Ben Cardin

I share your concern about the Kremlin's tendency to spread lies and false information about USAID's programs.

I have long appreciated the bipartisan support for Africa in Congress and, if confirmed, I look forward to working with you and others in Congress to continue to strengthen U.S.-Africa relations.

Thank you very much for your comments.

I understand that USAID assistance in Georgia focuses on supporting reform-oriented actors in civil society.

I thank all four of you for your commitment to strengthening America through service and in diplomacy.

If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and others in Congress to continue to strengthen U.S.-Africa relations.

If you are engaging in antisemitism, I am going to call you out and I am going to address it.

I also recognize that an open process with Congress and a very transparent process is critically important to the integrity of the rule of law.

Because I agree with you, there is no higher priority than preventing atrocities and there are so many areas in the world today in which we see the circumstances that very clearly are moving towards atrocities and genocide.

No democracy has ever been a healthy democracy if it abided antisemitism.

They are not a blank check for future use of force by the executive branch.

I think Senator Kaine speaks for every member of this committee.

This confusion demonstrates weakness, and weakness always invites more aggression.

Our ability to have influence in regards to Taiwan is very much related to how America is perceived as interested in Asian Pacific area.

It is binding. It is the law. It is not a suggestion.

U.S. policy towards Taiwan has always called for robust support for its defense.

I have also seen what has happened in the previous Administration, where we thought we gave pretty direct guidance through our legislation, only to see the way it was implemented on the environmental side, totally inconsistent with the…

I accept that. But what I am really asking... is there more specifics that we should be directing in the legislation itself to protect against efforts made to politicize these funds not for its intended purpose?

I just wanted to get that on the record, because once this bill is enacted, a year or 2 later, when we get a request from our States to reduce the match, let us be clear that there is at least a commitment here that they are able to make…

If you have some specific suggestions, any one of the four of you, I would appreciate it.

I think for you, as you think about accountability, that is really the threshold question that you have to reach.

We need to show unity and make it clear that there would be a heavy price to pay if Russia, indeed, does further incursions into Ukraine.

We have to be prepared to take action against Russia if they incur further into Ukraine.

I would add that your budget is primarily financed through the industry itself.

I strongly agree with that. Half of our carbon free energy production is through nuclear.