Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today convened a business meeting at which the committee approved nine nominees.
“I am glad to see nine of the president’s nominees advance through our committee today,” said Risch. “All of these nominees have important roles to fill, and I am especially pleased that we were able to move Brian Bulatao for under secretary of State for management and David Schenker for assistant secretary of State for near eastern affairs. Mr. Bulatao is eminently qualified and his role is of extreme importance as it is responsible for the management and operations of the State Department. It is notable that we were able to move his nomination forward today with unanimous bipartisan support. In addition, with the many issues we face across the Middle East, we badly need someone of Mr. Schenker’s caliber in place and ready to manage those increasingly complex relationships.”
The full list of nominees advanced from today’s business meeting is below.
NOMINATIONS
Mr. Sean Cairncross, of Minnesota, to be Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation
Mr. Robert A. Destro, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor)
Mr. David Schenker, of New Jersey, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs)
Mr. Edward F. Crawford, of Ohio, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Ireland
The Honorable James S. Gilmore, of Virginia, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador
The Honorable David Michael Satterfield, of Missouri, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Turkey
Mr. Alan R. Swendiman, of North Carolina, to be Deputy Director of the Peace Corps
Ms. Kate Marie Byrnes, of Florida, 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 North Macedonia
Mr. Brian J. Bulatao, of Texas, to be an Under Secretary of State (Management)