Christopher Coons

The fact that Putin is not only killing Ukrainians, but weaponizing food for developing countries, is just a complete outrage.

We need to strengthen productivity in the agricultural sector and employment in the agricultural sector.

If what we hear in country after country is: we welcome U.S. investment, we welcome U.S. companies, we want help transforming our economy.

Thank you, Administrator Power.

It sets a goal of the Ending Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths through such affordable and simple practices as nutritional supplements, clean birthing practices, and vaccines.

Your task is daunting, and this subcommittee must both rigorously oversee your work, and ensure you have the support and resources you need to protect and advance our national security and our national values.

I am encouraged by the fiscal year 2024 budget request for your Agency, and the rest of the State and Foreign Operations budget, as the challenges of our time demand bold investments.

Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for two hours of high energy, and engaging testimony.

I think most importantly you make a compelling case for the urgent national security-based need to invest more robustly in our diplomacy and development.

This was a good and constructive hearing.

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

I think this has been President Biden's best chapter, in a very long career public service.

We need to see that, but we also want to see steps taken to put Tunisia fully back on the democratic path it was on.

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

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

But if we fail to invest in the State Department and the powerful diplomatic tools we have...

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

We are in the middle of a global food crisis, according to the World Food Programme: pre-pandemic, there were 135 million people in more than 50 countries who were facing hunger. That has gone up to 345 million people across more than 80…

I very much believe we should be back in UNESCO. Again, not as a gift to UNESCO, but because things that are happening at UNESCO actually matter, and if we are not there, we are not shaping it.

It is important that we get back there.

If we are going to achieve our national security objective, it is critical to ensure our diplomatic corps is putting the right people with the right tools, and the right resources, and training in the right places to carry out their work.

Vladimir Putin continues his barbaric assault on Ukraine.

We have made real progress together to advance our national security priorities over the last 2 years.

I am very fortunate to have Senator Graham as the Ranking Member on this subcommittee.