[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S7065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BOLTON NOMINATION

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the nomination 
of John Bolton to be our next Ambassador to the United Nations. 
Unfortunately, I was unable to be here yesterday, when another vote was 
taken in regard to Mr. Bolton's nomination. Had I been here, however, I 
would have voted in support of Mr. Bolton.
  Despite recent controversy over this nomination, I still believe that 
John Bolton is a fine candidate for the position of ambassador to the 
U.N. I have seen the complaints and the information provided as a 
result of those concerns, but I still believe that his credentials and 
background make him a qualified person for the job. His experience with 
an aside from the U.N. is one consisting of a great deal of reform. He 
has long been an advocate for U.N. reform throughout his career and has 
been vocal in proclaiming the need for the United States to take the 
lead in facilitating the U.N. in its goal of international peace and 
security. The U.N. is now facing allegations of corruption in the Oil 
for Food Program and from other senior officials. At this time more 
than any other, I firmly believe we must send someone who has 
experience reforming an organization.
  John Bolton comes to this nomination after years of experience in the 
international community. He has performed pro-bono work for the U.N. in 
Africa and worked as the U.N. Assistant Secretary of State for 
International Organizations from 1989 to 1992. In the last 4 years, 
Bolton has been instrumental in urging U.N. agencies to take steps to 
stop the spread of dangerous weapons, while calling on all member 
states to criminalize the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 
In the Moscow Treaty, which reduced our operationally deployed nuclear 
weapons arsenal by two-thirds, John Bolton served as the principal 
negotiator. As Under Secretary of State, John Bolton helped construct 
the G8 Global Partnership, a global initiative to focus on safeguards 
and verification of nuclear programs. The G8 Global Partnership 
establishes a principle that countries under investigation will not be 
allowed to serve on the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA.
  In these times of atrocities against humanity, an honest, functioning 
U.N. is needed. I think John Bolton will help the U.N. head in that 
direction. I do hope to have an opportunity to work with John in that 
capacity and know he would serve tirelessly and thoughtfully in the 
many challenges ahead.

                          ____________________