The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on the Political and Economic Crisis in Venezuela
Record date · January 1, 2015
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What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript of a 2015 U.S. Senate hearing regarding the deteriorating political and economic situation in Venezuela. Senators and expert witnesses discussed the implications of the crisis for U.S. interests and the broader Western Hemisphere.
The hearing serves as a formal record of Congressional oversight regarding U.S. foreign policy and potential sanctions or diplomatic responses to the instability in Venezuela.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Venezuelan citizens
The population is experiencing shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods.
U.S. Department of State
The agency is responsible for managing diplomatic relations and policy responses to the crisis.
U.S. Department of the Treasury
The Office of Foreign Assets Control manages economic sanctions and financial oversight related to foreign entities.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on March 17, 2015, by the Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues.
- The hearing focused on the political and economic crisis in Venezuela, specifically shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods.
- Senator Marco Rubio noted that the Venezuelan government had implemented fingerprint scanners in supermarkets to enforce food rationing.
- Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson was invited but did not attend due to travel in Havana.
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- The hearing included testimony from officials at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
- Expert witnesses included representatives from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, IBI Consultants, and Columbia University.
- A written statement from a Venezuelan citizen, Maria Eugenia Tovar, was submitted for the record.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Venezuelan Economic Instability
The hearing highlights a shift toward addressing the humanitarian and economic aspects of the Venezuelan crisis, such as food rationing, rather than solely political concerns.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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