Department Press Releases and Headlines

March 5, 2013 | Volume 6, No. 9

State Department On The Hill

Latest Department Press Releases Latest Statements From Dept

“Aiding the people who are fighting for a free Syria is a cause to which President Obama and all of us are

deeply committed. And what unites us today is our shared conviction that the best solution for Syria is a

political solution. The sooner we can get started, the more lives we’ll save, and the better chance we have of

preserving Syria’s institutions and its rich culture and of restoring its unity. That’s our goal here.

...

The stakes are really high. And we can’t risk letting this country, in the heart of the Middle East, be

destroyed by vicious autocrats or hijacked by the extremists. In supporting the Syrian Opposition Coalition

and the Free Syrian Army, we reject both of those choices, and we stand with those Syrians fighting for the

right to choose dignity and democracy and justice. That’s our battle.”

From Secretary of State John Kerry’s Remarks at a meeting of the Group of Friends of the

Syrian People in Rome, Italy, from February 28, 2013.

In Rome, Secretary Kerry Announces Nonlethal Assistance to Syria

Honoring the Heroism of U.S. Embassy Guards in Turkey

“Stop four of Secretary Kerry's Europe trip landed him in

Rome and culminated with an announcement of $60 million

in non-lethal assistance to strengthen the organizational

capacity of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC). With this

announcement, the United States is now providing more than

$115 million in non-lethal support for the civilian opposition.

As liberated areas across Syria struggle to rebuild their

communities without the support of the central government,

this additional assistance will enable the SOC to help enhance

the capacity of local councils and communities so they can

expand the delivery of basic goods and essential services,

fulfill administrative functions, and extend the rule of law.

Significantly, the Secretary also announced that the United

States would extend the provision of food rations and medical

kits to the opposition, including the Supreme Military Council,

in order to feed those in need and to tend to the sick and

wounded.

In Secretary Kerry's words: "We do this because we need to

stand on the side of those in this fight who want to see Syria

rise again in unity and see a democracy and human rights

and justice."

From Spokesperson and Deputy Director of the DOS

Regional Media Hub in Dubai, Jared Caplan’s

DipNote blog post, from March 1, 2013.

“Yesterday was a poignant time for all of us serving in Ankara. Upon arrival in Turkey, Secretary Kerry participated in a memorial service for Mustafa Akarsu, an embassy guard killed in a suicide bombing attack one month earlier. Together with Akarsu's widow Yasemin and children Sami and Hilal, Kerry viewed a monument in Mustafa's memory. The monument includes a fountain to signify the meaning of the family surname -- which means "flowing water" -- and a newly planted tree chosen by Mustafa's children. In his remarks to the assembled embassy community, Kerry praised the dedication of embassy staffers around the world. Of Akarsu's sacrifice, he said: "As you know, the day Mustafa gave his life for this embassy and those of you who were inside it -- that was my first day as Secretary of State. When I raised my hand to take the oath of office, this tragedy was on my mind ad in my heart. And every day for the past four weeks, I have carried the memory of Mustafa's courage and sacrifice with me. It reminds me that we work in a dangerous world, but that our work is indispensible."

From Foreign Service Officer Kim Olson’s DipNote blog post, from March 2, 2013.

Glyn T. Davies, Special Representative for North Korea Policy will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on

“U.S. Policy Toward North Korea.” March 7, 2013, 10:00am, 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

EXECUTIVE OFFICE (202) 647-4204; (202) 647-1050 Acting Assistant Secretary : Thomas B. Gibbons (202-647-1050) Legislative Operations Executive Director: Thomas Gray (202-647-1714) House Liaison Office, Room B-330 Rayburn House Office Building, (202-226-4640) Director: Brian Anselman (202-226-4644) Consular Liaison: Paul Schultz (202-226-4641) Senate Liaison Office, Room 189 Russell Senate Office Building, (202-228-1602/1603) Director: Brian Anselman (202-228-1602) Consular Liaison: Timothy Ponce (202-228-1605) Congressional Travel Office Director: Barbara Fleck (202-453-8506) Chief Travel Specialist: Patricia Diggs (202-203-7703) Congressional Correspondence Unit Fax: (202-647-1618) Chief: Cynthia Andrews (202-647-1882) Senate and House Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Senate Affairs: Josh Blumenfeld (202-647-8733) Deputy Assistant Secretary for House Affairs: Joy Drucker (202-647-1050) Special Adviser/Legislative Counsel: Carol Schwab (202-647-2140) Director for Senate Affairs: Vacant (202-647-4463) Director for House Affairs: Nuku Ofori (202-647-9379) Legislative Director: Erik Pederson (202-647-2233) Chief, Legislative Reference Unit: Kaye Littlejohn (202-647-2137) Nominations/Treaties: Rob Fallon (202-647-4243)

Regional, Global and Functional Affairs

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional, Global and Functional Affairs: Ur Jaddou (202-647-2623)

Regional Staff Director: Jim Wayman (202-647-8134)

Global/Functional Staff Director: Alan Lang (202-647-9037) Appropriations Adviser for House: Jennifer Chartrand (202-647-1902) Adviser for Senate: Paul Rademacher (202-647-1963)

Adviser: Dottie Rayburn (202-647-0384)

Please pass this along to your friends and colleagues on the Hill. Feedback to AnselmanBE@state.gov is welcome and encouraged.

Produced by the State Department Congressional Liaison Offices

House (Rayburn B-330): Phone 226-4640 / Fax 226-4643 Senate (Russell 189): Phone 228-1603/1605 / Fax 224-1400

Consular queries: 226-4641, 228-1605 or hill-liaison@state.gov

Correspondence for the Secretary of State and other State Department

officials may be sent electronically to

congressionalcorrespondence@state.gov

Bureau Of Legislative Affairs Contacts

Department of State Contacts

State Department Telephone Directory/Country Offices

Bureau of Consular Affairs Congressional Website

U.S. Embassy Websites and Key Officers at Posts Abroad

Country Specific Information

Foreign Embassies and Consulates throughout the U.S.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Follow the U.S. Department of State at State.gov and on:

This Week’s Hearings

Recent Travel Warnings and Alerts

RECENTLY-ANNOUNCED TRAVEL WARNINGS (FOR FULL LIST CLICK HERE):

SYRIA

IRAQ

ALGERIA

RECENT TRAVEL ALERTS (FOR FULL LIST CLICK HERE):

KENYA

EGYPT

SOUTH PACIFIC CYCLONE SEASON

NOTE: Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable, while Travel Alerts are issued for short-term conditions that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens.

CANCELLED: Passport Day in the USA, Saturday, March 9, 2013

The U.S. Department of State has cancelled Passport Day in the USA on Saturday,

March 9. As a result, all Department passport agencies and centers will not be open

to the public on March 9.

Some non-Department of State passport application acceptance facilities such as post

offices and clerks of court will be open to provide passport services on March 9.

You may visit www.travel.state.gov/passportday to find the hours of operation of a

passport application acceptance facility in your Congressional district.

While Department passport agencies and centers will not offer special Saturday

services on March 9, they will be open on Mondays through Fridays for normal

business hours. You may visit travel.state.gov for more information on how to apply

at these agencies and centers.

USCIS-State National Conference on

Immigration & Consular Affairs for Congressional Staff

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Legislative Affairs, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) are pleased to invite you to our annual National Conference on Immigration and

Consular Affairs for Congressional Staff from Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, 2013, in Washington, DC.

This five-day seminar will provide a programmatic overview of the immigration system, in-depth procedural information about immigration laws and case processing, and information on how the U.S. Government documents U.S. citizenship and provides

assistance to U.S. citizens abroad.

The topics covered at this conference will include, but are not limited to: “Immigration Casework,” “Documenting U.S. Citizenship: Passports, Naturalization and Other Documents,” “Family-Based Immigration,” “Inter-Country Adoptions,” “Immigration and Visa

Refusals, Denials, and Waivers,” “Emergency Abroad: How Do We Help U.S. Citizens Get out of Harm’s Way?”. Subject matter experts from USCIS, DOS, ICE, CBP, USCG, and EOIR will provide you with a complete view of consular- and immigration-related

topics. We trust you will benefit from this opportunity to discuss these topics and strengthen the relationships between your staff and these agencies as we work together on consular and immigration-related matters.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Katherine Brown or Mike Rodriguez at the USCIS Office of Legislative Affairs by

phone at 202-272-1940 or via email to usciscongressionalinquiries@uscis.dhs.gov by Tuesday, March 5, at noon.

Spring Break Travel Overseas: Get Smart. Get Enrolled. Get Insured.

The Department of State’s highest priority is protecting U.S. citizens abroad. It’s the time of year when many of

your young constituents will be heading somewhere sunny and exotic for spring break. Here are a few tips we ask

you to pass on to help them enjoy a safe and memorable trip:

1. Get Smart: Check out studentsabroad.state.gov. This website serves as a one-stop shop with useful safety

and travel information, and should be the first place students visit when considering a trip There you can find

out what to do before traveling abroad. Get information about specific countries, visa requirements, local

laws, crime and safety issues, precautions to take, and contact numbers for the nearest U.S. embassy or

consulate. .

2. Get Enrolled: Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at https://step.state.gov/step/ so the State

Department can better assist in an emergency.

3. Get Insured: Check whether current health insurance provides coverage outside the United States, including

hospitalization and medical evacuation. If not, invest in your parents’ peace of mind and get added insurance

protection for your trip.

Remember, the Department of State is here to help. Contact us in an emergency at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from

the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas. Get Smart. Get Enrolled. Get Insured.

STATE DEPARTMENT FELLOWS FOR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES

For more than 25 years, the Pearson Fellows Program has placed hundreds of Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) in House and Senate offices and committees. Members of Congress benefit from the foreign policy perspective and overseas experience of a

Fellow, who in turn becomes reacquainted with important domestic issues as they affect international affairs.

Sixteen new FSO Pearson Fellows are available for placement this summer for a one year period. The Pearson Fellows are considered rising stars in the Department for the depth of their professional expertise and the caliber of their performance exhibited during a variety of overseas and domestic posts. All have considerable overseas experience, strong interpersonal

skills, excellent analytical and writing abilities, and a Top Secret security clearance. They seek their own placements based on their background and interests, and their political independence is the key to the most authentic and successful experience

possible.

Fellows typically do the same work as a Legislative Assistant with specific responsibility for foreign policy issues. On a personal staff, the Fellow is typically asked to take on responsibility for a range of issues, including some domestic areas. When on a

Committee staff, the FSO normally has a specific area of expertise and responsibility, depending upon the work of the Committee. Congressional offices are not responsible for salary costs, but by statute, Fellows are considered Congressional

employees for payment of travel and other expenses.

The Pearson Fellows for the 2013-2014 timeframe are actively looking for placements. Congressional offices interested in benefiting from the Pearson Fellows’ firsthand knowledge of foreign affairs and diplomacy, should contact the State

Department’s Congressional Liaison Office at 228-1603 in 189 Russell or at 226-4644 in B330 in the Rayburn House Office Building for additional information.