major stumbling block for me,' Burroughs said. She said there would be 'staggering' implications for constitutional law if the government had the power to make such decisions 'for reasons oriented around speech.' Burroughs also questioned how revoking Harvard's federal grants contributed to the government's stated objective of combatting antisemitism at the university, as the Harvard Crimson reported. Young, meanwhile, appeared skeptical of the AAUP's argument that the Trump administration created and implemented a new 'ideological deportation' policy. He also questioned the plaintiff's arguments surrounding Canary Mission, an organization that says it 'documents individuals and organizations that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses and beyond.' The plaintiff's attorneys characterized it as an extremist group the government relied upon to identify noncitizens for investigation and arrest. Young was skeptical of the attorneys' characterization of the group and said it's 'perfectly appropriate for the government to take leads from any source.' First Amendment issues at the heart of both cases Alexandra Conlon, a representing the plaintiffs in the deportation case, said that by revoking visas and green cards based on noncitizens' pro-Palestinian activism, the federal government was 'systematically violating the First Amendment' and seeking to chill speech it disagrees with. On the first day of the trial, Justice Department attorney Victoria Santora said the First Amendment applies to both citizens and noncitizens alike. But she later backtracked to say 'there are nuances to the First Amendment,' Politico reported. Department of Justice attorney Ethan Kanter continued that argument July 21, saying noncitizens do not have First Amendment rights to the same extent as U.S. citizens. While they may have such rights in some capacity, he said, they are 'context dependent and in relation to the compelling government interest at play.' Lawyer Steven P. Lehotsky, representing Harvard in the funding lawsuit, said the administration's actions against the university reflect a 'blatant, unrepentant violation of the First Amendment,' the Harvard Crimson reported. Administration's moves are 'part of a broader attack' Ramya Krishnan, a Knight First Amendment Institute attorney representing the AAUP in the deportation case, said both that case and the one over Harvard's federal funding were part of the Trump administration's higher education "power grab." 'These are part of a broader attack on higher education in this country in weakening the independence of these institutions, in undermining them as a site for discourse and intellectual inquiry," she said, "and I think that people should be very worried about that.' The Trump administration has accused schools of engaging in "exploitative and unlawful practices" and said its steps to overhaul higher education would "rebuild public trust" in such institutions. Burroughs said she would issue an opinion in the Harvard case soon after oral arguments concluded on July 21, the Harvard Crimson reported. The school has requested a ruling by Sept. 3, which is its deadline for submitting paperwork to close out its federal grant funding. Young did not offer a timeline for issuing his opinion in the deportation case. BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani's digs at Hakeem Jeffries resurface as House Dem leader weighs backing socialist NYC mayoral candidate
Socialist New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani once implied House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was an Islamophobe and likened the highest-ranking black House lawmaker in US history to notorious segregationist George Wallace. The past digs resurfaced as Jeffries continues to drag his feet on an endorsement after meeting with Mamdani last week for the first time since the Queens state lawmaker locked down the Democratic mayoral nod. The two are expected to have another confab when Mamdani returns from his Uganda vacation at the end of the month. The pro-Palestinian pol has been part of a cadre of lefty firebrands that has long bashed Jeffries over his remarks in steadfast support of Israel from a 2014 rally, comparing it to Wallace's infamous 1963 call for 'segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.' 'After at least 2,251 Palestinians were killed over the course of July 2014, Hakeem Jeffries got on stage at a rally in NYC and paraphrased George Wallace. 'Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever,'' Mamdani fumed in a November 2022 X post. 5 Zohran Mamdani has been working to court top Democratic leaders who have been skittish about throwing their weight behind him. X/zohrankmamdani Jeffries, a Brooklyn-based Democrat, has been a staunch backer of Israel, though since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, he has tried to highlight concerns about the treatment of the Palestinians as well. 5 Hakeem Jeffries has long been a public supporter of Israel, something that has peeved his left flank. Getty Images Mamdani, meanwhile, has been a ferocious critic of the Jewish state — a term he rejects. Several months after comparing Jeffries to Wallace, Mamdani appeared to accuse the party boss of Islamophobia, while opining on a 2000 debate in which the Brooklyn Dem noted the religious differences he had with his rival for a seat in the New York State Assembly. 'Yes, my opponent is older; I'm younger. It's not religion. Yes, the assemblyman is a practicing Muslim, and I grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church,' Jeffries said in the 2000 debate before his then-foe Roger Green stormed off. Mamdani, a practicing Muslim and assembly member from Queens, strongly insinuated Jeffries had been Islamophobic with those remarks. '[Islamophobia] has become less explicit. … You might not hear the word 'Muslim.' You might not hear the word Islam. But you will hear about extremism or ties to specific groups or attempts at making associations that will block any consideration of a candidacy in a voter's mind,' Mamdani reflected to Politico in 2023. Later that same year — just over two months after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel — Mamdani publicly roasted Jeffries for not backing a ceasefire, in a clip he proudly shared on social media. 'Congressman Jeffries has yet to call for a ceasefire. Congressman Jeffries has said that he seriously supports President Biden's request for an additional $14 billion in military funding for Israel,' Mamdani chided. 'And I must ask Congressman Jeffries how many more Palestinians must be killed before you call for a ceasefire? How many more?' he added to cheers. 5 Hakeem Jeffries has made clear he'd rather focus on attacking President Trump than intraparty battles. Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock Mamdani has long fixated on the Israel-Hamas war. In October 2023, just about a week after Hamas' surprise attack sparked the conflict, Mamdani was arrested during a protest near then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's Park Slope home. Like Jeffries, Schumer has so far refrained from endorsing Mamdani in the mayoral race. 5 Some Democrats quietly feared that Zohran Mamdani could give Republicans ammunition in the 2026 midterms. Derek French/SOPA Images/Shutterstock Since Mamdani's shock primary win in June, Jeffries has engaged in a delicate dance of not backing the young socialist, but refraining from criticizing him publicly as well. Last month, Jeffries gently called on Mamdani to clarify his defense of the phrase 'globalize the intifada' — widely seen as a call for violent uprisings against Israel — which the socialist chalked it up to a 'desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' But as he campaigns for the November general election, Mamdani has since said he would 'discourage' the use of the phrase, and stressed that he hadn't been using it. Some progressive hardliners, emboldened by Mamdani's primary victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have mused about targeting other so-called 'establishment' Democrats like Jeffries. Jeffries' allies, though, have warned Democratic socialists in New York City against messing with him. 'Leader Hakeem Jeffries is focused on taking back the House from the MAGA extremists who just ripped health care away from millions of Americans,' his senior adviser André Richardson told CNN earlier this month. 'However, if Team Gentrification wants a primary fight, our response will be forceful and unrelenting. We will teach them and all of their incumbents a painful lesson on June 23, 2026.' National Republican Congressional Committee Spokesman Mike Marinella said Jeffries' prospects at re-election didn't look good in light of Mamdani's past critiques of the top House Dem. 'Hakeem is too weird and too weak to even win over the Democrat nominee for his own city. How would anyone expect him to win back the House?' Marinella told The Post. 5 Hakeem Jeffries met with Zohran Mamdani last week and has plans to meet him again after the latter's return from Uganda. Getty Images 'The socialism wing has taken over the Democrat Party because this is their radical platform.' Mamdani announced on Sunday that he will be taking a break from the campaign so that he and his wife can go to Uganda, where he immigrated from when he was a child. Jeffries told reporters Monday that he'll meet with Mamdani when the candidate returns. 'We agreed to reconvene with other members of the [New York] delegation and high-level community leaders in Brooklyn upon his return to the country,' he said. The Post reached out to reps for Mamdani and Jeffries for comment.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
As allies pressure Israel, US stays out
With help from Phelim Kine, Connor O'Brien and Daniel Lippman Subscribe here | Email Eric International pressure on Israel to end its military operations in the Gaza Strip is escalating following a strike against the enclave's only Catholic church and the continued killings of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid. It's just not coming from the Trump administration right now. Top European Union officials lashed Israel today for its treatment of civilians. European Union President URSULA VON DER LEYEN wrote in a post on X that 'the images from Gaza are unbearable.' Von der Leyen was echoing comments from EU foreign policy chief KAJA KALLAS, who wrote in her own X post that 'the killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible' and 'all options remain on the table if Israel doesn't deliver on its pledges.' Kallas and von der Leyen's remarks follow similar declarations from the foreign ministers of several European countries and the King of Belgium, as part of a broader condemnation of Israel's actions by Western allies. Progressive leaders, too, from a spate of European and Latin American countries, have reiterated their calls for an arms embargo against Israel in recent weeks. Israel, for its part, has argued that criticism of its war actions hasn't placed enough responsibility on Hamas for its role in exacerbating human suffering in the enclave and starting the war. Absent from the leaders criticizing Israel about its management of the humanitarian situation in Gaza are U.S. officials. That's not to say the Trump administration hasn't condemned any of Israel's actions in the past week. President DONALD TRUMP, via White House spokesperson KAROLINE LEAVITT, made public his frustrations about the Gaza church strike last week. Ambassador MIKE HUCKABEE today also met with Palestinian Liberation Organization vice chair HUSSEIN AL-SHEIKH, one of MAHMOUD ABBAS' top lieutenants, and discussed prospects for a ceasefire. Veteran Middle East peace negotiator AARON DAVID MILLER told NatSec Daily that some part of the administration's approach may reflect Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU's political challenges. The Knesset goes on summer recess next week, and that could give Netanyahu more flexibility to agree to a deal and stave off a vote of no confidence that could topple his government. 'If he thinks Bibi is essentially moving toward an agreement … in the next two weeks, once the Knesset adjourns, then I think Trump probably figures 'why do I want to make a major issue out of this now?'' Miller said. 'If two or three weeks go by during the recess and there's no ceasefire, then you're probably talking about a different story.' Critics of Israel are skeptical that absent U.S. pressure, Israel will change course, and that European pressure may not go far enough. 'The United States clearly is the one country that could very quickly make a difference if it chose to,' said MATT DUSS, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy think tank in Washington. Duss added that Europe's decision to respond cautiously to Israeli actions (such as not blocking arms sales or taking other specific actions against Israel yet) is likely a reflection of their fears that the Trump administration will retaliate against them if they go further in punishing Israel. For now, Israel is showing no signs it will change its approach to the war in Gaza. The Israeli military has expanded operations in central Gaza City and raided World Health Organization buildings in the enclave today. The Inbox A GREAT DEAL FOR WHOM? Philippine President FERDINAND MARCOS JR. was welcomed warmly by Trump today at the White House — but he appears to have walked away only with a Trump pledge to lower tariffs on his country from 20 percent to 19 percent. The Philippines is an increasingly important Asian ally to the U.S., especially as China ramps up maritime activity in the South China Sea. Manila and Beijing have already clashed over the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Early in the afternoon, Trump praised Marcos on social media as a 'very good, and tough, negotiator.' But it appeared Trump didn't give in too much. 'It was a beautiful visit, and we concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff,' the president wrote. It wasn't immediately clear if the Philippine leaders had formally agreed to such terms. Marcos met with Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO and Defense Secretary PETE HEGSETH on Monday. UKRAINE BITES ANTI-CORRUPTION WATCHDOGS: Ukrainian lawmakers voted today in favor of measures that critics say would undermine efforts to battle corruption in the country, our colleagues Veronika Melkozerova and Yurii Stasiuk report. The parliament vote brings the independent National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office under the oversight of Ukraine's prosecutor general — a political appointee of President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY. Critics allege the move, if approved by Zelenskyy, robs the watchdogs of their independence. It also could hurt Ukraine's long-term goal of joining the European Union, as EU enlargement chief MARTA KOS called the Tuesday vote 'a serious step back.' Meanwhile, Ukrainian and Russian representatives are planning to meet Wednesday for a new round of talks about peace and exchanging prisoners. If held, the talks would be the first in around seven weeks. CHINA'S MEMENTO MANIA: The Chinese government is eyeing travel souvenirs as part of its efforts to fend off an alleged uptick in foreign espionage operations. China's Ministry of State Security issued a warning today to Chinese citizens traveling overseas that seemingly innocuous tourist trinkets could be covert spyware designed to steal state secrets. Chinese travelers should be wary of gifts from foreign citizens, including earrings, necklaces and key rings, that could have secret functions, 'including cameras, listening devices and tracking features,' the ministry said on its social media platform, per the South China Morning Post. Beijing's warning is the latest in a series of initiatives launched this year aimed at alerting the public to perceived espionage dangers, including romantic encounters with foreign citizens and contact with foreign scholars. IT'S TUESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at ebazail@ and follow Eric on X @ebazaileimil. While you're at it, follow the rest of POLITICO's global security team on X and Bluesky at: @dave_brown24, @HeidiVogt, @jessicameyers, @RosiePerper, @ @PhelimKine, @ak_mack, @felschwartz, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @reporterjoe, @JackDetsch, @samuelskove, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130 and @delizanickel Keystrokes CHINA BEHIND SHAREPOINT HACK: Chinese hackers are behind a sweeping cyberattack targeting users of Microsoft server software across the globe, our own John Sakellariadis and Dana Nickel report. At least two federal agencies are among the roughly 100 organizations that are suspected of being breached in the ongoing hack, two U.S. officials told John and Dana. Microsoft blamed three separate Chinese-aligned hacking groups in a blog post this morning. Additional hacking groups unrelated to China have already started exploiting the software flaw, which affects certain versions of Microsoft's popular workplace collaboration platform, SharePoint. The snowballing incident is one of the worst breaches of the second Trump administration, and it is likely to amp up scrutiny of the tech giant's technology products. 'Government agencies have become dependent on a company that not only doesn't care about security, but is making billions of dollars selling premium cybersecurity services to address the flaws in its products,' Sen. RON WYDEN (D-Ore.) told John and Dana. The Complex GARDEN STATE DISPATCH: Nearly the entire New Jersey congressional delegation is urging Army Secretary DAN DRISCOLL to back off a major acquisition reform plan, the latest salvo in a wave of bipartisan resistance to his Army Transformation Initiative. In a bipartisan letter scooped by our colleagues in Morning Defense, the lawmakers argued the shakeup — which would see 12 acquisition units responsible for managing major weapons systems reorganized into seven broader offices centered on mission areas — would 'cripple' the state's Picatinny Arsenal and set back Army modernization. The arsenal is located in the northern New Jersey district of Rep. MIKIE SHERRILL (D-N.J.), who organized the letter and is the Democratic candidate for governor. 'While the Army's proposal claims it will lead to the increased development of weapons and ammunition, this is false,' they wrote to Driscoll and Hegseth. The lawmakers argue the move erodes a highly specialized workforce and reverses two decades of progress after Congress pushed the Army to consolidate its ammunition acquisition process in the early 2000s. The changes, the lawmakers say, would cost Picatinny nearly $1 billion in federal funds and 1,000 jobs. The broadside is the latest complaint from Capitol Hill about Driscoll's ambitious overhaul, which he contends is overdue after decades of the Army buying weapons that won't help in a future conflict in the Pacific. In a statement, Driscoll said 'outdated equipment and organizational structures' must be urgently replaced with 'war-winning capabilities.' ARMED NEUTRALITY: The historically neutral country of Austria is determined to double its military budget over the next seven years, its chancellor has told The New York Times. The comments from CHRISTIAN STOCKER underscore how much the security situation has changed in Europe in recent years. Austria is not a member of NATO and its military is relatively small compared to its neighbors. It is one of the countries where world leaders on opposing sides of an issue tend to meet because of its neutrality. But the fact that its leaders want to spend more on defense shows they worry about the long-term fall-out of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Trump administration wariness of NATO. According to the Times, the additional spending, roughly $5.8 billion, could go in part toward air capabilities, such as fighter jets and helicopters. On the Hill GARBARINO GETS THE GAVEL: Republican ANDREW GARBARINO of New York has won the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee. He defeated others for the post in part by focusing on his background in cybersecurity policy. Garbarino has been the chair of the panel's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection subcommittee. He also highlighted his experience as an impeachment manager against former Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS. Garbarino will take the gavel from the retiring GOP Rep. MARK GREEN of Tennessee. FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — BIPARTISAN ECON SECURITY BILL: Sens. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.) and PETE RICKETTS (R-Neb.) are joining forces to boost U.S. cooperation with the Quad again, this time with an eye to economic security with the U.S.' Quad allies. The Quad Economic Security Act would establish a working group that would hold crisis simulations to work through how best to respond to economic coercion from adversaries like China and potential supply chain disruptions. It'll also ensure that a forum exists to coordinate efforts between the U.S., Japan, Australia and India to secure critical infrastructure and bolster supply chain resiliency. And it'll boost projects in the region to secure port infrastructure and undersea cables, among other priorities for the Trump administration. A Senate staffer, granted anonymity to speak freely about the strategic considerations behind the bill, told POLITICO the legislation is being introduced to provide a bipartisan boost to related efforts that are ongoing at the State Department. That increases the likelihood the bill's provisions could become U.S. policy, if not law. Broadsides UN-CULTURED: The Trump administration is — once again — pulling the U.S. out of UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural arm, which it says works against America First ideals and supports anti-Israel sentiment. 'UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy,' State Department spokesperson TAMMY BRUCE said in a statement announcing the pullout. 'UNESCO's decision to admit the 'State of Palestine' as a member state is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.' The withdrawal takes effect on Dec. 31, 2026, per the group's rules. The U.S. previously withdrew from UNESCO during the first Trump administration, so this latest move wasn't a surprise to the group's leaders. 'However regrettable, this announcement was anticipated, and UNESCO has prepared for it,' UNESCO's director general, AUDREY AZOULAY, said in a statement. Transitions — MORGAN ADAMSKI has joined PwC as a U.S. leader in its cyber, data and technology risk business. She previously was executive director and the highest-ranking civilian at U.S. Cyber Command. — KRISTIN FORD is now VP for global strategy and engagement and professor of practice at Arizona State University. She previously was president and CEO of IREX. — CHARLES HORN has been promoted to communications officer at the Center for a New American Security. He replaces ALEXA WHALEY, who is leaving the organization. — MARGIE PALMIERI, the Pentagon's inaugural principal deputy chief of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, will depart the post in August after more than three years in the role. — K2 tapped MARK SIMAKOVSKY, former deputy assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia at USAID, as a senior adviser. He previously served at Beacon Global Strategies, DOD and State, and is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. — Cornerstone Government Affairs added JESSIE CALIO, former executive director for defense appropriations at RTX, to its national security team. She previously held defense policy roles at Boeing, Textron, and the Pentagon, and was a military legislative aide to Rep. MIKE TURNER (R-Ohio). — ARNE BAKER is now acting inspector general at the State Department. He most recently was acting deputy inspector general at State. — LEONEL ROBLES JR. is now a program examiner at the Office of Management and Budget. Robles most recently was deputy for the National Capital Region Air Defense Facility at the U.S. Coast Guard. — BEN FRIEDMANN is now VP of external affairs at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. He previously was deputy assistant secretary of state for global public affairs in the first Trump administration and is a RGA, NRSC and Google alum. What to Read — Matan Chorev and Joel Predd, Foreign Affairs: America Should Assume the Worst About AI —Mercedes Ruehl, Henry Foy, Laura Dubois and Joe Leahy, Financial Times: Trump left a power vacuum at the UN. China saw an opportunity — Rep. Elise Stefanik and Stephen Prince: Cyber warfare has arrived. Here's the United States' best defense. Tomorrow Today — Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 10 a.m.: Dismantling Transnational Criminal Organizations in the Americas — House Armed Services Committee, 10 a.m.: Reforming Defense Acquisition to Deliver Capability at the Speed of Relevance — House Foreign Affairs Committee, 10 a.m.: FY2026 State Department Posture: Bureau of Political Affairs — House Select Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party Committee, 10 a.m.:'United We Stand: Strategies to Counter PRC Economic Coercion Against Democracies.' — Congressional-Executive Commission on China, 10 a.m.: Stand with Taiwan: Countering the PRC's Political Warfare and Transnational Repression — Foundation for Defense of Democracies, 12 p.m.: Surveying the U.S. Counterterrorism Landscape with Dr. SEBASTIAN GORKA — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, 12 p.m.: Book discussion on 'Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the U.S. in the Middle East' — House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, 2 p.m.: Bureau of Counterterrorism FY2026 Budget Posture — Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, 2 p.m.: Colombia: Challenges for Peace and Human Rights — Senate Foreign Relations Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, 2:30 p.m.: U.S. Diplomatic Strategies for a Dynamic Middle East Thanks to our editors, Rosie Perper and Katherine Long, whose attacks on our anti-corruption efforts will also undermine their bid to join the European Union.
