Jeanne Shaheen

Do you feel like those measures have improved the situation, and if not, what other kinds of efforts do you think can be undertaken to address this issue?

I am very troubled by the recent report from the Office of the Inspector General that found that nearly 1 in 5 American Peace Corps Volunteers serving around the world is sexually assaulted at some point during their service.

I am a big supporter of the Peace Corps. I think it does amazing work around the world.

I do not have a statement but I would just like to echo the thanks to each of you for your willingness to take on these very important positions.

We want to be supportive of the process as much as possible, and if confirmed, I will do what I can to be supportive to both communities as they try to undertake a very difficult path to reconciliation and reunification.

I could not agree more, and I look forward to working with you to address those challenges.

Economic assistance, development assistance, is one of the best ways that we can encourage democratic values in many of the countries that we are working in.

I will be an advocate for more robust programs in the key countries across the region.

I would be a strong advocate for enlarging those budgets, at the same time ensuring that the money is well-targeted and well-spent.

I would just urge you to think about that.

Your willingness to serve at a time when there is continued financial upheaval in Europe, as well as the threat from Russia and from ISIS, is absolutely critical.

For a number of years, I think we viewed Europe as our most important ally, and we were well on the way to a Europe that was whole and free and at peace.

Can you talk a little bit about what your assessment is of whether they are making progress and whether you see the potential and what the United States can do to help with that effort?

I appreciate the close relationship that America and Georgia have had, and their contributions to our efforts in Afghanistan have been significant.

If confirmed, I would certainly seek to promote both of those objectives--the LNG terminal, the creation of the regional energy hub--but also to support Croatia's advocacy and its emphasis on making all of the countries of the Balkans…

Protecting the Serbian orthodox heritage in Kosovo is certainly one of the key elements of this normalization dialogue.

I think we should be very proud of that.

We are considering your nominations and our relations with these countries against the backdrop of an aggressive Russia in Europe's east and growing instability in its south, in the Middle East and in North Africa.

This is a hearing that we ought to undertake because it's important to our American democracy.

The first person I heard raise it in Congress was Senator McCain, the Chairman of this committee.

I am very heartened by your point that this is not a partisan issue.

I was told that there was concern that this might be viewed as a partisan issue.

In fact, before Congress went out, before the October recess, called on hearings to better look at what was going on.

Again, I am hopeful the junior Senator from Texas is going to do what he should have done all along, which is lift his hold and allow both the Ambassadors to Sweden and Norway and Ambassador Shannon to move forward. ____________________

I know my time is expired, Mr. Chairman, but if I could just ask him to follow up on the other part of my question, which is, Are we contributing at all, in terms of direct assistance, to a counter-ISIL, a counter-Taliban message to the…