Menendez said he decided to step down temporarily as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez has been a crucial partner for Biden on these and other foreign policy priorities. "Like him or dislike him, Menendez has played an incredibly influential role when it comes to shaping U.S. foreign policy," said Daniel Vajdich, a Republican former Foreign Relations Committee staffer. Vajdich noted that Menendez's departure adds to uncertainty on Capitol Hill about foreign policy, given sharp divisions among Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, on issues like aid to Ukraine. Under Senate Democratic Conference rules, any member charged with a felony must give up his or her committee leadership position.

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Persons: Bob Menendez, Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden, Menendez, Biden, Daniel Vajdich, Vajdich, Ben Cardin, Karine Jean, Pierre, Suzanne Wrasse, Jim Risch, Risch, Barack Obama's, Patricia Zengerle, Don Durfee, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Senate Foreign Relations, Justice Department, Russian, Senate, Ukraine, Republican, Foreign Relations, Hill, Republicans, White House, Senate Democratic Conference, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Ukraine, China . U.S, New Jersey, China, United States, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Iran