[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 37 (Monday, April 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        IN SUPPORT OF SAM BROWN, NOMINEE FOR AMBASSADOR TO CSCE

  Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, it has been nearly 5 months since 
President Clinton nominated Sam Brown to be U.S. Ambassador to the 
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. And it has been 5 
months since his hearing before the Foreign Relations Committee--5 
months and still this body has failed to approve the nomination. Some 
may think the delay is needed to investigate Sam Brown's credentials. 
Mr. President, I think that is wrong. For more than 3 months after his 
hearing no questions were asked about his background. During the last 6 
weeks Sam Brown has responded fully and completely to all the questions 
which have been raised regarding his background.
  We know what we need to know about Sam Brown. Sam Brown is an 
energetic and articulate American with a deep commitment to public 
service. He has served as the statewide-elected treasurer of Colorado, 
and perhaps that is the problem, that because he was an elected 
official now that should hold him up from advancing into public service 
in another way and in a very important position.
  In the Carter administration he was the Director of ACTION, the 
Federal Agency in charge of the Peace Corps and a number of domestic 
volunteer programs, and on the board of the National Consumer 
Cooperative Bank. Both of these positions required Senate confirmation, 
which he secured.
  Sam Brown is a man of dedication and integrity. He has earned the 
support of the President. And the President has a right to expect that 
his nominees will not undergo partisan sabotage. Blocking a 
Presidential nomination is a serious action which, of course, occurs 
here often, too often in my judgment. I have held up nominations when I 
had to have questions satisfied for myself, and then I would let them 
proceed and not participate in perpetuity preventing them from coming 
to the floor. I would vote against them or argue against the person.
  This is the President's nominee. He has been through the process. The 
committee has approved it. And now he is here on the calendar for 
nearly 5 months. I say it is time to support him, and I hope the 
majority leader will move his nomination early next week.
  Critics have charged that Sam Brown lacks the necessary experience to 
hold this position. Yet the CSCE is an evolving institution. Many of 
its initiatives reflect experience that can only be learned on the job. 
Believe me I know a little about at it having served on that Commission 
since 1980 and being the chairman now of the Congressional Commission 
on Security Cooperation.
  Sam Brown has been spent months participating in extensive briefings 
at the State Department, the Defense Department, and the Central 
Intelligence Agency. He has the knowledge and the background of what 
the CSCE is all about. He has met with policymakers and others engaged 
in the CSCE process here in Washington and has spent much time 
discussing the challenges ahead for the United States with both career 
and noncareer former representatives to the CSCE from both parties--
Warren Zimmermann, Richard Schifter, and Max Kampelman, just to mention 
a few. Sam Brown is fully briefed. And he brings to the task the drive 
and the convictions to represent the United States as Ambassador to the 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
  Frankly, Mr. President, holding up Sam Brown's confirmation does not 
serve the United States position in the CSCE well at all. With a major 
CSCE review conference and summit this winter, we need to have an 
Ambassador in Vienna laying the groundwork for U.S. policy positions 
now, not the day before the conference starts. We need to have someone 
who can continue the fine work done by the departing CSCE Ambassador, 
John Kornblum, someone who can work with our colleagues from other 
delegations, someone who can help assure that the United States comes 
to the Budapest review conference with a strong and coherent policy in 
hand. Previous noncareer CSCE Ambassadors, like Max Kampelman have 
honorably served Republicans and Democrats alike, without the benefit 
of Foreign Service or military experience. I am confident Sam Brown can 
do the same.
  Mr. President, this is a too critical and fundamental position to let 
go vacant. It is time that the Senate put aside any partisan problems 
as it relates to this nominee. And I urge my colleagues to vote for Sam 
Brown and urge the majority leader to bring his nomination to the 
floor.

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