[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2399-S2400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO

  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I rise in strong support of the 
nomination of Mike Pompeo, our current CIA Director, to be the next 
Secretary of State. I must say, I watched with interest the proceedings 
the day before yesterday in the Foreign Relations Committee. The debate 
was interesting on both sides. I appreciate the fact that 
accommodations were made so Mike Pompeo's nomination could be presented 
to the full Senate with a positive vote.
  I am disappointed that so many of my Democratic colleagues have 
stated they will oppose this nomination. I heed the admonition of one 
of the Members of the Democratic Party at the confirmation vote before 
the committee when this Member asked that Senators not question the 
motives of anyone who takes a position one way or the other with regard 
to the nomination of Mr. Pompeo. I will heed that admonition and not 
question the motivation of any Senator who votes either yes or no on 
this nomination.
  I will simply observe this: Mike Pompeo is a highly qualified 
nominee, a distinguished former Member of the House of Representatives. 
He served with accomplishment and great dignity and ability as Director 
of the CIA. He graduated first in his class from the U.S. Military 
Academy at West Point and went on to graduate with distinction at the 
Harvard Law School and served as editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law 
Review.
  This is a man of great intellect, a man of great ability and great 
accomplishment. Without impugning the motives of anyone who would vote 
no, I simply observe they will be voting against a highly accomplished 
and qualified nominee.
  When the shoe was on the other foot during the Obama administration, 
I--along with almost a unanimous majority of Members of my caucus--
voted yes, in favor of the confirmation of Hillary Clinton to be 
Secretary of State. I voted yes--again, a virtually unanimous vote on 
both sides of the aisle--for the nomination of our colleague John Kerry 
to be the successor to Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.
  I will simply note to my doubting friends, who are standing on their 
rights on the other side of the aisle, that the overwhelming weight of 
public opinion from the news media has come down on the side of Mr. 
Pompeo. The Wall Street Journal headline says we need a Secretary of 
State and that Mike Pompeo should be confirmed. The Chicago Tribune, in 
an editorial, states why the Senate should confirm Mike Pompeo. The 
Washington Post headline on the editorial page proclaims: ``Confirm 
Mike Pompeo.'' The New York Daily News says: ``Confirm Mike Pompeo: 
President Trump Needs a Secretary of State.''
  I will add, this country needs a Secretary of State. The cause of 
international diplomacy needs a Secretary of State. The cause of human 
rights around the world needs a Secretary of State.
  USA Today: ``Confirm Mike Pompeo to Fill the Void at State.''
  I will not question the motives of any of my colleagues, my friends 
whom I respect. I will only say, things are surely different around the 
U.S. Senate nowadays than they were previously, when we rose up almost 
unanimously and confirmed John Kerry and Hillary Clinton and stood for 
the proposition that a President of the United States is entitled to 
his or her team and that person needed strong support.
  I only say that at a moment when our country needs to send a strong 
message of resolve to our allies and to the entire international 
community, we need to send a strong signal of unity; that the vote we 
may take later this week in confirming Mike Pompeo might send a signal 
of excessive partisanship and division, I regret that.
  We are going to have a great Secretary of State at the end of this 
process. I think this, unfortunately, narrow vote will come and go and 
perhaps not be the standard we operate under in future times. I will 
only say that for those colleagues who are still looking

[[Page S2400]]

for an answer and still wrestling with how they should vote, I commend 
to them the example of previous days and the example of sending a 
strong signal around the globe that this President is supported in his 
efforts in international diplomacy and that he is entitled to the team 
he has chosen.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes. I appreciate the distinguished 
minority leader for indulging me and allowing me to go forward.
  I yield the floor.

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