In the wake of the tragic shootings in Tucson, Arizona this weekend, all legislative business planned for Capitol Hill this week has been postponed. The tragedy took the life of six people and left several others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), gravely injured. Congresswoman Giffords, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a strong supporter of the International Affairs Budget.  USGLC joins those around the country and around the world responding to her husband Mark’s request to keep Congresswoman Giffords in our thoughts and prayers, and hoping for a full and speedy recovery. On Wednesday, the House will consider a resolution honoring the victims before recessing for the week.

Must Reads

Who’s In the News

Op-ed: In Sudan, an Election and a Beginning (President Barack Obama, New York Times)
Not every generation is given the chance to turn the page on the past and write a new chapter in history. Yet today — after 50 years of civil wars that have killed two million people and turned millions more into refugees — this is the opportunity before the people of southern Sudan

Politics/Foreign Policy

With hope for the future, southern Sudanese begin voting on independence referendum (Sudarsan Raghavan, Washington Post) Across this Texas-sized region, southern Sudanese poured into polling stations, patiently casting votes for what many expect will be the creation of the world’s newest country. The process was so orderly and organized that American, European and African observers immediately put out statements applauding it, even though it is a week-long exercise in democracy. The Obama administration had pushed hard for a timely referendum.

Clinton starts weeklong focus on the Arab world (Josh Rogin, the Cable blog)
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leaves Washington today for a trip to the Gulf, where she will meet with senior Arab leaders and civic groups. Middle East peace, Iraq, and Iran will be at the top of her agenda.

U.S. and China Defense Chiefs Agree to Keep Talking (Elizabeth Bumiller, New York Times)
The American and Chinese militaries took micro-steps on Monday toward smoothing over years of conflict and suspicion, but Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stood stone-faced as China’s defense minister warned the United States yet again not to go against Beijing’s wishes and sell arms to Taiwan.

Opinion: Can Pakistan rid itself of religious fanaticism? (Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post)
This week, Joe Biden will make his most important foreign trip since he became vice president. He will visit Pakistan, a country that is in crisis at every level – military, political, economic and societal.