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 Frank “Cart” Weiland to be Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Jennifer Wicks McNamara to be Ambassador to Vietnam, Eric Meyer to be Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Gregory LoGerfo to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism.
You can watch her opening remarks here.
In her remarks, Ranking Member Shaheen also expressed concerns on budget and staffing cuts made to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
“INL works to help foreign police dismantle fentanyl labs, strengthen foreign courts to keep violent criminals from fleeing to the U.S. and disrupt money-laundering pipelines that fund gangs that threaten American neighborhoods,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “The Administration has fired 40 employees at the bureau, cut more than 200 programs and wants to slash the bureau’s budget by 83%. So, Mr. Weiland, if confirmed—how would you continue to protect Americans with such drastic cuts to this department?”
Ranking Member Shaheen also expressed concerns about the lack of nonpartisan, career personnel among the Trump Administration’s nominees for State Department leadership.
“The confirmation of non-partisan public servants at our diplomatic missions is critical to advancing American interests around the world,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “I am particularly pleased that we have three career diplomats before us today. However, of the 91 nominees we have processed this year only ten career nominees have been confirmed, and yet we have 85 posts without Senate-confirmed ambassadors. We are seeing natural disasters, terrorist’s attacks, political instability grow around the world. It is not in any American’s interest to leave our embassies overseas without appropriate leadership. We need to do better.”
Ranking Member Shaheen requested Ms. McNamara elaborate on her plan to deter Chinese interference in Vietnam’s semiconductor supply chains.
“If confirmed, how would you work to expand semiconductor supply chains to reduce American dependence on China and how you would counter Beijing’s maritime coercion that threatens global shipping,” said Ranking Member Shaheen.
Ranking Member Shaheen also raised the alarm on program cuts made despite the Food for Peace Act.
“I am very concerned about the inability to deliver timely food and nutrition assistance globally,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Congress has set expectations in the Food for Peace Act and in annual appropriations bills that sustaining life-saving food assistance. But 14 of the 16 programs have been cut.”
The Ranking Member’s remarks, as delivered, are below.
Welcome to our nominees and your families and supporters who are here today. I am particularly pleased that we have three career diplomats before us today. However, of the 91 nominees we have processed this year only ten career nominees have been confirmed, and yet we have 85 posts without Senate-confirmed ambassadors.
We are seeing natural disasters, terrorist’s attacks, political instability grow around the world. It is not in any American’s interest to leave our embassies overseas without appropriate leadership. We need to do better.
The confirmation of non-partisan public servants at our diplomatic missions is critical to advancing American interests around the world. One of those vital posts is INL, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. INL works to help foreign police dismantle fentanyl labs, strengthen foreign courts to keep violent criminals from fleeing to the U.S. and disrupt money-laundering pipelines that fund gangs that threaten American neighborhoods.
Mr. Weiland, I imagine you would agree that these efforts are all in our national interest. And yet the Administration has fired 40 employees at the bureau, cut more than 200 programs and wants to slash the bureau’s budget by 83%. So, Mr. Weiland, if confirmed, how would you continue to protect Americans with such drastic cuts to this department?
Mr. LoGerfo, I have the same concerns about the efforts that fall under the post you are nominated for the Counterterrorism Coordinator. I am pleased we are considering a career public servant with a long track record for this critical post.
Among other responsibilities, the Counterterrorism Coordinator’s work includes training foreign partners to stop ISIS and al-Qaeda recruiting networks, cutting terror-financing pipelines that try to enter U.S. financial systems and tracking terrorist plots overseas before they target Americans at home. Given that the Administration cut the bureau by more than half in its re-organization over the summer. If confirmed, I want to hear how you will make up for those cuts.
Ms. McNamara, China’s influence is a major challenge at our mission in Vietnam, the post you have been nominated for. I hope you will speak about how—if confirmed—you would work to expand semiconductor supply chains to reduce American dependence on China and how you would counter Beijing’s maritime coercion that threatens global shipping.
Finally, Mr. Meyer, if confirmed as our Ambassador to Sri Lanka, how will you support disaster relief efforts in the wake of the recent cyclone, given the dismantling of USAID? The United States’ retreat from humanitarian and basic relief efforts not only leads to serious human consequences around the world it creates a vacuum that China and others are not only eager to fill, but they’ve already begun to fill.
On a related note, I am very concerned about the inability to deliver timely food and nutrition assistance globally. Congress has set expectations in the Food for Peace Act and in annual appropriations bills that sustaining life-saving food assistance. But 14 of the 16 programs have been cut.
This gap has real strategic and political consequences—not just around the world, but for our farmers here at home—because food insecurity drives migration and conflict. These are serious challenges, and they demand clear answers from our nominees.
I look forward to hearing from all of you today.
Thank you.
###