Egypt has always been of central importance to the Middle East and the region's stability. It has also been a strategic interest for the United States, our policy objectives in the region, and our national security. The Suez Canal remains an all-important waterway that serves as a strategic asset for global trade and, just as importantly, the avenue which U.S. warships can easily traverse between the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. Over the past 4 years, we have certainly seen Egypt undergo drastic changes. Since the 2011 revolution, the change we had hoped to see for Egypt has been slow to come. Human rights is a top priority that must be taken into account as we formulate our foreign policy objective. We want to see people living in free democratic and open societies where everyone can practice, without fear, their religion and where everyone is treated equally and fairly.