Hello everybody. Thank you for the commission and for hosting this very timely briefing on the political and security crises in the democratic republic of congo. Congress as long changed u. S. Policy towards the drc and the wider Great Lakes Region of Central Africa using toward such , sexualoreign aid violence, child soldiers, humanitarian relief and international adoptions. And direct engagement with leaders. Over the years, many members of congress have pay particular attention to Human Rights Violations in eastern congo which is been at percent are of conflict. Successive u. S. President since the 1990s have appointed former members of congress to Service Special envoys in the region, most recently senator Russ Feingold and representative tom perry yellow who each held the mess post during the Obama Administration. Congressional concerns about the democratic trajectory group. It became clear that elections would not be held as scheduled. Deferring would would be their first ever el