Consequently, the commission sent around a letter to Hill aides on March 30 disclosing that it had to cancel its first meeting. The embarrassing move came just one day before a U.S. spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter plane, resulting in the detention of 24 American servicemen.
China is a preeminent foreign policy issue.
According to the law, the appointments had to be made within 30 days of the start of the new Congress. The other Hill leaders were also a little late, but managed to complete the appointments by March 1. Hastert, meanwhile, finally named his three appointees last Thursday. Among them is James Lilly , the former U.S. ambassador to China. Hastert spokesman John Feehery explained that the Speaker had been consulting with members of the Ways and Means and Armed Services panels.