Chris Coons

I couldn't agree more that that is one of the core arguments for robustly resourcing the State Department and the USAID, is to make sure we are meeting this moment.

We cannot be a player on the world stage and keep our country safe and prosperous if we put ourselves on the sidelines.

I very much believe we should be back in UNESCO.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for that brief, but a broad review of the challenges we face, and the leadership that you have shown at the helm of the State Department.

Including supporting Ukraine's determined fight against Russian aggression, countering the threats posed by China.

The more we are engaged in the world now, the better we can address and prevent these challenges before they reach our door.

I want to thank my team for their resilience, ingenuity, integrity, and leadership.

We are constantly seeing new, alarming examples of how the climate crisis poses an immense threat to global security.

I look forward to working with you and the administration, and working with my colleagues on this subcommittee on a bipartisan funding bill.

It is so important that we invest in global solutions to the climate crisis that allow our allies be less reliant on our adversaries for energy.

If we fail to invest in the State Department and the powerful diplomatic tools we have, if we don't keep our embassies well-staffed... our adversaries and competitors will step up and fill that leadership void.

I am confident we can forge and maintain bipartisan support to address the most critical challenges facing us.

We have to continue the work of leading a global coalition that holds Russia accountable for its cruel and unjust invasion of Ukraine.

If we are going to stay competitive we have to continue making smart investments that make our allies and our partnerships stronger.

A group of us, led by Senator Graham and me, but four others, introduced the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act.

I am eager to work with you, if I possibly can, to support finding a path forward as we anticipate the end of Title 42, in the middle of May.

The American people expect us, on the Small Business Committee, to work together to resolve our differences.

I was just on a bipartisan codel to Zambia, South Africa, Botswana. Vibrant, rapidly growing economies that want American businesses.

We all know they design their platforms to hold our attention longer and longer, and we know, from your testimony and, many of us, through personal exposure, that it is not helpful.

Thank you. Thank you all very much for your testimony.

Thank you to Chair Durbin and to Ranking Member Graham for both convening this hearing and for your ongoing work to find a bipartisan path forward.

I look forward to joining in support of the Kids Online Safety Act, for example, but I also think we need to get underway with better funded, broader spectrum research.

The Platform Accountability and Transparency Act would require platforms to disclose information about how their algorithms actually operate.

I've worked with Senators Klobuchar and Cassidy on a bipartisan bill, the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act, that would make social media companies work with independent researchers to validate and ensure that we understand how…

I am glad to see the Administration has decided to sanction the Wagner Group. I am very concerned about the scope and reach of their impact.