WASHINGTON _ The departure of Miami lawmakers Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carlos Curbelo leaves Congress with two fewer experts on Latin America foreign policy.
But the remaining Cuban-Americans will still carry clout in foreign affairs.
Three Cuban-Americans will occupy top slots on the House and Senate committees that oversee Western Hemisphere foreign policy when the new Congress convenes in January. Marco Rubio will continue to lead the Western Hemisphere Senate Subcommittee, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez will be the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and New Jersey Rep. Albio Sires, a Democrat, will lead the House subcommittee with Latin America oversight after Democrats won control of the House. Incoming Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell named a chief of staff with State Department experience, signaling that foreign policy will be a priority for the first-year Ecuadorian-American lawmaker.
