[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 3, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2698-S2699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 604--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
 SENATE SHOULD NOT VOTE ON THE NOMINATION OF MICHAEL PACK TO BE CHIEF 
 EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA UNLESS 
 AND UNTIL MICHAEL PACK CORRECTS HIS FALSE STATEMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE 
  ON FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE SENATE AND THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

  Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and 
Administration:

                              S. Res. 604

       Whereas the Constitution of the United States requires, and 
     the people of the United States expect and deserve, that the 
     Senate provide advice and consent only to those executive 
     branch nominees who are fit to hold positions of public trust 
     in the United States Government;
       Whereas Michael Pack is the nominee to be Chief Executive 
     Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, which 
     is

[[Page S2699]]

     comprised of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio 
     and TV Marti, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East 
     Broadcasting Network;
       Whereas Michael Pack created and controls both Public Media 
     Lab, a nonprofit company, and Manifold Productions LLC, a 
     for-profit company which he owns;
       Whereas, since the creation of Public Media Lab, Michael 
     Pack transferred 100 percent of the tax-exempt grants that 
     Public Media Lab received to his for-profit company, Manifold 
     Productions;
       Whereas, for several years, in documentation submitted to 
     the Internal Revenue Service that asked whether Public Media 
     Lab had provided grants to any entity controlled by an 
     officer of the nonprofit, Michael Pack responded ``no'' when 
     the true answer was ``yes'';
       Whereas, for several years, in documentation submitted to 
     the Internal Revenue Service that asked whether Public Media 
     Lab conducted business with any entity with which it shared 
     officers or directors, Michael Pack responded ``no'' when the 
     true answer was ``yes'';
       Whereas, in 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Relations 
     of the Senate raised the subject of the false statements that 
     Michael Pack had made to the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. 
     Pack claimed, in response to a question for the record, that 
     the false statements were ``an oversight'';
       Whereas Michael Pack has refused to correct the false 
     statements that he made to the Internal Revenue Service; and
       Whereas, in early 2020, Michael Pack provided false 
     information to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate with regard to his taxes; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) should provide advice and consent to executive branch 
     nominees only if those nominees have been truthful in their 
     dealings with Congress and the executive branch;
       (2) should not vote on any nominee who has made verifiably 
     false statements to Congress or the executive branch and who 
     refuses to correct those statements; and
       (3) should not vote on the nomination of Michael Pack to be 
     Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for 
     Global Media unless and until Michael Pack corrects his false 
     statements to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate and the Internal Revenue Service.

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