McCormick Named Chair of Key Foreign Policy Subcommittee

Sen. Dave McCormick has hit the ground running.
The Pennsylvania Republican has been named chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism. That puts him at the center of Congress’s debates over foreign policy regarding Israel and the Middle East.
McCormick is a strong supporter of Israel and a fervent voice against antisemitism. McCormick and his wife, Dina, made a point of visiting Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack to show their support for the Jewish state.
He also spoke out against the antisemitism on college campuses, including at the University of Pennsylvania, and he visited the campus to see for himself the pro-Palestinian encampment there.
“I am honored to chair a subcommittee on such critical issues,” McCormick said. “I see this as a great opportunity to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance, expand the Abraham Accords, grow U.S.-India cooperation, and delve deeply into regional energy, economic, and security issues.
“I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to deter the Islamic Republic of Iran, stamp down the terror threat, and realize his vision for a more peaceful Middle East,” McCormick added. “I am hopeful my background and perspective will allow me to lead this subcommittee in a manner that is good for Pennsylvania and the country.”
McCormick was sworn in on Jan. 3, but he’s already playing an active role in the Senate. The former Bridgewater CEO cosponsored a bill from Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-Idaho) to once again name the Iran-backed Houthis a foreign terrorist organization.
Former President Joe Biden lifted the terrorist designation from the Houthis as part of his administration’s outreach to the Islamist regime ruling Iran. Tehran responded by funding the Houthis barrage of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, including attacks on U.S. Navy vessels.
McCormick made the Houthi issue part of his successful campaign for U.S. Senate against Democrat former Sen. Bob Casey, who supported Biden’s policy toward the Houthis before reversing course in the middle of the campaign.
McCormick’s efforts are now moot, however. President Donald Trump issued an executive order Wednesday evening “Re-Designating Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
Rabbi Matthew Abelson, a member of the Greater Philadelphia Board of Rabbis, was pleased. He said he heard McCormick speak during the campaign and knew about his trip to Israel and his advocacy against antisemitism.
“I’m delighted he is going to be in this role,” he said, about the subcommittee chairmanship.
McCormick is also a “centrist” and “a highly capable senator,” Abelson said. With the release of some of the hostages and the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, “we need many capable people in Congress,” Abelson said.
McCormick graduated from West Point and spent five years in the Army, deploying with the 82nd Airborne in the first Gulf War. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton and served as undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs under President George W. Bush.
“I’m looking forward to working with President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and my colleagues in the House and Senate to help advance U.S. interests and bring about change in this critical part of the world,” said McCormick.