Corker Says Cuba Will Top His Agenda As Foreign Relations Chairman

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker takes over as Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman this week.

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker officially becomes chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week. He says one of his first acts will be to hold hearings on the Obama administration’s decision to soften the country’s stance toward Cuba.

The Tennessee Republican said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning that the Cuban government hasn’t yet lived up to its end of the bargain — which includes releasing 53 political prisoners. But he added, he’s keeping an open mind.

“Well, obviously the policy we’ve had in place in Cuba since 1962 has not yielded a result that we hoped it would yield. I mean, I think that’s pretty apparent.”

Corker said the hearings will take place sometime in the next four to six weeks.