[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 102 (Monday, June 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2044-S2045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Elizabeth Allen

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I come to the floor today to urge my 
colleagues to vote for cloture for Elizabeth Allen, the President's 
nominee for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public 
Affairs.
  When we think about Russia's illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine 
or China's coercive economic practices, we have to realize we are in 
competition with more than just conventional militaries or economic 
prowess. We are in a battle over what kind of world we want to live 
in. And we want to live in a world where people are free to speak their 
minds, free to start a business, free to worship as they choose and 
marry the person they love. These are

[[Page S2045]]

the fundamental freedoms that shape the United States and the values 
that drive our foreign policy.

  When it comes to explaining American values and our foreign policy to 
the world, one of the best tools we have is our public diplomacy 
programs.
  At a time when our adversaries are pouring billions of dollars into 
propaganda, targeted disinformation and misinformation campaigns--often 
about the United States--we need an empowered Bureau of Global Public 
Affairs to tell the truth about U.S. foreign policy. We need to 
highlight the millions of dollars Americans invest in public health, 
infrastructure projects, and humanitarian relief around the world.
  We need programs like the International Leadership Visitor Program 
that exposes rising leaders from across the world to America's systems 
of governance and democracy, leaders who share our vision of a free and 
open world.
  We need programs that bring foreign students to American 
universities, not only affirming the excellence of our higher education 
system but bringing billions of dollars into the U.S. economy.
  I could go on.
  Our public diplomacy tools are simply the best bang for our buck when 
it comes to making sure we expose people around the world to American 
values, culture, and the truth about our foreign policy efforts.
  We need capable, qualified leadership at the Department of State to 
lead these efforts. That is why we must confirm Ms. Allen as Under 
Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy without delay. As the current 
senior official for public diplomacy and public affairs at the 
Department of State, she has already advanced numerous objectives.
  As a highly quality professional with a distinguished career and 
extensive experience in both public and private sectors, Ms. Allen is a 
nominee who will hit the ground running.
  She began her career at the Department of State at the Office of 
Global Issues and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement. She served with distinction in the Obama-Biden 
administration for 8 years, including as White House Deputy 
Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to the President.
  As she talked about during her confirmation hearing, she comes from a 
family who knows what it means to serve the American people--the 
granddaughter of two veterans--two veterans--of World War II, the 
daughter of parents who value public service regardless of party.
  Ms. Allen understands the importance of making institutional changes 
to better educate our diplomats and integrate public diplomacy tools 
into policymaking.
  I urge this body to support cloture on Ms. Allen's nomination so we 
can get her confirmed without delay and spread the good word of 
American foreign policy throughout the world.
  I yield the floor.

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