[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 172 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8193-S8195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now
proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination,
which the clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Gayle
Smith, of Ohio, to be Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will now be 30
minutes of debate, equally divided in the usual form.
Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, 2 months ago I came to the Senate floor
to urge the majority leader to schedule a vote on the nomination of
Gayle Smith to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for
International Development, also known as USAID. Here we are, 7 months
after the President nominated her to fill this position. The Senate
will have a chance in a few minutes to vote on Gayle Smith's nomination
to head USAID.
I fully expect that today's vote will lead to her confirmation. We
are witnessing a humanitarian crisis in Syria and across the Middle
East that grows worse by the day, posing a risk to European stability
and cohesion. Having someone at the head of USAID is absolutely
critical. The United States, with our unparalleled capacity to mobilize
international support for humanitarian relief, should continue to play
a leading role in assisting both Syrian refugees and the neighboring
countries that are hosting them.
Having an effective leader such as Gayle Smith at USAID is a critical
part of that effort. Last month I had the opportunity to lead a
delegation of three other Senators to Greece and Germany. Senator
Durbin, Senator Warren, Senator Klobuchar, and I all went to see
firsthand the plight of refugees from the war in Syria and the
incredible burden that both Greece and Germany are under as a result of
these unprecedented refugee flows.
Many of us--and we heard this when we were in Greece--believed that
the rate of refugee arrivals would slow with the coming of cold
weather. In fact, the exact opposite has happened, and the humanitarian
situation has only become worse.
Of course, USAID's work is not only limited to the situation in
Syria; it extends to the 60 countries and regional USAID missions
around the world, including in Afghanistan, where USAID development
work is critical to the long-term success and security of that country.
I am relieved that we are finally going to get to vote on Gayle Smith
and that the majority has overcome the objections of the one Member
who, for the last 7 months, has been holding up her nomination. That
Member was willing to put at risk the massive investment of resources
the United States has made in Afghanistan and other parts of the world
just to score political points on an issue that was completely outside
of Gayle Smith's portfolio at USAID.
As things have moved on Gayle Smith, I am hoping this type of
obstruction is going to end, and we will soon vote not only on Ms.
Smith's nomination but also to confirm other critical national security
nominees, especially the pending Foreign Service nominations that have
been approved by the Foreign Relations Committee and that could be
voted on by the full Senate today.
For example, in May the President nominated Tom Melia to be Assistant
Administrator for USAID for Europe and Eurasia. This is a critical
position not only because of the development work but because these are
two regions that are under extreme pressure from Vladimir Putin. These
regions would both benefit from USAID programs that would bolster their
ability to act independently of Russian influence. Tom Melia is still
unconfirmed, despite the fact that the Foreign Relations Committee
approved his nomination in July. In addition, the nominee to serve as
U.S. Ambassador to Sweden has been pending for over a year. Sweden has
become a much more critical ally in terms of the refugee issue that
Europe is facing. The nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Norway--
again another critical ally--has been pending
[[Page S8194]]
since May. The nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, a
critical post for the United States, one of our neighbors and main
allies in this hemisphere--these have all been pending since June.
At a time when the world is facing national security challenges on a
number of fronts and nations are looking to the United States for
leadership, we cannot afford to sideline ourselves by failing to
confirm nominees for these diplomatic posts.
I recognize Senator Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee as well as his Democratic counterpart, Senator
Cardin, who have worked very hard to secure the confirmation vote for
Gayle Smith to serve as Administrator for USAID. I know we are working
hard to get these other nominees to the floor, but at a time when our
leadership is so important, when there are so many challenges facing us
around the world, to fail to have those key spokespeople for the United
States in positions of so many critical situations is unacceptable. We
need to move these nominees. We need to continue the work of U.S.
foreign policy.
I am sure we will have a very broad bipartisan vote in support of
Gayle Smith. What is unfortunate is that we couldn't have done it 7
months ago when she passed through the committee.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, first I thank Senator Shaheen for her
leadership on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and for her
leadership with regard to the nomination of Gayle Smith to be the
Administrator of USAID.
This is the U.S. Agency for International Development. I mention that
because we are talking about a national security position. Our national
security depends on having a strong military, but it also depends upon
having a strong position in international development assistance in
dealing with our diplomacy. The director of USAID is a critical member
of our national security team.
We couldn't have a stronger person for that position than Gayle
Smith. I wholeheartedly support her confirmation.
I thank Senator Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, for the manner in which this nomination has been brought
forward. He has been a strong proponent of Gayle Smith, and I thank him
very much for his help in getting this nomination to the floor.
I said that I couldn't find a stronger person to fill this position.
She is currently a Special Assistant to the President and Senior
Director at the National Security Council, where she is responsible for
global development, democracy, and humanitarian assistance issues. She
was previously a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress,
cochair of the Enough Project, and the cofounder of the Modernizing
Foreign Assistance Network. During the Clinton administration, Gayle
Smith served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior
Director for African Affairs at the NSC, so she has broad experience
over a long career in Foreign Service and in serving in regard to
development assistance issues.
For over 37 years of her professional career she has served in Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. She has worked as a journalist and as a
consultant to aid groups. She has worked as a senior adviser to the
Administrator and Chief of Staff for USAID/East Africa. She has served
twice on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the
President. She has been hailed as a strong and effective advocate on
global development issues. She was voted out of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, on which I serve as a ranking member, by a
unanimous vote. I am very pleased that we are now able to vote tonight
for her confirmation to be the Administrator of the USAID.
I have already pointed out that this is a position critically
important to our national security, but let me also point out that the
world is facing a host of humanitarian crises--including food
insecurity and displacement in Syria, the Europe migration crisis, the
Rohingya refugee crisis of Southeast Asia, and the millions of people
who are displaced and starving in South Sudan, which require American
leadership and assistance.
Growing humanitarian needs worldwide are outstripping available
resources. The Administrator of USAID is a key leadership post in the
effort of the United States to shape the world's reaction to crisis and
instability.
I would go into a bit of detail on just one of the crises that the
Administrator of USAID faces so that everyone can truly understand the
scale we are talking about. As a result of the war in South Sudan, 1.5
million people are internally displaced. More than 730,000 have crossed
borders into Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda as refugees. The number of
people facing severe food insecurity has almost doubled since the start
of the year, from 2.5 million to an estimated 4.6 million people,
including approximately 874,000 children under the age of 5. This is
just one example and I could give you many more examples why it is
critically important that we have a confirmed Administrator for USAID.
Gayle Smith is the right person for the right time to serve our
country. I encourage my colleagues to support her nomination. This is a
person who will serve our country, continue to serve our country well,
and I am proud to support her.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of Calendar Nos. 387, 388, 390, 391, and
all nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, and
Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc and the motions to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that
any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; and
that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The nominations considered and confirmed en bloc are as follows:
coast guard
The following named officers for appointment in the grade
indicated to the United States Coast Guard under title 14,
U.S.C., section 271(d):
To be rear admiral
Peter J. Brown
Scott A. Buschman
Michael F. McAllister
June E. Ryan
Joseph M. Vojvodich
air force
The following Air National Guard of the United States
officer for appointment in the Reserve of the Air Force to
the grade indicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203
and 12212:
To be brigadier general
Col. Robert J. Becklund
army
The following named officer for appointment in the Reserve
of the Army to the grade indicated under title 10, U.S.C.,
section 12203:
To be major general
Brig. Gen. Arlen R. Royalty
navy
The following named officer for appointment in the United
States Navy to the grade indicated under title 10, U.S.C.,
section 624:
To be rear admiral (lower half)
Capt. Michelle C. Skubic
Nominations Placed on the Secretary's Desk
air force
PN807 AIR FORCE nominations (4) beginning DONNETTE A. BOYD,
and ending PAUL D. SUTTER, which nominations were received by
the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of
September 9, 2015.
PN810 AIR FORCE nominations (37) beginning MARIA J.
BELMONTE, and ending DEVERIL A. WINT, which nominations were
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of September 9, 2015.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S8194, November 30, 2015, at the bottom of the third
column, the following language appears: . . . and ending DEVERIL
A. VVINT, which . . .
The online Record has been corrected to read . . . and ending
DEVERIL A. WINT, which . . .
========================= END NOTE =========================
PN923 AIR FORCE nomination of Alan D. Murdock, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 28, 2015.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S8194, November 30, 2015, at the bottom of the third
column, the following language appears: . . . nomination of Alan D
Murdock, which . . .
The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . nomination
of Alan D. Murdock, which . . .
========================= END NOTE =========================
army
PN856 ARMY nomination of David M. Jackson, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of September 16, 2015.
[[Page S8195]]
PN905 ARMY nomination of Tarnjit S. Saini, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 8, 2015.
PN924 ARMY nominations (16) beginning OLGA M. ANDERSON, and
ending ERIC W. YOUNG, which nominations were received by the
Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of October
28, 2015.
PN925 ARMY nominations (17) beginning JIMMY C. DAVIS, JR.,
and ending ROBERT E. WICHMAN, which nominations were received
by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of
October 28, 2015.
PN926 ARMY nomination of Spencer T. Price, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 28, 2015.
navy
PN907 NAVY nomination of Jessica L. Morera, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 8, 2015.
PN908 NAVY nomination of Kari J. Tereick, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 8, 2015.
PN928 NAVY nominations (52) beginning JOSHUA C. ANDRES, and
ending BETHANY R. ZMITROVICH, which nominations were received
by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of
October 28, 2015.
PN929 NAVY nomination of Calvin M. Foster, which was
received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional
Record of October 28, 2015.
PN930 NAVY nomination of Tara A. Feher, which was received
by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of
October 28, 2015.
____________________