WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democrat and a Republican who once spent a harrowing night together flying over the African bush are at the forefront of Congress' changing guard on foreign policy.
Sixteen years after that frightening flight over the Angolan jungle, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and Republican Rep. Ed. Joyce will collaborate again as the new chairmen, respectively, of the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees.
They will lead a new group of foreign policy figures certain to challenge President Barack Obama on a growing list of issues, including al-Qaida-linked groups in Africa and Iran's nuclear threat.
Menendez is taking over from Sen. John Kerry, nominated to be secretary of state. Royce has replaced Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (ih-lay-AH'-nah rahs LAY'-tih-nehn), who stepped down because of House GOP committee term limit rules.
