WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered opening remarks at a committee hearing on the nominations of Wesley Brooks to be Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Jeremy Carl to be Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, William Long to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Iceland and Robert Sweeney to be U.S. Director of the Asian Development with the Rank of Ambassador.
You can watch her opening remarks here.
“In January, this Administration pulled out of more than 66 organizations that included programs that supported child protections, education access and women’s health,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “This weakened our ability to lead coalitions and protect the rights and safety of women and girls. That’s why who represents the United States on the global stage matters.”
In her remarks, Ranking Member Shaheen highlighted the critical role women play in societies around the world.
“As a woman who has served as both governor and senator from the state of New Hampshire, I have seen firsthand how expanding opportunity for women strengthens our economy, our communities and our national security,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “And that is not just my opinion. There is data—global data—that shows that women contribute more to their societies, to their families, to their communities and to their countries. So, I find your views about women particularly concerning.”
Ranking Member Shaheen also raised the alarm on Mr. Long’s tax referral activity and his previous comments regarding Iceland, a NATO ally and a key partner in the strategically critical region of the Arctic.
“I have concerns about your past involvement in questionable tax referral operations and what that says about your judgment,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Despite the jokes you have reportedly made related to Iceland, this is a role that requires seriousness and sound judgment. We don’t have the luxury of treating this lightly and certainly not in the environment that we’re in right now.”
The Ranking Member’s remarks, as delivered, are below.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to all of our nominees this morning, to your families and to all of your supporters who are here with you.
Around the world today, we are seeing a rollback in the rights and protections of women and girls. We are seeing bans on girls’ education, conflict zones where women and girls face sexual violence, laws and policies that restrict women’s legal status, property rights access to health care and economic participation.
And America’s response to these developments matters. Allies look to us to set the course, and if we weaken our position, others will hedge or stay silent.
Peacekeeping, humanitarian aid and the implementation of the law that was passed during the first Trump Administration called Women, Peace and Security all depend on U.S. engagement. And when we do this well, women and girls and societies are better off. When we don’t, they face a greater threat.
In January, this Administration pulled out of more than 66 organizations that included programs that supported child protections, education access and women’s health. This weakened our ability to lead coalitions and protect the rights and safety of women and girls. That’s why who represents the United States on the global stage matters.
Mr. Carl, you have been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for International Organizations. And yet, you have expressed views that are deeply concerning for me, and for many members of this Committee and for many Americans. These include comments promoting racial supremacy, minimizing the experiences of Jewish people and warning about a “cultural genocide” against White Americans.
You have said these descriptions are smears or politically motivated attacks, and we’ll have the chance to hear from you in your opening statement. But I can tell you, as a woman who has served as both governor and senator from the state of New Hampshire, I have seen firsthand how expanding opportunity for women strengthens our economy, our communities and our national security. And that is not just my opinion. There is data—global data—that shows that women contribute more to their societies, to their families, to their communities and to their countries. So, I find your views about women particularly concerning.
Mr. Long, you have been nominated to serve as our ambassador to Iceland, a NATO ally, and that has been critical, as the Chairman stated, to U.S. security interests, especially in the Arctic. I have concerns about your past involvement in questionable tax referral operations and what that says about your judgment. Despite the jokes you have reportedly made related to Iceland, this is a role that requires seriousness and sound judgment. We do not have the luxury of treating this lightly and certainly not in the environment that we are in right now.
Mr. Brooks, you have been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environmental, and Scientific Affairs. We have not had a Senate-confirmed leader in this role for far too long, and I hope that if confirmed, you will continue to advance U.S. leadership in science, technology and the global rules that shape them.
And finally, Mr. Sweeney, you have been nominated to be the Director of the Asian Development Bank. This role is critical in advancing U.S. economic priorities in Asia and providing a credible alternative to Chinese state-directed development finance. If confirmed, you will need to work closely with our allies and partners to counter the influence of the PRC at the Bank.
I look forward to hearing from each of you. Thank you.
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