Press Release: ASP Urges Senate Action on Stalled Diplomatic and Foreign Policy Nominees
Press Contact: Annie Aleman
Email: press@americansecurityproject.org
ASP Urges Senate Action on Stalled Diplomatic and Foreign Policy Nominees
Washington, D.C., December 16, 2021 – While the recent cloture filing to advance several nominees to critical diplomatic posts, such as the Ambassadors for China and Japan, is a welcome and important development, this morning the American Security Project’s (ASP) board of directors sent a letter to Senate Leadership expressing their concern over the pace of Senate consideration for dozens of other nominees for important diplomatic and foreign policy positions. At a time when there are no shortage of foreign policy and national security challenges, not having Senate-confirmed officials in place severely compromises American national security.
ASP’s board warned of the dangerous precedent being set when a Senator can effectively disregard the prerogatives of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by holding up nominees who receive overwhelming bipartisan support for issues having nothing to do with their qualifications to serve.
“There are deep differences between the two parties on many issues, but it benefits neither our foreign policy nor Senate precedent to see one or two Senators effectively tie America’s hands behind its back at a time of high security risk and global competition.”
ASP’s board urged Senate leaders to use every parliamentary procedure available, including holding weekend and late-night sessions, to facilitate consideration of nominees favorably referred out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the Senate floor.
Signers of this letter include Former New Jersey Governor and EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman, Lt Gen Daniel Christman, USA (Ret), ASP President BGen Stephen Cheney, USMC (Ret), and former Senator Gary Hart.
Since its founding, the American Security Project has been a leader in bipartisan national security and foreign policy, promoting dialogue, forging consensus, and raising the American public’s understanding of critical national security issues
Resources:
Letter Sent to Congressional Leadership
The American Security Project (ASP) is a nonpartisan organization created to educate the American public and the world about the changing nature of national security in the 21st Century
