Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch is the new chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee following a vote that took place Tuesday afternoon.
Risch becomes the third Idahoan to lead the foreign relations panel after William Borah, who was chair from 1925 to 1933, and Frank Church, who was chair from 1979 to 1980.
At last week's inauguration for Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Risch talked with KTVB about what his main focus will be in his new post.
“Right now we are much more focused on what is becoming the challenges of great world powers again competing with each other,” Risch said. “Obviously Russia and China have risen over the past 10 years, both economically and militarily and a lot of other things. These are going to be challenges for us.
Risch said he fully agrees with the president's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria.
Risch succeeds Sen. Bob Corker as the foreign relations chair.
Corker did not seek re-election to the Senate last year.