United States of America
Specialized body - Human rights
Sub-committee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues under the Foreign Relations Committee
(January 1981)About
Nature
Permanent
Members
| All Members | Below 45 years of age | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 11 | 0 |
| Men | 10 | 0 |
| Women | 1 | 0 |
Political affiliation of members
Majority parties
Opposition parties
Chairperson(s)
Chair 1
Marco
Rubio
Chairperson: Sex
Male
Date of birth
28 May 1971
Political affiliation
Opposition
Chair 2
Tim
Kaine
Chairperson: Sex
Male
Date of birth
26 Jan 1958
Political affiliation
Majority
Chairperson
Chairperson: Sex
Male
Age: Chairperson is below 45 years of age
No
Committee functions
Scrutinise the Executive’s policy for compatibility with human rights
Yes
Scrutinise State compliance with existing UN human rights treaties
Yes
Initiate inquiries of its own choosing
Yes
Scrutinise proposed human rights treaties, and other international treaties with implications for human rights, and report to Parliament thereon, prior to ratification
Yes
Ascertain and review the Executive’s reasons for not acceding to or ratifying existing international human rights treaties
Yes
Scrutinise the Executive’s response to judgments of national, regional and international courts with implications for human rights
Yes
Review the allocation and expenditure of funds in the State budget to support measures to promote and protect human rights
Yes
Committee powers
The Committee has the power to:
Propose amendments to legislation
Yes
Introduce bills into Parliament
Yes
Carry out inquiries
Yes
Hold oral evidence hearings
Yes
Compel witnesses to attend
Yes
Compel the production of documents and papers
Yes
Conduct visits, including visits abroad
Yes
Committee working methods
The Committee:
Adopts an annual or longer-term work plan
Yes
Reports regularly to Parliament on its activities
Yes
Cooperation and coordination
The Committee regularly cooperates and coordinates (e.g. through sharing of reports; meetings; joint follow-up action) with:
Other parliamentary committees
Often
Civil society organisations
Often
Academic institutions, including research institutes on human rights and the rule of law
Often
The media
Often
Contact information for the Committee
Phone
+1 (202) 224-4651