WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered floor remarks prior to the vote for cloture for Elizabeth Allen, the president’s nominee for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
A copy of the Chairman’s remarks as prepared have been provided below.
“Madam President, I come to the floor today to urge my colleagues to vote for cloture for Elizabeth Allen, the president’s nominee for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
When we think about Russia’s illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, or China’s coercive economic practices, we have to realize we are in competition with more than just conventional militaries or economic prowess.
We are in a battle over what kind of world we want to live in.
And we want to live in a world where people are free to speak their minds, free to start a business, free to worship as they choose and marry the person they love.
These are the fundamental freedoms that shape the United States, and the values that drive our foreign policy.
And when it comes to explaining American values and our foreign policy to the world—one of the best tools we have—is our public diplomacy programs.
At a time when our adversaries are pouring billions of dollars into propaganda, targeted disinformation and misinformation campaigns—often about the United States—we need an empowered Bureau of Global Public Affairs to tell the truth about U.S. foreign policy.
We need to highlight the millions of dollars Americans invest in public health, infrastructure projects, and humanitarian relief around the world.
We need programs like the International Leadership Visitor Program that exposes rising leaders from across the world to American systems of governance and democracy.
Leaders who share our vision of a free and open world.
We need programs that bring foreign students to American universities, not only affirming the excellence of our higher education system, but bringing billions of dollars into the U.S. economy. And I could go on.
Our public diplomacy tools are simply the best bang for our buck when it comes to making sure we expose people around the world to American values, culture, and the truth about our foreign policy efforts. And we need capable, qualified leadership at the Department of State to lead these efforts.
That’s why we must confirm Ms. Allen as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy without delay.
As the current senior official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the Department of State, she has already advanced numerous objectives.
And as a highly qualified professional with a distinguished career and extensive experience in both public and private sectors, Ms. Allen is a nominee who will hit the ground running.
She began her career at the Department of State in the Office of Global Women’s Issues and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
She served with distinction in the Obama-Biden Administration for eight years, including as White House Deputy Communications Director and Deputy Assistant to President Obama.
And as she talked about during her confirmation hearing—she comes from a family who knows what it means to serve the American people.
The granddaughter of two veterans of World War II.
The daughter of parents who value public service, regardless of party.
Ms. Allen understands the importance of making institutional changes to better educate our diplomats and integrate public diplomacy tools into policymaking.
And so—Madam President—I urge this body to support cloture on Ms. Allen’s nomination so we can get her confirmed without delay. And spread the good word of American foreign policy across the world.
I yield the floor.”
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