WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nominations hearing. Witnesses included The Honorable Julie Smith, nominee to be under secretary of State for political affairs, Stephanie L. Hallett, nominee to be ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Douglas D. Jones, nominee to be ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael G. Health, nominee to be ambassador to the Republic of Malawi, and Mary E. Daschbach, nominee to be ambassador to the Togolese Republic.
Ranking Member Risch gave the following remarks:
“Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. I think all of us are mindful that today is 9/11 – that day clearly changed America. We realize we do have vulnerabilities, and unlike a lot of countries that are on the front line of fighting, the U.S. generally isn’t. So when something like this happens, it brings home to us the needs we have to protect this country. The country has changed since then and certainly we’re much more aware of the vulnerabilities that we have.
“Thank you to our nominees for being here today. I want to talk about each of them briefly.
“Starting with the nominee to be under secretary for political affairs – Ambassador Smith, I appreciate your service as the U.S. ambassador to NATO, especially during this crucial time addressing Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. There’s no doubt that has been and continues to be important.
“However, if confirmed, you will be responsible for the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy globally. Beyond addressing Russia’s war against Ukraine, the U.S.’ number one challenge is China. We cannot take our eyes off this strategic priority.
“We must do more to combat China’s efforts to dominate the Indo-Pacific and exert malign influence across the world, including at international organizations, in Africa, and even in our own hemisphere. I fear the administration has had a policy of de-escalation that has only weakened U.S. interests. I’ll be interested in hearing your thoughts on that.
“Additionally, Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, continue to present a significant threat to Israel, the Middle East, and beyond.
“If confirmed, you will be responsible for supervising the Department and the implementation of interagency policies abroad. I expect and hope that you will maintain a strong working relationship with this committee and encourage Department officials at all levels to be responsive to committee requests. We have strong constitutional requirements in this regard and I hope you’ll work with us.
“On the nominee to be ambassador to Bahrain – I’m pleased to see Stephanie Hallett nominated. Bahrain is a critical ally – it is the only Gulf participant in the maritime coalition against the Houthis, and it has hosted the U.S. Navy since the Second World War.
“This week marks one year since the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement between the U.S. and Bahrain. This agreement enhances bilateral ties, and I want to hear how you will take the U.S.-Bahrain relationship further.
“On the nominee to Bosnia and Herzegovina – this country faces some of the toughest political challenges since the creation of its current political system. Despite various U.S. and EU-led reform efforts to increase European integration, Bosnia still faces serious risks posed by tough economic conditions, malign foreign influence, and the secessionist movement in Republika Srpska.
“Bosnia’s future is critical, particularly for stability across the Western Balkans region and broader Europe. Deputy Assistant Secretary Jones, I look forward to hearing how you plan to support a productive U.S. policy in Bosnia.
“Moving onto the nomination for ambassador to Malawi – Malawi currently faces severe economic challenges and has important general elections next year. The U.S. is committed to Malawi's ongoing democratic consolidation. Following the unexpected departure of our last ambassador, Mr. Heath's nomination is timely and critical to support U.S. interests in Malawi.
“Finally, on the nomination of ambassador to Togo – Togo is an important partner in efforts to build resilience against violent extremism and counter global malign actors in coastal West Africa.
“The next ambassador must work closely with the Togolese government, which is increasingly vulnerable to security threats in neighboring Sahel states. We must also help open the Togolese political system to be more inclusive and democratic for the country's future stability. I look forward to hearing ideas on how to make this a reality.
“Before I close, I want to address the status of nominees in our committee and the allegations, untrue, that our side does not value having confirmed ambassadors to compete with adversaries. Nothing is further from the truth. I’ve said over and over again, I was a governor and I understand that to operate government, you need to have people in place.
“I have always worked in good faith to move qualified career nominees. Unfortunately, the State Department regularly disregards this good faith cooperation.
“The committee should not and cannot rubber stamp nominees while State continues to be unresponsive to oversight requests. Our solemn constitutional duty demands, and our oath of office demands, we take this job seriously. I still have no response from the administration to my letters regarding basic questions about the suspension of Special Envoy Robert Malley’s security clearance.
“The chairman has worked with me on this trying to get this information – he hasn’t been able to get it either. This just is unacceptable. This committee has constitutional duties of oversight – we’re entitled to the information. I have numerous other letters to the Department that await answers.
“Now, USAID cites the Privacy Act to withhold information needed to review personnel files of people up for promotion. There is a severe lack of cooperation on important information requests. Cooperation is a two-way street, but often the administration only wants it one way.
“This blatant disregard for keeping the Senate informed extends to many of my colleagues whose only recourse is to hold nominees on the Senate floor. The Senate is charged with advice and consent, but the administration disregards the advice part. As a result, we’re left with only the penalty of the consent part.
“These are not just words, but serious constitutional obligations. We are bound to take every action necessary to do our job and so it shall be. Notwithstanding the whining to the contrary, we are going to continue to insist that we get this information and use the only penalty available to us. It shouldn’t be this way, but is simply because of the lack of cooperation on the other side.
“With that, I’ll turn it back to the chairman.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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