"President-elect Obama and I pledge to work closely with this committee and the Congress to forge a bipartisan, integrated, results-oriented sustainable foreign policy that will restore American leadership to confront these challenges, serve our interests, and advance our values."
"One of my first priorities is to make sure that the State Department and USAID have the resources they need."
"our goal will be to do everything we can pursue, through diplomacy, through the use of sanctions, through creating better coalitions"
"a nuclear-armed Iran is in no one's interests under any circumstances"
"No option is off the table."
"the Obama administration will be consulting broadly and deeply so that, when we move, we will move in concert, insofar as possible."
"it seems counterproductive and almost incomprehensible that we're not on the ground in some of these places."
"if we don't enhance our diplomatic and development efforts, and move toward more equilibrium, we will not be as successful as we need to be in promoting our foreign policy."
"I really believe, Senator, that this will be a significant step on the way toward putting the State Department on a sounder financial and management footing."
"It matters greatly to me, as it does to the President-elect, these development efforts, these humanitarian commitments by the United States Government, are often the way we are perceived."
"If we're going to move authorities and resources back from the Defense Department to the State Department we have to be able to function effectively and demonstrate our efficiency."