[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



             Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar

  Madam President, let me try one other thing. I want to make in order 
the same request that I previously made with respect to Calendar No. 
788, Erin Elizabeth McKee, to be an Assistant Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Kansas.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, so here we go. The person who would be 
responsible for helping the humanitarian challenge in Ukraine and in 
the surrounding countries where 3 million people have fled to, we can't 
get her in position--can't get her into a position to do the job to 
help millions of Ukrainians who are fleeing.
  I don't understand how the party of Reagan, the party of freedom and 
democracy, the party of standing up to these people can actually create 
a set of circumstances where this is like helping Putin at the end of 
the day. It is like helping Putin at the end of the day.
  Now, while Senator Marshall didn't speak to it, I understand his 
concerns are about COVID origins. Well, there is nothing wrong with 
that. It has been a lively topic of discussion in many forums, 
including the Senate. But these things have nothing to do with what 
Ambassador McKee is nominated for: Assistant Administrator for Europe 
and Eurasia.
  All of us, including Senator Marshall, know that we need to do 
everything possible to support Ukrainians in their time of need. 
Blocking Ambassador McKee is self-defeating.
  It is also not clear to me what more USAID can do to satisfy Senator 
Marshall. I have inquired because I heard this was the issue. USAID has 
been engaged at the most senior levels in trying to be helpful and 
responsive to Senator Marshall. They offered him and his team 
briefings, and I understand that none of those offers have been 
accepted. They have also pointed Senator Marshall's office to a wealth 
of information on specific USAID projects of interest.
  So I would urge the Senator, instead of blocking nominees, to act on 
USAID's multiple briefing offers and engage them meaningfully. That 
would be more helpful to his ultimate goal--but not to be helping 
Putin, at the end of the day, by not being able to take care of the 
humanitarian needs of the Ukrainians.
  I have seen a lot over my course of 40 years in public service and 30 
years in the Congress. I just--this is mind-boggling. But more than 
that, it really undermines our national security. It really undermines 
our help with the Ukrainian people. And so I hope that some saner minds 
will prevail in the days ahead when I come back to the floor to try 
this once again.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.