Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee is a specialized panel within the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that focuses on U.S. diplomatic and foreign policy matters in the Americas. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before matters proceed to the full committee, which retains final authority to report bills to the House floor. The subcommittee's jurisdiction aligns with the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and covers all countries in the region including Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba, and Caribbean nations, as well as the Organization of American States. Beyond regional oversight, the subcommittee also has functional jurisdiction over civilian security, democracy, and human rights programs.

Chaired by Representative Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, with Ranking Member Joaquin Castro of Texas, the subcommittee has 14 members. Recent hearings have addressed diverse issues including international narcotics law enforcement efforts, democratic governance in Honduras, Mexico's regional relationships, and the promotion of religious freedom worldwide. These hearings reflect the subcommittee's broad mandate to examine how U.S. foreign policy advances American interests while supporting democratic values and addressing transnational challenges in the Western Hemisphere.