Tim Kaine

We need our diplomats out and development experts out in the field showing up, actively engaged, representing the United States.

Holding up a nominee, particularly a career nominee for reasons unrelated to that individual's qualifications is something that needs to end.

If we mattered to you, you would have someone here, right?

It seems like a big issue to me.

If somebody on the Senate is holding you up, and it is secret, you do not even have the ability to...

And that is not just for the political appointees.

Your confirmation gives those candidates a different level of standing.

Is there not also kind of an informal power that comes in the reverse if you do not have a confirmed nominee?

When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, we did not have an ambassador in Egypt.

We had no ambassador in country. That coup has led to a government that now wants to kick the U.S. out.

The Senate holds on ambassadorial nominees are harming our national interest.

When the security situation in Haiti spiraled downward, we had no ambassador in place.

When the Houthis started to fire at U.S. and other ships in the Red Sea, we did not have an ambassador in Djibouti.

Other nations do that and they have much better health outcome than we do.

I'm going to be in Appalachian, Virginia tomorrow visiting the Allegheny Highlands Dental Center.

Thanks, Chairman Sanders, thanks to the panel.

I want to thank you for your work on Remote Access Medical.

We need to be looking at the region comprehensively, especially with all the federal facilities.

We will reach 100 percent clean energy for our DOD facilities in Virginia by 2030.

Virginia has become a real leader in clean energy.

This is already urgent in Virginia. The sea level rise in Hampton Roads is imposing significant costs on our military installations, but also on our communities.

Thank you, Chairman Whitehouse, and to my colleagues and those attending, it is a pleasure to have Rick Dwyer here today.

I think America's greatest strength is our alliances.

We need to be looking at the region comprehensively, especially with all the federal facilities.

We will reach 100 percent clean energy for our DOD facilities in Virginia by 2030.