Category Archives: Senators

Senate Releases Burns (China), Toloui (EB), Hussain (IRF), Barrett (Luxembourg) From Confirmation Super Glue

December 17, 2021 By in Ambassadors, assistant secretaries, Confirmations, Functional Bureaus, international organizations, Political Appointees, Senate Hold, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

 

On December 16, the U.S. Senate was able to released four State Department nominees from the body’s confirmation tacky super glue. There were logged senate votes for the first three nominees (China, EB, IRF), and for the confirmation of the Ambassador to Luxembourg, a simple voice vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also tweeted “I have filed cloture to start the process on more than 20 of President Biden’s nominees. These nominees are vital to addressing the national security and economic challenges of our nation. We will work until they are all confirmed by this chamber.”
It was for 22 nominations to be exact. 12 out of 22 are @StateDept nominations. 1 of 12 is a career diplomat (going to Vietnam). In the Senate priorities on which nominations should be confirmed first, former senators and widows of senators are obviously on top of the list, followed by the donor class and the friends with connections class, and then if there is still time, they may also confirm the career folks before they end their session for the holidays. Otherwise, it may not look  good; although that does not seem to matter anymore these days.  Phuey! I supposed we can stick with the hamsters’ motto of the more things change, the more things stay the same. Amen.
Related post:

VPOTUS Swears-In Jeff Flake as New US Ambassador to Turkey

December 13, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Senators, Trends, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , ,

 

 

###

U.S. Senate Confirms Two Ex-Senators and Two Widows of Senators to Ambassadorships. Yay!

November 1, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Confirmations, Foreign Service, FSOs, Political Appointees, Realities of the FS, Senate Hold, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

 

On October 26, the institution that used to be called the “world’s greatest deliberative body” finally confirmed four ambassadorships despite Cancun Cruz’s blanket hold. The senators confirmed the former senator from Arizona for a post in Turkey, confirmed the former senator for New Mexico for a post in New Zealand and Samoa, and they confirmed the widows of two senators who used to represent Arizona and Massachusetts.
Oh, yes, the U.S. Senate also confirmed three Foreign Service lists two days after they confirmed their friends to these ambassadorships. By Thursday, somebody must have thought, hey, it might look bad that only Senate-connected nominees were confirmed on Tuesday.
Now, no one really think that, right?   Does it look bad? Wait! Did you think that?
Well, somebody did! So they rolled out what we’re calling their fruit basket strategery. Sure, they confirmed four political appointees but they also confirmed 283 regular Foreign Service folks who have been waiting from 2-3 months for their confirmation.
Apples and oranges in the fruit basket, see?
Do send your thanks to these jolly, old fellows in the Senate.
AMBASSADORSHIPS
2021-10-26 PN872 Jeffry Lane Flake, of Arizona, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Turkey.
2021-10-26 PN918 Tom Udall, of New Mexico, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Independent State of Samoa.
2021-10-26 PN1008 Cindy Hensley McCain, of Arizona, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
2021-10-26 PN1031 Victoria Reggie Kennedy, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria.
FOREIGN SERVICE LISTS
2021-10-28 PN904 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Ninoshka Abreu Guerra, and ending Stefanie Nicole Yacubovich, which 224 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on July 19, 2021.
2021-10-28 PN905 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Rosemary Gallant, and ending Eric Wolff, which 17 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on July 19, 2021.
2021-10-28 PN1015 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Elizabeth R. Baiocchi, and ending William K. Makaneole, which 42 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on August 9, 2021.

###

SFRC Senators Express “Concern” to @SecBlinken For @StateDept’s Handling of #HavanaSyndrome

October 15, 2021 By in 71st Secretary of State, Blinken, Diplomatic Attacks, Foreign Service, Hotspots, MEDical, Realities of the FS, Secretary of State, Security, Senators, SFRC, State Department, Top Ranks, Trends, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , ,

 

In a letter to Secretary Blinken, Senators from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee writes “We believe this threat deserves the highest level of attention from the State Department, and remain concerned that the State Department is not treating this crisis with the requisite senior-level attention that it requires. “
Also that the Senators “continue to hear concerns that the Department is not sufficiently communicating with or responding to diplomats  who have been injured from these attacks. We are also concerned that the Department is insufficiently engaged in interagency efforts to find the cause of these attacks, identify those responsible, and develop a plan to hold them accountable. “
The Senators urged a replacement for Ambassador Spratlen imediately:
“We urge you to immediately announce a successor to Ambassador Spratlen to lead the Department’s Health Incident Response Task Force. Critically, this post must be a senior-level official that reports directly to you. It is incumbent that this individual has the experience to engage effectively with affected individuals and with the interagency. As you know, pending bipartisan legislation in the Senate would require the Secretary to designate an agency coordinator for AHIs who reports directly to you. We ask that you take this step now to demonstrate that the State Department does take this matter seriously, and is coordinating an appropriate agency-level response.”
Finally, the senators write, “We wish to support the State Department and U.S. personnel through every means possible, and to support the Department in effectively addressing this national security threat. We look forward to receiving your response, and to your heightened engagement on this issue.”
The letter is available to read here.
The State Department has a response from the podium but we’ll save you the anguish of having to read the same thing all over again.
Just yesterday, we got another email in our inbox that says “Those DPB comments are utter bullshit.”
The spox did say that “… we want to make sure that those who have come forward are getting the care that they need. And I can give you quite a bit in terms of what our Bureau of Medical Services has done, including since January of this year, to ensure that those who come forward are getting that care.”
But …. but… how are they getting the care they need?
If folks can’t even get an email response from MED except for a form email?
At least there’s a form email, right?
But that feeling when you’re worried you may have a brain injury and you get a form email — apparently, that does not generate a warm feeling of WE’RE HERE FOR YOU, WE CARE.
The senators are right to remain concerned. Foggy Bottom typically responds to a few external pressures — the courts, the press, and yes, attentiveness from the Congress.

 

Related post:

###

U.S. Senate Makes Minor Dent in Logjam, Confirms Lewis (PM), Robinson (INL), Phee (AF), Medina (OES), Donfried (EUR)

September 29, 2021 By in AF |Africa, assistant secretaries, Biden, Confirmations, EUR|Europe, Functional Bureaus, Regional Bureaus, Senate Hold, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Updated: 9/29/21

VP Kamala Harris Swears-In New US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar

September 7, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Senators, U.S. Missions, WHA|Western Hemisphere Tags: , , , ,

 

 

Nominations Caught in Cancún Cruz’s Senate Confirmation Blockage

August 13, 2021 By in Nominations, Politics, Senate Hold, Senators, State Department, Top Ranks, Trends, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , ,

 

The U.S. Senate is now adjourned until Monday, September 13th. Before the adjournment, it managed to confirm one (1), that’s right, one ambassador’s nomination out of over twenty State Department nominees pending on the Executive Calendar.
Below are the nominees caught in Ted Cruz’s blockage of State Department nominees. Yes, that’s the same a senator who will forever be remembered as one of the twisted tool of the January 6 insurrection. Also as Cancún Cruz, that one who fled to Mexico while his state froze.
It is unfortunate that the nominees are used as pawns when senators do not get their way. This isn’t going to change anytime soon. This has been the way of the Senate for years now. Some suggestions. We should fix the Senate by electing reasonable people who are not multiuseless. Or we should reduced the number of people requiring Senate confirmation to minimized the chaos brought about by the actions of people of multiple uselessness in the “world’s greatest deliberative body”. Oh, let’s throw in term limits, why don’t we?
DEPARTMENT OF STATE -14

Brett M. Holmgren, of Minnesota, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Intelligence and Research), vice Ellen E. McCarthy.

Michele Jeanne Sison, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (International Organization Affairs), vice Kevin Edward Moley, resigned.

Todd D. Robinson, of New Jersey, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs), vice Kirsten Dawn Madison

Daniel J. Kritenbrink, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (East Asian and Pacific Affairs), vice David Stilwell.

Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform, with the rank of Ambassador.

Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform.

Rufus Gifford, of Massachusetts, to be Chief of Protocol, and to have the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service, vice Sean P. Lawler, resigned.

Brian A. Nichols, of Rhode Island, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Western Hemisphere Affairs), vice Kimberly Breier, resigned

Monica P. Medina, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, vice Kerri-Ann Jones, resigned.

Anne A. Witkowsky, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Conflict and Stabilization Operations), vice Denise Natali.

Anne A. Witkowsky, of Maryland, to be Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, vice David Malcolm Robinson.

Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs), vice Tibor Peter Nagy, Jr

Lee Satterfield, of South Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Educational and Cultural Affairs), vice Marie Royce.

Karen Erika Donfried, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European Affairs and Eurasian Affairs), vice A. Wess Mitchell, resigned.

Jessica Lewis, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs), vice R. Clarke Cooper.

Donald Lu, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of MinisterCounselor, to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, vice Nisha Desai Biswal.

AMBASSADORS – 7

Somalia – Larry Edward Andre, Jr., of Texas, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Somalia

Algeria – Elizabeth Moore Aubin, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

Lesotho – Maria E. Brewer, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Cameroon – Christopher John Lamora, of Rhode Island, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cameroon.

Angola/Sao Tome and Principe – Tulinabo S. Mushingi, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Angola, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

Congo – Eugene S. Young, of New York, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of the Congo.

Vietnam- Marc Evans Knapper, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

USAID – 3

Marcela Escobari, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, vice John Barsa.

Paloma Adams-Allen, of the District of Columbia, to be a Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, vice Bonnie Glick.

Isobel Coleman, of New York, to be a Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, vice Jenny A. McGee

 

Click to access xcalv.pdf

 

 

Related posts:

Senate Confirms Ex-Senator Ken Salazar as Ambassador to Mexico, Then Left Town

August 13, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Realities of the FS, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate, WHA|Western Hemisphere Tags: , , , ,

 

 

###

Nominee: Former Senator Tom Udall to be Ambassador to New Zealand and to the Independent State of Samoa

July 19, 2021 By in Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , ,
Thank you to over 500 readers and supporters who made our continued operation possible this year. Raising funds for a small outlet that is already open and free for all to read has often been the most challenging part of running  this blog. We are grateful for your continued support and well wishes. Gracias — DS
President Biden announced his intent to nominate former NM Democratic Senator Tom Udall to be the next Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. The WH released the following brief bio:

Tom Udall, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to New Zealand and to the Independent State of Samoa

Tom Udall has a long and distinguished career in public service.  He most recently served two terms as United States Senator from New Mexico (2009-2021) and served five terms as United States Representative from New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District (1999-2009).  While in office, Udall was a notable champion for the environment, for Native Americans, for government and election reform and for resolving international disputes peacefully, if possible.  Earlier in his career, Udall was elected twice as Attorney General of New Mexico (1991-1999) and also served as an Assistant United States Attorney.  His Senate Committee assignments included the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Committee on Rules and Administration, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Narcotics Control Caucus.  Udall has a B.A. degree from Prescott College, a Bachelor of Law from Cambridge University, and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico.

As pointed out elsewhere, there are now three former senators nominated for ambassadorships: Udall, Flake, and Salazar.
When confirmed, Senator Udall would succeed former Senator Scott P. Brown who served from 2017-2021. Since the 1960s, we could only identify three career diplomats appointed as chief of mission to New Zealand:

###

Biden Taps Former AZ Republican Senator Jeff Flake as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey

July 19, 2021 By in Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, Senators, Staffing the FS, Trends, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , ,
Thank you to over 500 readers and supporters who made our continued operation possible this year. Raising funds for a small outlet that is already open and free for all to read has often been the most challenging part of running  this blog. We are grateful for your continued support and well wishes. Gracias — DS

 

President Biden announced his intent to nominate former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake to be his Ambassador to Turkey. The WH released the following brief bio:

Jeff Lane Flake, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Turkey

Jeff L. Flake is currently a Distinguished Fellow at Arizona State University and a Distinguished Fellow at the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership at Brigham Young University.  He also serves on the Senior Advisory Committee at Harvard’s Institute of Politics.  Flake was a Member of Congress for 18 years, representing Arizona in the U.S. Senate (2013-2019) and the U.S. House of Representatives (2001-2013), where he served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  A frequent public speaker, he is also a former contributor for CNN and CBS News.  Flake is a Director of Taylor Morrison, a home builder in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a former Executive Director of the Goldwater Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.  Early in his career, he was Executive Director of the Foundation for Democracy in Namibia.  He speaks Afrikaans.  He earned a B.A. in International Relations, and an M.A. in Political Science, at Brigham Young University.  He is a recipient of the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from the University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is reportedly  supporting “close Senate scrutiny of President Biden’s controversial nomination this week of former Arizona legislator Jeff Flake … Over the coming weeks, the US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations will consider Flake’s nomination. The ANCA will be working in a bipartisan manner to ensure that Flake’s complicity in Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide is carefully scrutinized by members of this powerful committee.”
We can’t imagine the U.S. Senate not confirming one of its own or dragging this process long.  Senators have already offered statements of support and tweets of congratulations. This will be quick. It only took about a month for Max Baucus to be confirmed by the Senate for China in 2014; Yea-Nay Vote. 96 – 0. It took about five weeks for Scott Brown’s confirmation for New Zealand in 2017; Yea-Nay Vote. 94 – 4.  And about five weeks for Kay Bailey Hutchison to be confirmed for USNATO in 2017 (confirmed by voice vote). (See list of senators who served as ambassadors/or held diplomatic posts).
When confirmed, Senator Flake would succeed career diplomat David Satterfield who arrived in Ankara in 2019. The last non-career appointee sent to Turkey was Robert Strausz-Hupé (1903–2002). He served from 1981–1989 during the Reagan years. Before him, there was William Macomber Jr.; he served from May 16, 1973–June 15, 1977 during Nixon/Ford’s tenures.

###

Related posts: