Tag Archives: John R. Bass

Ambassador John R. Bass Presents His Credentials in Afghanistan

December 18, 2017 By in Ambassadors, Diplomatic Life, Foreign Service, FSOs, U.S. Missions Tags: , , ,

Posted: 2;57 am ET

 

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SFRC Clears Bass (AFG), Manchester (Bahamas), King (Czech), McFarland (Singapore), Gingrich (Holy See), and More

September 20, 2017 By in Ambassadors, Foreign Service, FSOs, Nominations, Political Appointees, SFRC, State Department, U.S. Senate, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted: 1:30 pm PT
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On September 19, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee cleared the following nominees. The nominations will now go to the full Senate for a vote:

John R. Bass, 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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Doug Manchester, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Stephen B. King, of Wisconsin, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Czech Republic.

Kathleen Troia McFarland, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Singapore.

The panel also cleared Steve Mnuchin as U.S. Goveror for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the IMF:

Steven T. Mnuchin, of California, to be United States Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, United States Governor of the African Development Fund, and United States Governor of the Asian Development Bank, vice Jacob Joseph Lew, resigned.

Steven T. Mnuchin, of California, to be United States Governor of the International Monetary Fund, United States Governor of the African Development Bank, United States Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank, and United States Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of five years, vice Jacob Joseph Lew, resigned.

The following nominees for UNGA were also cleared:

Barbara Lee, of California, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-second Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Christopher Smith, of New Jersey, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Seventy-second Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Previously, the Senate panel also cleared the following nominees. As far as we can tell, these nominees are pending on the Executive Calendar and the full Senate has yet to put these nominations to a vote:

Callista L. Gingrich, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Holy See. Jul 27, 2017 Reported by Mr. Corker, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.

Jay Patrick Murray, of Virginia, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador. Aug 03, 2017 Reported by Mr. Corker, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.

Jay Patrick Murray, 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 Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. Aug 03, 2017 Reported by Mr. Corker, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.

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SFRC Hearings: Eric M. Ueland (M), John R. Bass (Afghanistan), Justin Siberell (Bahrain), Steven Dowd (ADB)

September 11, 2017 By in Congress, FSOs, Hearings, Nominations, Political Appointees, SFRC, State Department Tags: , , , , ,

Posted: 4:25 am ET
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The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding confirmation hearings for four State Department nominees today. The first panel has a one sole nominee, Eric M. Euland to be the Under Secretary of State for Management (see Trump to Nominate Top GOP Budget Aide Eric Ueland to be Under Secretary for Management #StateDept). The second panel includes two nominees for ambassador, both career diplomats: John R. Bass for Afghanistan, and Justin Siberell for Bahrain, and J. Steven Dowd, the nominee for The African Development Bank.

Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Time: 09:30 AM
Location: SD-419
Presiding: Senator Corker

The prepared statements and a live video of the hearings will be posted here when available.

Panel One

Mr. Eric M. Ueland
Of Oregon, To Be An Under Secretary Of State (Management)

Panel Two

The Honorable John R. Bass
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 Islamic Republic Of Afghanistan

Mr. Justin Hicks Siberell
Of Maryland, 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 Bahrain
Mr. J. Steven Dowd
Of Florida, To Be United States Director Of The African Development Bank For A Term Of Five Years
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Secretary Kerry Swears-In John Bass as Ambassador to Turkey

October 8, 2014 By in Ambassadors, Foreign Service, FSOs, John F. Kerry, Obama, Secretary of State, Staffing the FS, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

— Domani Spero
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President Obama announced his intent to nominate John Bass as the next ambassador to Turkey on  June 3, 2014.  At that time, the WH released the following brief bio:

Ambassador John R. Bass, a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the Executive Secretary of the Department of State, a position he has held since 2012.  Previously, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia from 2009 to 2012, the Leader of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Baghdad, Iraq from 2008 to 2009, and the Director of the Operations Center at the Department of State from 2005 to 2008.  He served as a Special Advisor to the Vice President from 2004 to 2005, and from 2002 to 2004 he was a Labor Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy. Ambassador Bass served as Chief of Staff and Special Assistant in the Office of the Deputy Secretary at the Department of State from 1998 to 2001.  Before that, he was a NATO Desk Officer and Desk Officer for Belgium and the Netherlands in the Bureau of European Affairs.  He served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research and his overseas assignments include serving at the U.S. Missions in Brussels, Belgium; Antwerp, Belgium; and Ndjamena, Chad. Ambassador Bass received an A.B. from Syracuse University.

— Bass, John – Republic of Turkey – 06-2014

 

Ambassador Bass had his confirmation hearing on July 15, 2015.  He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 17, 2014.  Our previously confirmed ambassador to Ankara, Frank J. Ricciardone, Jr. departed post on July 7, 2014, retired from the Foreign Service, and had since been appointed as vice president and director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.

Ambassador Bass takes over leadership at Embassy Ankara from retired ambassador Ross Wilson who arrived in Turkey on September 6, 2014 to take up duties as Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim.  He’ll have his hands full.

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After 444 days, Senate Confirms Thomas Daughton For Namibia, Also Confirms Bass, Schultz and Pressman

September 17, 2014 By in Ambassadors, Confirmations, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

— Domani Spero
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Today, the U.S. Senate finally confirmed the State Department nominee who waited the longest on the Executive Calendar. After waiting for 444 days, the nominee as Ambassador to Namibia, Tom Daughton was confirmed by voice vote. Nominees to Zambia, Turkey and the UN were also confirmed.

Namibia: Thomas Frederick Daughton, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Namibia (voice vote)

Zambia: Eric T. Schultz, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Zambia (voice vote)

Turkey: John R. Bass, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Turkey; Roll call vote, confirmed: 98-0

USUN: David Pressman, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador (voice vote); also 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 Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations (voice vote)

 

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Meet the State Department’s Next Executive Secretary — Ambassador Joe Macmanus

July 15, 2014 By in Ambassadors, Appointments, Foreign Service, FSOs, John F. Kerry, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: , ,

— Domani Spero
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Vienna Office Joe Macmanus - who is the State Department's incoming Executive Secretary - before addressing staffers from the three Department missions in Vienna, Austria, during a break in the Iran nuclear talks on July 14, 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Vienna Office Joe Macmanus – who is the State Department’s incoming Executive Secretary – before addressing staffers from the three Department missions in Vienna, Austria, during a break in the Iran nuclear talks on July 14, 2014.

 

Ambassador McManus will succeed Ambassador John Bass who was appointed Executive Secretary of State in October 2009. Last month, Ambassador Bass was nominated by President Obama  to be our next ambassador to the Republic of Turkey.

A career member of the Foreign Service holding the rank of Minister Counselor, Ambassador McManus served as the Executive Assistant to Secretary Clinton from May 2012 until November 2012, and from January 2009 until April 2011. As the senior professional aide to Secretary Clinton, he helped to manage the Secretary’s professional office and staff, and accompanied her on foreign travel. From June 2008 until January 2009, he served in the same capacity under former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. More from state.gov:

Ambassador Macmanus was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs from April 2011 until May 2012. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs from 2005 until 2008, managing an office of 30 liaison officers responsible for the Department’s day-to-day relationship with Congress on legislation, budget and appropriations, and foreign policy. He has served in this and other capacities in the Department since 2003.

Ambassador Macmanus entered the Foreign Service in 1986 as a Public Diplomacy Officer at the United States Information Agency (USIA). From 1986 until 2003, he served in various Public Diplomacy positions in Mexico, El Salvador, Poland, Belgium, and at the U.S. Information Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Macmanus served as Assistant to the Deputy Director of USIA from 1995 until 1999, where he worked on a number of initiatives in democracy, human rights, and the consolidation of the U.S. Information Agency into the Department of State.

Ambassador Macmanus has a B.A. in English from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters in Information Science from the State University of New York.

 

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