I am encouraged by your statement in your opening that you have remained in awe of our Foreign Service Officers.

I was clear with you that intellectual property is also a significant concern of mine.

I will tell you that we filed a complaint against China in the WTO I think successfully asserting that China is unfairly restricting U.S. chicken imports.

I signed a Senate letter--along with 36 of my colleagues, including Senators Portman, Gardner, and Isakson--to President Obama asking him to prioritize biotech approvals in the December meeting of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade…

if we are not going to stand up and defend our democracy, how can they count on us to defend theirs

Thank you, Mr. Sullivan, for your willingness to return to government service and for your strong assertion of your commitment to our basic values...

You can count on me to be a forceful advocate for prioritizing democracy.

I think it is important for us to help them find those opportunities, economic opportunities, but also democratic opportunities.

I just want to draw your attention to my concerns and others' concerns about illegal ivory traffic.

I want to briefly touch on three different areas.

I worked across the aisle with Senator Flake to pass a bill that was signed into law in the last Congress, the End Wildlife Trafficking Act.

I think as you demonstrated, you know by time spent in Lusaka and elsewhere in the developing world, that in countries like that, if we want there to be an American private sector footprint, without OPIC it is not going to happen.

It is in our interest to create and to foster and to reinforce democratic citizen-centered systems.

Democracy and governance is obviously a topic I am passionate about and something that is I think an important distinction.

I support the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

I am optimistic that both of you will find in your engagement with OPIC that there is a thorough and rigorous review process.

I hope to see us take up legislation to reform and improve the way that the United States Government pursues development finance.

I urge all of you to be active in promoting American exports and engagement with the continent.