[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S408-S409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONGRATULATING SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY

  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, yesterday the Senate overwhelmingly 
confirmed the nomination of John Kerry to be the next Secretary of 
State of the United States of America. I was away from the Capitol 
during the 2 hours allocated for that debate, and I wanted to add my 
comments and my commendations to now Secretary Kerry on his 
confirmation to be Secretary of State of our country.
  For the last 4 years, I had the privilege of serving on the Foreign 
Relations Committee with Senator Kerry as chairman. During that period 
of time, I got to watch him as a diplomat, as an American, as a Member 
of the Senate, and as one committed to peace and security around the 
world. I watched him carefully in the Middle East as he negotiated and 
worked hard to see to it that we had peace but that we had peace 
through strength and we had peace through our partnership with the 
great State of Israel. I watched him on the comprehensive peace 
agreement in the Sudan to help shepherd across the creation of the 
newest nation, South Sudan, and a bloodless election that caused that 
to take place. I watched him in many other cases dealing with diplomats 
from Africa, to Europe, to the Middle East, representing the United 
States of America in all of its best interests. I watched him work hand 
in hand with

[[Page S409]]

Secretary of State Clinton to ensure that there was no division between 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the policies of this 
country. But most importantly of all, in those tough, tough issues, 
like the ratification of the New START treaty, now Secretary Kerry, 
then Chairman Kerry, made sure that every member of the committee in 
the entire markup and hearing process had their questions answered, 
their concerns answered, and was a part of the process. He never tried 
to ramrod anything through the committee nor through the Congress but, 
rather, did his job in an exemplary way.
  It is a privilege for me to rise tonight to pay tribute to John 
Kerry, the next Secretary of State of the United States of America, and 
commend him on his confirmation to that job.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________