Amy Klobuchar: “I come to the floor today to support Elizabeth Bagley's nomination to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and…”

“I come to the floor today to support Elizabeth Bagley's nomination to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federative Republic of Brazil. Elizabeth brings to this position significant experience in diplomacy, law, and foreign affairs. Over the course of her incredible career, she has served our country as Ambassador to Portugal, as a senior adviser to multiple Secretaries of State, and as congressional liaison to the Helsinki Accords and the Camp David Treaties. At the State Department, she was the first person to serve as the Special Representative for Global Partnerships, an office which worked to advance foreign policy priorities through private sector engagement. She has a background in international law and shared that expertise with the students at Georgetown University Law Center. Through her years advising key leaders like Madeleine Albright, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry, Elizabeth gained the experience needed to represent our country on the world stage. We all know about the key role Ambassadors play in diplomacy. U.S. and broader democratic efforts suffer when we do not have an Ambassador in place--someone to officially represent the U.S. Government, to lead our Foreign Service Officers abroad, and to strengthen diplomatic ties with other nations. This is particularly true of Brazil, a country that is home to a U.S. Embassy, four consulates, a branch office, and decades of partnership.…”