[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 21588-21589]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, earlier today I took the floor. Senator 
Cruz was here, and he raised an objection to a unanimous consent 
request that I had not yet made. I am not going to make that unanimous 
consent request, but I am going to mention, as the ranking member of 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee--and our Presiding Officer is 
one of the distinguished members of the committee--that there are 14 
nominations that have been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee, some a long time ago, by unanimous vote. These are not 
controversial nominations. Each of the individuals is well qualified 
for the position. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under the 
leadership of Senator Corker, reported these nominations out in a very 
timely way. Each of those in their own position is critically important 
to our national security. Having a confirmed ambassador in a country is 
critically important to our national security. Having the No. 4 person 
at the State Department confirmed is critically important in 
negotiating security issues.
  It is our responsibility to take these nominees up and to act on them 
and to confirm them so that we can have confirmed positions.
  I will just mention a few. As I said, I had given notice that I would 
ask unanimous consent, and Senator Cruz indicated that he would object 
and actually came to the floor to object. But we have to get this done. 
The reason we are not voting has nothing to do with these individuals--
nothing, not one thing. These are qualified people. They are being held 
up for reasons unrelated to their important responsibilities to our 
country.
  Thomas Shannon, a career person, to the position of Under Secretary 
of State for Political Affairs. This is the point person who negotiates 
globally.
  Brian Egan to the position of State Department Legal Adviser. We all 
have questions on a lot of the legal issues on foreign policy, and yet 
we won't confirm a career person who has given his career to public 
service.
  David Robinson to the positions of Assistant Secretary of State for 
Conflict and Stabilization Operations and Coordinator for 
Reconstruction and Stabilization. This is a person who we need to deal 
with a lot of the human rights issues.
  John Estrada to the post of U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. 
Drug trafficking--we need a confirmed ambassador. For months and months 
and months they have been on the calendar and no action.
  Azita Raji to be Ambassador to Sweden and Samuel Heins to be 
Ambassador to Norway, our Scandinavian friends.
  I was at the State Department this week for the holiday reception 
with the heads of missions that are stationed in Washington. 
Ambassadors from other countries came up to me and said: Will we get a 
confirmed ambassador? It is affecting America's security and 
reputation, and we need to have confirmed ambassadors. Norway has gone 
2 years without a confirmed ambassador. We have a person who is 
eminently qualified. There is no objection to Samuel Heins being 
confirmed. Yet we can't get a vet on the floor of the Senate because an 
individual Senator is objecting. That is wrong. We have a 
responsibility to act.
  David McKean to be Ambassador of Luxembourg, Cassandra Butts to be 
Ambassador to the Bahamas--that is eight of the total number who are 
being held that I mentioned. As I said, I intended to make the 
unanimous consent requests. Senator Cruz has already come to the floor 
to object. I regret that.
  I urge my colleagues to work out their problems, but do it in a 
timely way and don't hold America hostage, because that is what you are 
doing by not confirming these appointments. You are not holding the 
Obama administration hostage; you are holding America hostage. Who is 
hurt by not having a confirmed ambassador in Norway? There are 
Americans who get hurt who depend upon our relationship with Norway. 
There is a diaspora in the United States that is affected by not having 
a confirmed ambassador to Norway or to Sweden or to the other countries 
that we have not been able to get a confirmed ambassador.
  I urge my colleagues who have problems to enjoy the holiday, get some 
rest, and come back here ready to vote because I think that is what we 
were elected to do. I urge my colleagues to allow us, when we come back 
in January, to have votes on these very qualified people who are 
serving our country and are prepared to serve our country in a more 
significant way.

[[Page 21589]]

  Mr. President, I wish all my colleagues a very happy holiday season.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.

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