Political Quotes

“I certainly understand the right of the Senator to object. I would just hope that this could be resolved. It is not about the State Department being put at a disadvantage by not having these confirmed positions; it is the American people. These are security positions for which we have to have representatives, and not only of the State Department. As I go through these nominations, we will be talking about the Legal Adviser at the Department of State, and we will be talking about ambassadors. Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar No. 204 Next, Madam President, let me mention Brian Egan to be State Department Legal Adviser. The Legal Adviser is the principal adviser to the Department of State on all legal matters, domestic and international, arising in the context of the work of the Secretary of State and the Department as a whole. The Legal Adviser also advises the President and the National Security Council, as well as other Federal agencies, on all legal matters involving the conduct of foreign relations. I think we are all familiar with the challenges we have that are raised every day in the Senate--issues raised about whether this is legally acceptable or not. We really should have a confirmed Legal Adviser to the State Department in order to respond to the concerns not only of the Congress but of the American people and our international partners. Like Ambassador Shannon, Mr.…”