Players to watch: International

Welcome to The Hill’s Players to Watch special report for fall 2014.

The lawmakers, administration officials and power brokers listed here will play enormous roles in the policies and politics that take place over the next several months.

There are many big questions facing the White House and the divided Congress: Will lawmakers agree on a government funding bill that averts another shutdown? Will the controversial Export-Import Bank be reauthorized? Which party will control the Senate in 2015? How will the White House exert its administrative power? Will the administration scrap the ObamaCare employer mandate? What steps will be taken to counter the rise of the Islamic
State in Iraq and Syria, and what will Congress’s role be?

Our reporters and editors have selected the most important people among the thousands who are working on this autumn’s hot issues. The decisions made by these newsmakers will affect the U.S. in many ways, both domestically and abroad.

The list of players includes leadership lawmakers, committee chairmen, Cabinet officials, regulators, foreign leaders and campaign operatives.

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, caliph of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria

The head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has a target on his back, as President Obama steps up military actions against the Sunni militant group.

Al-Baghdadi’s group, ISIS, has taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria. Lawmakers have called ISIS a bigger threat than al Qaeda, raising fears they could target the United States.

The U.S. has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to al-Baghdadi’s capture. But the reclusive leader only surfaced publicly for the first time in years this July, delivering a sermon at a mosque in Mosul, Iraq.

The administration has sidestepped questions about whether the U.S. will directly target al-Baghdadi with military strikes, saying only that its current focus is on protecting U.S. facilities in Iraq. But if ISIS expands its foothold in the Middle East, Obama might intensify the hunt for the militant leader.

— Rebecca Shabad

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.)

Gowdy is being put to the test as he mounts a sweeping investigation into the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans.

Facing criticism from Democrats, Gowdy has tried to project the image of serious, nonpartisan investigator as he prepares for the first hearings of a House select committee that was established to investigate the attack.

The committee’s work has fallen from the headlines, but staffers have been quietly working during the August recess to lay the groundwork for hearings. 

“If you want to get on the news, then go rob a bank,” Gowdy told ABC News this month, vowing to conduct the probe away from the media spotlight.

Gowdy has said the panel’s work would not be completed before the midterm elections and insists, “there is no timeline” for when the investigation will end. It’s possible the panel will call in some high-profile witnesses, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, before the elections.

— Peter Sullivan

John Kerry, Secretary of State

The secretary of State has traveled more than 540,000 miles and spent more than 48 days in the air since taking office, and his breakneck travel pace is likely to continue.

The Obama administration is dealing with conflicts around the globe, from Israel to Iraq to Ukraine, even as Kerry works behind the scenes to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran ahead of the looming November deadline.

In Afghanistan, meanwhile, Kerry is working toward a power-sharing government that could take control of the country as American forces withdraw. 

In Iraq, Kerry faces a tough task pushing leaders toward a unity government, as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria looks to expand its foothold. Kerry has taken a tough stance, saying the terror group “will be crushed,” but building a stable government in Baghdad will be a crucial barometer of success.

— Peter Sullivan

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hasn’t shied away from challenging President Obama’s policies abroad, and the White House will need to rely on his support on a number of issues.

All eyes will be on Menendez as the administration scrambles to secure a nuclear deal with Iran by a November deadline.

The New Jersey senator has been impatient with the talks, questioning Tehran’s commitment and threatening tougher sanctions. If a deal is reached, Menendez would be crucial to rallying Democratic support.

He has also been a tough critic of the Kremlin’s moves in Ukraine, warning against “Russian aggression.” He was quick to press Obama on sanctions and urge European leaders to support Kiev.

Obama will also need Menendez to help push through a number of pending ambassadorships. Dozens of nominees have already been approved by Menendez’s panel and await action by the full Senate.

 — Jesse Byrnes

Vladimir Putin, president of Russia