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Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Coordinates: 38°53′4.2″N 77°0′51.84″W / 38.884500°N 77.0144000°W / 38.884500; -77.0144000
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(Redirected from U.S. Helsinki Commission)
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Agency overview
FormedJune 3, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-06-03)[1]
HeadquartersFord House Office Building
38°53′4.2″N 77°0′51.84″W / 38.884500°N 77.0144000°W / 38.884500; -77.0144000
Parent agencyUnited States Congress
Websitewww.csce.gov/issue/helsinki-commission
The US Helsinki Commission at a hearing about Baltic Sea security in July 2019.
Congressman Robert Aderholt during a Commission meeting in October 2019.

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. government agency created by Congress in 1975 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) commitments. It was initiated by House representative Millicent Fenwick[2] and established in 1975 pursuant to Public Law No. 94-304 and is based at the Ford House Office Building.

Function and duties of Commission

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The commission is authorized and directed to monitor the acts of the signatories which reflect compliance with or violation of the articles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, with particular regard to the provisions relating to human rights and Cooperation in Humanitarian Fields. The commission is further authorized and directed to monitor and encourage the development of programs and activities of the United States Government and private organizations with a view toward taking advantage of the provisions of the Final Act to expand east–west economic cooperation and a greater interchange of people and ideas between East and West.[1]

Abstract

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The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. House of Representatives, nine members from the United States Senate, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce. The positions of chairman and co-chairman are shared by the House and Senate and rotate every two years, when a new Congress convenes. A professional staff assists the Commissioners in their work.

The Commission contributes to the formulation of U.S. policy toward the OSCE and the participating states and takes part in its execution, including through Member and staff participation on official U.S. delegations to OSCE meetings and in certain OSCE bodies. Members of the Commission have regular contact with parliamentarians, government officials, NGOs, and private individuals from other OSCE participating states.

The Commission convenes public hearings and briefings with expert witnesses on OSCE-related issues; issues public reports concerning implementation of OSCE commitments in participating States; publishes a periodic Digest with up-to-date information on OSCE developments and Commission activities; and organizes official delegations to participating States and OSCE meetings to address and assess democratic, economic, and human rights developments firsthand.

History

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In February 2018, the CSCE convened in Washington, DC to address the issue of Russian doping in international sport. Central to the discussion was an exploration of the need to protect whistleblowers. The meeting included testimony from Jim Walden,[3] attorney for Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Russia's anti-doping laboratory who defected to the US.[4]

Russia: Human Rights and Political Prospects 2005 briefing document

On 1 July 2022 Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker (MS) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Bogdan Aurescu co-chaired a conference on Euro-Atlantic security called "BLACK SEA SECURITY SUMMIT".[5]

On 17 October 2022, while the Russian invasion of Ukraine was in full swing, the Commission called for the State Department to submit a motion to the United Nations to end the status of Russia as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. This initiative was seen as a further step in the campaign of Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya to unseat Russia.[6]

On 14 December 2022, in a bi-partisan effort, the co-chair of the commission Steve Cohen and the ranking member of the commission Joe Wilson submitted resolution 1517 to the House of Representatives wherein they recapitulated that Russia had committed "flagrant violations" of the U.N. Charter that call into question its right to hold a Security Council seat,[7][8] and would urge President Biden, inter alia, "to direct the Department of State and other relevant Federal departments and agencies to pursue all appropriate steps with Allies, partners, and other countries to limit, suspend, or terminate the participation or membership of the Russian Federation in other organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations".[9]

Commissioners

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Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive branch
Historical membership
Commissioners, 117th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive branch
Commissioners, 116th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive branch
Commissioners, 115th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 114th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 113th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 112th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 111th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 110th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 109th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 108th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 107th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 106th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 105th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 104th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 103rd Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 102nd Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 101st Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 100th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 99th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 98th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 97th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 96th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 95th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch
Commissioners, 94th Congress
Majority Minority
Senate members
House members
Executive Branch

Historical leadership

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Term start Term end Chair Co-Chair Ranking Member Vice Ranking Member
1976 1979 Rep. Dante Fascell (D-FL) Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI) Sen. Clifford Case (R-NJ) Rep. John Buchanan (R-AL)
1979 1981 Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS)
1981 1983 Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) Rep. Millicent Fenwick (R-NJ)
1983 1985 Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Rep. Don Ritter (R-PA)
1985 1987 Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Rep. Jack Kemp (R-NY) Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ)
1987 1989 Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Rep. Jack Kemp (R-NY)
1989 1991 Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Rep. John Porter (R-IL) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY)
1991 1993 Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Rep. John Porter (R-IL)
1993 1995 Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY)
1995 1997 Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
1997 1999 Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
1999 2001 Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Ben Campbell (R-CO) Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
2001 2003 Sen. Ben Campbell (R-CO) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
2003 2005 Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Ben Campbell (R-CO) Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
2005 2007 Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
2007 2009 Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
2009 2011 Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
2011 2013 Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
2013 2015 Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
2015 2017 Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
2017 2019 Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
2019 2021 Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
2021 2023 Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
2023 present Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)

United States Code reference

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Title 22, Chapter 45

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

[1]. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; establishment
[2]. Function and duties of Commission
[3]. Commission membership
[4]. Testimony of witnesses, production of evidence; issuance of subpoena; administration of oaths
[5]. Report relating to Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
[6]. Commission report to Congress; periodic reports; expenditure of appropriations
[7]. Appropriations for Commission
[8]. Commission staff
[9]. Printing and binding costs

References

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  1. ^ a b "Function and duties of Commission". US Code. Title 22 (Chapter 45): Section 3002. Archived from the original on 2011-02-03.
  2. ^ Crump, Thomas (2014). Brezhnev and the Decline of the Soviet Union. Routledge. p. 154. ISBN 9780415690737.
  3. ^ "Attorney Speaks Russia's Doping Program, Feb 22 2018 | Video". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  4. ^ "Independent US Government agency to hold hearing on Russian doping scandal". insidethegames.biz. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  5. ^ "BLACK SEA SECURITY SUMMIT". CSCE. 1 July 2022.
  6. ^ Morgan, Ryan (17 October 2022). "US commission: Kick Russia off UN Security Council". American Military News.
  7. ^ "Congressmen Wilson, Cohen introduce resolution to remove Russia from UN Security Council". Gray Media Group, Inc. WIS News 10. 16 December 2022.
  8. ^ "US lawmakers introduce resolution to oust Russia from UN Security Council". Anadolu Agency. 15 December 2022.
  9. ^ Cohen, Steve (13 December 2022). "H.Res.1517 - Finding that the Russian Federation's presence in the United Nations Security Council violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations". congress.gov.
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