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 Jason Evans to be Under Secretary of State for Management, Thomas Rose to be Ambassador to Poland, Bill White to be Ambassador to Belgium and Peter Lamelas to be Ambassador to Argentina. In her remarks, Ranking Member Shaheen underscored the importance of strengthening U.S. consular services, reversing short-sighted staffing cuts at the State Department and advancing U.S. interests at diplomatic posts critical to NATO’s future and to countering China’s growing influence in Latin America.
You can watch her opening remarks here.
“Mr. Evans, if confirmed, you will be responsible to oversee this critical component of the State Department,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “I think there is no room for error here. I can assure you all that the most calls that we get in our office have to do with the Bureau of Consular Affairs and what our constituents are looking for when they travel. And it doesn’t matter whether they are Republicans or Democrats—Americans don’t like long delays when they need a passport."
Ranking Member Shaheen also criticized the State Department’s decision to eliminate consular staff despite previous assurances.
“Unfortunately, those promises were broken, and consular staff have been eliminated,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “What’s—I believe—self-defeating about those actions is that these employees not only deliver services to Americans, they pay for themselves. Consular affairs is a fee-based operation. That means it generates revenue. Cutting staff who earn money for the American taxpayer, I think is not only short-sighted but it’s wasteful.”
Ranking Member Shaheen concluded her remarks by highlighting the strategic importance of the ambassadorial nominations.
“Finally, to our nominees for ambassadors to Poland, Belgium and Argentina, as the Chairman said, these are very important allies for the United States. Whether it’s strengthening NATO, building deterrence against Russia on Europe’s eastern flank, countering China’s influence in Latin America —all three of these posts carry significant responsibility,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “I look forward to hearing how, if confirmed, you would work to advance American interests and deepen ties with these key allies.”
Ranking Member Shaheen pressed Mr. White on reports that the State Department is preparing to destroy almost $10 million worth of commodities in Belgium.
“Mr. White, you may be aware that Belgium is currently home to a warehouse that holds commodities to support global health and humanitarian programming,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Despite the goal of the administration to prevent waste, fraud and abuse, we are hearing that the Administration has made the decision to destroy those commodities instead of passing them along to willing partners, something that I think is unprecedented. If confirmed, how would you engage at the Department and with the Belgian government to prevent the destruction of almost $10 million in commodities in Belgium?”
She questioned Mr. Lamelas on reassuring our Argentinian allies amongst President Trump’s reckless trade war.
“Mr. Lamelas, President Milei’s government was hit with the same tariff that got many of our allies off guard and China remains the top market for Argentine soybeans, beef and lithium exports,” she continued. “So, how do we outcompete China in Argentina and how do we reassure our Argentine allies that the United States is going to work with them on the concerns they have with respect to trade?”
Ranking Member Shaheen also pressed Mr. Evans about the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program and why the Trump Administration has halted the process despite claiming that the program is not ending.
“Many Afghans risked their lives, and their families lives to support our men and women in the military who were serving in Afghanistan,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “The Trump Administration has said that it isn't stopping the processing of Afghan SIV’s, but the process seems to have ground to a halt. Do you know what is happening with that process? … If you would brief this committee on what is happening with that processing, we would appreciate it. I know that has been a bipartisan commitment of the committee to support the Afghan SIV’s and to ensure those who helped us are secure and have an opportunity to be safe and not be sent back to the Taliban.”
The Ranking Member’s remarks, as delivered, are below.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning and welcome to each of our nominees—to your families, friends and supporters who are here with you today. I am going to address some concerns I have about the Bureau of Consular Affairs, even though the nominee to head that office is not on the agenda today. But Mr. Evans, because it is part of what you will be doing, I think it’s important. And for each of you—if you are approved for the post that you’ve been nominated for, I think it’s worth reporting since this will be a big issue for each of you.
For many Americans, one of the most familiar functions of the State Department is the Bureau of Consular Affairs. It issues passports to Americans traveling abroad as proof of citizenship. It processes visas for foreign nationals, ensuring the integrity of U.S. border security. It combats fraud, working with partners like Diplomatic Security and the Department of Homeland Security. It plays a role in adoptions and in cases of parental child abduction. And it protects U.S. citizens overseas, assisting in emergencies such as arrests or hospitalizations or disasters. It is the public face of the State Department for people around the world.
So, Mr. Evans, if confirmed, you will be responsible to oversee this critical component of the State Department. I think there is no room for error here. I can assure you all that the most calls that we get in our office have to do with the Bureau of Consular Affairs and what our constituents are looking for when they travel. And it doesn’t matter whether they are Republicans or Democrats—Americans don’t like long delays when they need a passport. We saw this when travel resumed after COVID. There was an outcry from constituents to improve passport turnaround times. To the State Department’s credit, there have been improvements over the last few years, and I’d like to hear how you plan to build on those efforts. One of the keys to avoiding backlogs is the smooth operation of the National Passport Center and the National Visa Center. These are centers that I know something about because they are located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I have worked with them since I have been in the Senate and before that as Governor.
And I know that one of the challenges they face is staffing. These centers not only need civil service and foreign service officers, they also rely on highly specialized contractors with security clearances who are not easy to replace once they are RIF’ed. So, I hope to hear how you plan to sustain these operations in light of the recent staff reductions. State Department leadership understands the importance of consular affairs. That’s why they made promises not to fire consular staff.
Unfortunately, those promises were broken, and consular staff have been eliminated. And what’s—I believe—self-defeating about those actions is that these employees not only deliver services to Americans, they pay for themselves. Consular affairs is a fee-based operation. That means it generates revenue. Cutting staff who earn money for the American taxpayer, I think is not only short-sighted but it’s wasteful.
Mr. Evans, the Under Secretary for Management is not only charged with the operations of the State Department, it’s also responsible for the people working on issues like diplomatic security, training officers for deployment and integrating AI into American diplomacy. The success of these efforts is vital to maintaining a modern, responsive State Department that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. So, if confirmed, I’d like to hear how you intend to ensure these missions are executed with the nonpartisan, professional care that they require.
And finally, to our nominees for ambassadors to Poland, Belgium and Argentina, as the Chairman said, these are very important allies for the United States. Whether it’s strengthening NATO, building deterrence against Russia on Europe’s eastern flank, countering China’s influence in Latin America —all three of these posts carry significant responsibility.
I look forward to hearing how, if confirmed, you would work to advance American interests and deepen ties with these key allies. Thank you all.
###