Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, pursuant to the comments I was just making a few minutes ago, let me move directly to my request. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 335, Donald Lu to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, and that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without any intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I clearly do not share the views of my colleague from Texas, but for the sake of the Senate's work, I will reserve responding to it for another time.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 322, Brian A. Nichols to be an Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, and that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without any intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 323, Marcela Escobari to be Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and that the Senate vote on the nomination without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, it is unfortunate that this last nominee is objected to. This particular position--we are talking about Haiti. We are talking about having an Assistant Administrator that can help us restore the tragic situation in Haiti to a place in which people can live and won't seek migration to the United States. When we are talking about what is happening in the Western Hemisphere, in Venezuela, where there is a huge humanitarian set of refugees leaving; when we talk about what is happening in Cuba with reference to the movements for democracy, this particular position would be dealing with all of that. I must say, I know that my colleague wants to say none of this would have changed anything. That is not the case. I am not saying that the ultimate result in Afghanistan would have changed, but certainly, when we do not have people in key positions advocating for U.S. national security and policy, it exacerbates the set of circumstances because we don't have the wherewithal to do what is necessary. There are many other key positions I will be coming to the Senate floor and highlighting how that has a risk to national security. Finally, I would just simply say CAATSA was violated by President Trump when he exercised no sanctions on the same issue that my colleague is concerned about. I happen to agree with him on the issue; I disagree with him in the process in which he is pursuing it. But that started with President Trump. By the way, President Trump started with a surrender agreement to the Taliban. He gave them everything, got nothing in return. He let them have 5,000 prisoners, Taliban prisoners, who were returned to the Taliban--that added to the fighting force--and got none of the commitments that were necessary to deal with a negotiation or a peace deal with the Afghan Government. He got nothing at all except a total surrender and then dramatically reduced the troop levels at that time. So there is a lot to talk about about Afghanistan, not only in the immediate context but over what has happened over the last 20 years. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee intends to do that extensive review through a series of hearings. Let's put history exactly where it belongs--in the right context. I yield the floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, prior to the August recess, I, along with Senator Murphy, asked unanimous consent to confirm almost 30--30-- highly qualified Foreign Affairs and Development nominees who were languishing on the Senate floor. I noted then the danger of leaving these posts unfilled at a time that we were facing such a confluence of global challenges. Two Republican Senators blocked each one of our requests. Days later, Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake, and Afghanistan imploded. While I continue to believe it is essential that this body swiftly confirm every single foreign affairs and development professional whose nomination is pending on the Senate floor, I rise again today to seek unanimous consent to confirm four nominees who are critical to addressing the crisis in Afghanistan and Haiti. Ambassador Donald Lu, a career Foreign Service Officer, is the President's nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. The last Assistant Secretary for this Bureau was confirmed during the Obama administration. To say that this nomination is long overdue is an understatement, particularly now, given the incredibly dangerous situation in Afghanistan. Post-withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the State Department is the main implementer of U.S. policy in the country. And given the regional implications of Afghanistan policy, it is essential that this role be filled with a seasoned and experienced diplomat like Ambassador Lu. The region is also home to several other countries critical to U.S. interests. From Pakistan to India, to the countries of central Asia, the United States must be present in order to advance those interests and counter the malign influence of both Russia and China. So I hope that my colleagues will not continue to play games and will support Ambassador Lu's confirmation this evening. Similarly, it is unthinkable that the State Department's intelligence office, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, or as we know it as INR, remains without senior leadership. INR is an invaluable resource for the Secretary of State's senior officials and, indeed, all of the dedicated foreign policy professionals who serve our Nation so well and so tirelessly. It needs a confirmed leader in place that can help the Department understand the intelligence information that is out there that helps us instruct, in terms of foreign policy choices. So I am asking my Republican colleagues to permit confirming Brett Holmgren today. Shifting to Haiti, last month I came to the floor to highlight the challenges that we face in our own hemisphere and the impact of regional instability on U.S. national security and our citizens' safety. Already, the situation is more urgent than when I raised it. In August, a massive earthquake in Haiti killed more than 2,200 people, injured 12,000 more, destroyed tens of thousands of buildings. A coordinated international response is urgently needed. This new emergency follows the assassination of Haiti's President and mounting crises in the region, unprecedented protests, and widespread repression in Cuba, a brutal regime crackdown in Nicaragua, and an expansive political and humanitarian refugee crisis in Venezuela. COVID-19 continues to inflict severe social and economic consequences on countries across the region, and there are the enduring security and governance challenges in Central America that fuel irregular migration. We need urgently qualified nominees in leadership positions to address these crises. With an extensive experience in the Americas, Ambassador Brian Nichols, a career Foreign Service Officer, will skillfully advance U.S. national interests as the Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Similarly, Marcela Escobari, who served as Assistant Administrator for Latin America's USAID in the Obama administration, will bring unique expertise to the position if confirmed again today. In 2016, the Senate confirmed her by voice vote--voice vote. We need her in place and should move her again today. It is scandalous that these nominees and many others are being held up for reasons completely unrelated to them and the positions they will hold. Such irresponsible behavior jeopardizes our national security, and we must act today. So let me start by asking, first, unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration--Madam President, I will reserve the opportunities to ask for these consents and wait for one of our colleagues to appear on the floor. At this time, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, first, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to complete my remarks before the scheduled 5:30 p.m. vote.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 150, Brett M. Holmgren to be an Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, and that the Senate vote on the nomination without any intervening action or debate.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without any intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I know the hour is late, but we have nearly 30 highly qualified Foreign Affairs and Development nominees who are languishing on the Senate floor. We have to confirm these nominees to fully equip the United States to pursue our foreign policy objectives, and I will be asking unanimous consent to confirm each one. My distinguished colleague from Connecticut, Senator Murphy, a member of the committee, is here to join with me in this effort. I know the Presiding Officer is also a distinguished member of the committee. In the nearly 30 years that I have been working on foreign policy, we have never faced such a confluence of global challenges: a once-in-a- century global pandemic; climate change threatening stability, health, and safety across the world; fueling displacement and resource-driven conflicts; great power competition from an increasingly emboldened China and Russia. We have the tools to confront these challenges; to promote American values and interests around the world to advance the safety, health, and economic well-being of all Americans. But we cannot do that when we do not have empowered diplomats and development professionals in place to do so. So I call on this body to confirm these nominees--all of whom the Foreign Relations Committee has moved with bipartisan support--to put the United States in the best position to advance our foreign policy, development, and national security priorities. I am calling for confirmation of all of these nominees: those up for Ambassadorships, senior State Department, and USAID positions. We need them in place. Now, the Trump administration had its first Ambassador confirmed on day 62 of the Trump Presidency. The Obama administration had its first Ambassador confirmed at day 73. The George W. Bush administration had its first Ambassador confirmed at day 75. For the Clinton administration, it was day 75. For the George H. W. Bush administration, it was day 83. We are now more than 200 days into the Biden administration, and as of this moment, there is not a single confirmed State Department country Ambassador--not one. And going back four administrations, there is a precedent of moving a package of nominees before the August recess. Under George W. Bush, the Senate confirmed a package of 81 nominees. During the Obama administration, the Senate confirmed a package of 104 nominees. And during the Trump administration, we confirmed a package of 75 nominees. We should be ashamed of holding the record for the longest delay in fully equipping the State Department and USAID to pursue the foreign policy, development, and national security interests of the United States. Now, some Members of this body call on one hand for assertive American leadership on the global stage, and, at the same time, they hold up these critical positions. Many of these nominees are career diplomats, public servants who have dedicated their lives to advancing U.S. interests. They have served under the Trump administration in the same way they will serve in the Biden administration: on behalf of the American people. Many of my colleagues are readily focused on effectively confronting Chinese malign influence. Well, a fundamentally critical element of confronting China is empowered leadership in our diplomatic corps, across the world. So let me be clear. Holding up diplomats to posts across Africa and the Western Hemisphere is effectively ceding influence to China and actively undermining U.S. national security interests. I recently heard an anecdote from a diplomat in Cameroon. When he travels outside the capital city, Cameroonians will greet him with a ``ni hao,'' assuming that if he isn't Cameroonian, he must be Chinese. Meanwhile, we haven't had an American Ambassador in Cameroon in more than a year, and the Foreign Relations Committee approved a career diplomat for the post by voice vote nearly a month ago. What could possibly be the rationale for holding him up? Lastly, looking at the Department itself, critical leadership positions remain held up. Now, I know many of my colleagues have dedicated a significant amount of their time over the past few years to combating the flow of fentanyl into the United States, but here we have a hold on a career Foreign Service officer nominated to be Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, who would be leading the Department's efforts to combat the flow of fentanyl. So which one do you want? The American people deserve better than this. Now, I know we are all tired of being here, and I want to salute and thank the different--the reading clerks, the Parliamentarian, the Democrat and Republican staff who are still here, but we feel compelled to go through and ask UC for each of these nominees. They all deserve to be confirmed tonight. So let me start off. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 233, Larry Edward Andre, Jr., of Texas, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, to be Ambassador of the United States to Somalia; that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask that it be in order to make the same request with respect to Executive Calendar No. 237, Tulinabo S. Mushingi, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, to be Ambassador of the United States to Angola and to serve concurrently as the Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.