Royce announces bid for Foreign Affairs Committee Chair

WASHINGTON: Influential Republican Congressman Ed Royce, a friend of India, has announced his candidature for chairmanship of the powerful US Congressional committee on foreign affairs.

Royce, who played a crucial role in lifting US sanctions over India in 2001 in the aftermath of nuclear tests and passage of the historic civil nuclear deal in 2008, announced his candidature on Friday.

Republican Congresswoman from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is stepping down as Chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs due to conference term limits. Ros-Lehtinen is supporting the candidacy of Royce.

In a letter to the House Steering Committee, Ros-Lehtinen wrote that Royce is, "a proven leader who has provided valuable input during critical debates of our Committee."

She concluded, "Ed would make an excellent Chairman and I strongly support his candidacy to lead the Committee in the next Congress."

Royce, who currently serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement said that he looks forward to presenting his case to his colleagues later this month.

Royce is one of the most vocal critic of Pakistan, in particular its support to terrorist outfit.

Instrumental in strengthening India-US relationship, Royce has helped build the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans to become one of the largest in the House from eight members to 137 members in the 112th Congress.

He was also co-chair of the Indian Caucus in the 107 th Congress. Royce has travelled several more times to India. Following the January 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, he led a Congressional Delegation to the ravaged area to help.

In 2001, Royce led the effort to lift sanctions against India, co-authoring legislation to lift all sanctions and economic restrictions imposed on India under the Clinton Administration.

With this groundwork laid, the Administration moved to remove the sanctions on India in 2001.

One of Congress's experts on India, Royce managed legislation on the House floor in July 2006 to pass the historic US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, beating back several "poison pill" amendments.

In November 2008, Royce actively supported a resolution in condemning the horrific terrorist attacks that rocked Mumbai.