September 24, 2013 Volume 6, No. 30

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“Through our development agenda, we have a very important opportunity to show the world that we value everyone’s contributions, and that we leave no one behind, including those with disabilities...The principle behind this is really very, very simple: Our societies, all of our societies, are stronger when every single one of our citizens, able bodied and disabled alike, all get to live up to their full potential. And that’s why here in our country, many states have established standards, and they steadfastly enforce them – laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, which we passed in 1990 and we believe is really a gold standard with respect to how we treat people and how we open up the world for opportunities. We encourage the international community to look at, study, and, hopefully, emulate this law” -Secretary Kerry’s Remarks at a High–Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly On Disability and Development– September 23, 2013

President Obama Addresses the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly A Russian air force Su-27 intercepts a simulated hijacked aircraft entering Russian airspace Aug. 27, 2013, at Exercise Vigilant Eagle 13. The , the United Nations, and Our Multilateral World “Vigilant Eagle 13” Successes Each September brings the formal opening of a new UN On August 29, senior military officials from the North General Assembly, an annual diplomatic spectacle American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the featuring Presidents, Prime Ministers, and the associated Russian Federation announced significant successes in the pomp, circumstance, and traffic gridlock. For the United recently concluded exercise called Vigilant Eagle. The States, each new UN General Assembly offers a useful exercise kicked off August 26, with scenarios that required opportunity to highlight not just our priorities in the multilateral world, but also the crucial importance of the United States, Canada and Russia to respond to American leadership in that world. Read More... simulated terrorist hijackings of commercial aircraft.

This story originally appeared in the U.S.– Russia Bilateral Presidential About the Author: H. Dean Pittman serves as Acting Assistant Commission Newsletter. Read more of this Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. story in the full newsletter HERE

Building Common Ground on Information and Communications Technology Issues Despite diverse views among Western Hemisphere countries on policy approaches to information and communications challenges, we have more in common than that which divides us. We agree on the need to build information and communications technology (ICT) capacity throughout the region and enhance participation in multi-stakeholder Internet governance processes. Read More...

Creating Stronger Societies--On and Off the Field Zola (shown left) was born into a segregated South Africa, where poverty and inequality were just a few of the challenges she saw every day. Zola is one of 16 women leaders in sports who are participating in the 2013 U.S. Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program. Each will be paired with female American executives from across the sports industry for a three-week mentorship. Read More... Bringing Foreign Policy Into the Classroom Engaging the American public to advance the U.S. Department of State’s work at home and abroad is a top priority for Secretary Kerry and the Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs is charged with accomplishing that mission. As part of the Bureau’s ongoing domestic outreach efforts, the Office of Public Liaison will be hosting several events during this year’s 68th Session of the United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Read More...

Latest Press Releases... Recent Statements ...

Upcoming Hearings & Nominations

Nomination hearings for: The Honorable Eunice S. Reddick to be Ambassador to Niger, Mr. John Hoover to be Ambassador to , Mr. Michael S. Hoza to be Ambassador to Cameroon, Mr. Mark Bradley Childress to be Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Thomas F. Daughton to be Ambassador to Namibia, Mr. Matthew Harrington to be Ambassador to Lesotho, Mr. Dwight L. Bush, Sr. to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tuesday, September 24, 2013 10 am | Senate Dirksen 419

Mr. Tomasz P. Malinowski to be Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Mr. Keith M. Harper to be the United States Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Ms. Crystal Nix-Hines to be the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Ms. Pamela K. Hamamoto to be Representative of the U.S. to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tuesday, September 24, 2013 03:30 pm | Senate Dirksen 419

The Honorable Philip S. Goldberg to be Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, The Honorable Robert O. Blake, Jr. to be Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, Ms. Karen Clark Stanton to be Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Ms. Amy Jane Hyatt to be Ambassador to the Republic of Palau , before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Wednesday, September 25, 2013 02:30 pm | Senate Dirksen 419

The Honorable Rose Eilene Gottemoeller to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Mr. Frank A. Rose to be Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance, Mr. Adam M. Scheinman to be Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, with the Rank of Ambassador, before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Thursday, September 26, 2013 10 am | Senate Dirksen 419

Mr. Timothy Broas to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Donald Lu to be Ambassador to the Republic of , Mr. Robert A. Sherman to be Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic, before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Thursday, September 26, 2013 02:00 pm | Senate Dirksen 419

Travel Information

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

 Turkey  Lebanon  RECENT TRAVEL ALERTS (FOR FULL LIST CLICK HERE):

 Guinea

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Americans who are planning to travel overseas should access the most up-to-date information at Travel.State.Gov. U.S. travelers are also encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to ensure they receive breaking e-notifications security and safety updates about their destination. Enrollment also ensures we know how to reach them in the event of an emergency.

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Legislative Operations: For consular queries - [email protected] Executive Director: Thomas Gray (202-647-1714) Deputy Executive Director: Linda Barnett (202-647-2642) House Liaison Office, Room B-330 Rayburn House Office Building, (202-226-4640); Director: Scott Feeken (202-226-4644) Deputy Director: Nick Psyhos (202-226-4642) Consular Liaison: Lisa Gisvold (202-226-4641) Senate Liaison Office, Room 189 Russell Senate Office Building, (202-228-1602/1603) Acting Director: Scott Feeken (202-228-1602) Deputy Director: Nick Psyhos (202-228-1603 ) Consular Liaison: Scott Boswell (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) Feedback on newsletter welcome to Nick Psyhos at [email protected].