Joe Lieberman: “I rise this afternoon to congratulate Senator Helms, Senator Biden and the members of the Senate Foreign Relations…”

“I rise this afternoon to congratulate Senator Helms, Senator Biden and the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the bipartisan spirit reflected in the Foreign Affairs Reform bill, and particularly for their efforts to restructure the foreign affairs agencies for the 21st century. When a proposal to consolidate agencies came to the floor last year, I offered an amendment that would have struck provisions integrating the United States Information Agency into the Department of State. At that time, there appeared to be a serious risk that the valuable mission of USIA, public diplomacy, would be harmed in a consolidation process overly inspired by a zeal to slash budgets and bureaucracies. I will continue to watch this closely. Those of us who shared this concern are pleased that the effort being made now will strengthen and not diminish public diplomacy by keeping the focus on the team responsible for its conduct. Despite the wonderful capabilities of technology, we cannot count on it alone to carry America's message to foreign countries. There will always be the problem that Edward R. Murrow described as taking the message 'the last three feet.' What I imagine Murrow meant was that foreign publics will be open to understanding America's case only when they know us and respect us, and when we know enough about them to relate to their interests and values. This means more than shouting at them through technology's loudspeakers.…”