Ben Cardin

I would just hope that when we have witnesses that come before our committee, that they are prepared to testify as to their views and are not as restricted as I just heard this reply.

I find it somewhat shocking that you cannot answer a simple question about whether the United States' Feed the Future program is important.

The President's budget cuts the funding in that program, I do not know the exact number, but I am told it could be as high as 36 percent, maybe 28 percent.

We recognize the importance of our programs.

I do not believe we will pass the President's budget. I think Democrats and Republicans will reject the deep cuts that have been suggested in the State Department.

And here, U.S. leadership is critically important.

If we want to save the needs for humanitarian assistance, let's deal with the root causes.

As has been pointed out, this is a manmade problem, so we need to work on a dual track.

But to know that legislation, which does not cost the American people one penny, could be passed to feed 5 million more people a day, and we are sitting here with 70 million people starving today, to me, is unbelievable.

The South Sudanese Government recently said they want humanitarian workers to pay $10,000 for a visa. That is outrageous, and the international community needs to speak out.

The tragedy is even made worse because political leaders in these countries are denying humanitarian access.

It is in our interests, not just from the humanitarian point of view, but from the national security issues, to do something about these circumstances.

We know that we have to do something about this. We know that America can do something about this.

We are the ones who pass the budget. President Trump can submit a budget, but we are the ones who pass the budgets. And we have a responsibility.

But our refugee program is not only directly important for refugees, but it is a signal to the international community as to America's leadership.

I would also point out that, clearly, we need to deal with the responsibility and accountability to the Assad regime, to Russia's involvement in Syria, to terrorist groups that are operating in Syria, all that is continuing to add to the…

I would point out that, in Mosul, we have a government that we can at least work with and communicate with, whereas, in Raqqa, we do not, so there is, I think, a much greater risk in Raqqa.

I will certainly be working with Senator Merkley and Senator Kaine and others on our committee.

Historically, the U.S. has been the largest refugee resettlement country.

We need to know Mr. Trump's policies as it relates to Syria and ending the conflict in Syria in the national interests of the United States.

Do you commit to carry out the Trade Promotion Authority direction that in trade agreements we will carry out anti-corruption commitments?

Do you also commit that you will comply with that principal negotiating objective that was included in the congressional act?

We do need a strong USTR to enforce our antidumping laws and to deal with illegal subsidies.

We expect the USTR to comply with the delegation and the objectives given to you by Congress.

I do know, though, on enforcing our antidumping laws, it would be very helpful if, in the bilateral agreements, we had specific references to the enforcement of U.S. law in that bilateral rather than relying on a case within the WTO.