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Dear Board of Directors,

Yesterday was a good day for the USGLC – 70% of the senators on the Foreign Relations Committee used their time during the confirmation hearings for Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo to ask a question related to our issues, despite the overwhelming pull to engage on Russia, Russia, Iran, and Russia! Oh, and Syria.

But even better than that, Director Pompeo was very positive and (unlike Tillerson) came across sincere in his responses on our concerns – from filling the vacancies quickly to bringing the “swagger” back to the State Department. Hats off to Senator Menendez for getting Pompeo on the record to pushback against FY18 rescissions saying: “I’ll look at each one, I’ll determine whether they are resources that are needed, and if they are, I’ll fight to keep—let me make sure I get this right—to oppose the rescissions. I’ll make the case in the Administration to defend the resources that the State Department needs. So if there are rescissions of resources I believe we need I’ll be there.”

By no means am I discounting the very, very concerning reality of OMB’s dislike of foreign aid, the new National Security Council cleaning shop, the withholding of $200 million civil stabilization funds in Syria, and the likelihood that foreign assistance will be a target of the President’s rescission packet, but at least for yesterday – a glimmer of good news.

Here are a few highlights below, along with a win from Secretary Mattis:

1. Majority of Senators on SFRC Weigh In. It wasn’t surprising that Pompeo’s nomination hearing was dominated by the news of the day, particularly Russia and Syria with Senators on both sides of the aisle taking full opportunity to ask (or grill, depending on who you talk to) the nominee.


* But... when it comes to our issues, it was an impressive show of commitment to our issues – with 70% of committee members asking questions in our space. If you joined our call on Wednesday, you heard me say that we worked our tail off to ensure our issues would break through during the hearing. And, they did. Congrats to Lindsay and Ariana and our Government Relations team.


* Concerns about morale, unfilled positions, and the hollowing out of the International Affairs Budget were woven throughout almost every Senator’s remarks during their questioning of Pompeo – shout outs to Senators Young, Cardin, Isakson, Booker, Murphy, Menendez, and even Risch (the likely next Chairman), who all had great lines of questioning on our issues.

2. Pompeo on Our Issues. From his opening remarks to his answers in the 4-plus hour hearing, Pompeo leaned in. A more robust list of quotes are below – including the various Senators comments that are really worth reading – but here is a quick snapshot:


* On Resources. In response to a comment on his predecessor rejecting additional resources, Pompeo said: “I’ll take the extra dollar. I’m convinced I can find ways to add value – to create American national security value with resources.”
* And from his opening statement: “When our team [at CIA] needed extra resources, I never hesitated to ask the President – and so long as he found value in the task, he never hesitated to provide them. I will, with your help, do the same at the Department of State.”

* On the Potential Rescissions. When questioned on potential new cuts for FY18, Pompeo is now on the record saying, “I’ll make the case in the Administration to defend the resources that the State Department needs.”

* On Vacancies. Pompeo committed to end the State Department hiring freeze, adding that: “There are too many holes, too many vacancies, too many unfilled positions… to deliver America’s foreign policy around the world to conduct its missions, its humanitarian missions, its development missions, each of the missions… require talented people.”

* On Morale. The nominee also went to great lengths to assure the senators that he would prioritize filling vacancies, saying “If you sign up to be a Foreign Service Officer, if you decide to devote your life to that, you have a special commitment. My task, if I’m confirmed, will be to free them up to go do the great work that they signed up to do.”

* On America’s Global Leadership. In his opening remarks, Pompeo had this to say: “Make no mistake. America is uniquely blessed, and with those blessings comes a duty to lead. As I have argued throughout my time in public service, if we do not the calls for democracy, prosperity, and human rights around the world, who will? No other nation is equipped with the same blend of power and principle.”

* On Getting Its “Swagger” Back. “Listening, leveraging differences, unleashing talent, teamwork will become the fabric of a State Department culture that finds its swagger once again.”

* On Humanitarian Challenges. In an exchange with Senator Booker who asked the nominee for his commitment to address the numerous humanitarian challenges, Pompeo reiterated the commitment he made during his individual meeting with the Senator: “I confirmed that for you yesterday and I’m happy to confirm it here too. Full scale – from humanitarian needs to all the other elements of U.S. diplomatic power.”

3. Getting to 51. While making it through today’s hearing was a critical step, Director Pompeo’s road to confirmation is still not easy.

* Senator Paul has already announced his opposition to the nomination, which means Pompeo will need at least one Democrat to support him if he wants a favorable referral from the Foreign Relations Committee. That’s not entirely out of the question considering Senators Shaheen and Kaine voted to confirm Pompeo as CIA Director and Senator Coons has said positive statements.

* But it’s clear Democrats feel things have changed since last January, particularly with John Bolton now heading the NSC.

* During the hearings, Democrats questioned Pompeo on his past record and statements and how they square with his potential future as our nation’s top diplomat, with several heated exchanges around his views on religious and personal freedoms, hot-button issues like North Korea and the nuclear agreement with Iran, and overall Administration foreign policy. So, an uphill climb to being confirmed continues.


* Once the nomination gets to the floor, I suspect the Director will be confirmed with at least a few moderate Democrats voting in favor.

4. Meanwhile on the House Side. Secretary Mattis and General Dunford testified before the House Armed Services Committee today. And, not surprisingly, it was chalk-full of quotes in support of civilian tools of national security. A couple highlights from the Mattis testimony:


* On State-DOD Coordination. “Everything we do is done to enable our diplomats to speak with more authority, and to reinforce the foreign policy of this Administration, largely put together by State Department. So they have the lead, we reinforce, and it’s been a good team, sir. All the way through.”

* On Africa. “Most of the challenges they face… are not military solvable. It needs better governance, it needs diplomacy, it needs development, and we are working with our State Department in support of those efforts.”

Lots more to share soon – including on the USAID restructuring front – they have a new nominee for Deputy Administrator (Bonnie Glick) and unrolled a new plan that is getting good reviews.

Best,

Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC


Senate Foreign Relations Committee
April 12, 2018

Nomination Hearing for Secretary of State
The Honorable Mike Pompeo

On Rescissions and Impoundment:


* Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ): “Will you oppose rescissions that are being contemplated on the State Department’s budget?”


* Pompeo: “I’ll look at each one, I’ll determine whether they are resources that are needed, and if they are, I’ll fight to keep—let me make sure I get this right—to oppose the rescissions. I’ll make the case in the Administration to defend the resources that the State Department needs. So if there are rescissions of resources I believe we need I’ll be there.”

* Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD): “We’ve seen the Administration, primarily through OMB, come in with dramatic cuts to the State Department’s budget. We need a champion in the State Department, and I heard you say you would ask for the resources you need. One of the problems we have is that there are appropriated funds that haven’t been spent. Do we have your assurances that you will follow the direction of Congress on how we establish priorities and when we establish priorities through the budget you’ll carry out those priorities?”

* Pompeo: “Senator, I have a lawful requirement to do so. And I’ve seen this from both sides as a Member of Congress and now I’ve seen it from the executive branch. I know the rules. I’ll try to make sure I’m doing so in a way that delivers value, but yes, you have my commitment that I’ll work towards doing that.”

On Resources:


* Pompeo (opening statement): “And, when our team needed extra resources, I never hesitated to ask the President—and so long as he found value in the task, he never hesitated to provide them. I will, with your help, do the same at the Department of State.”


* Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE): “I am optimistic that you would follow through on your commitment to fight for the State Department, for USAID, for resources and their personnel.”


* Sen. Todd Young (R-IN): “Are you operating under the premise that highly effective diplomacy will lead to lower funding requests in the international account?”

* Pompeo: “I can’t see anything in the six or twelve or 24 month time horizon that would permit us to have any less demand for diplomatic resources.”


* Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): “I’m a big advocate of peace through strength but I’m not sure it makes sense to spend twenty times as much money on the military as it does on diplomacy. … One of the frustrations we had with Secretary Tillerson is that he was fond of telling this committee that if we gave him one more dollar he would have no idea how to spend it.”

* Pompeo: “I’ll take the extra dollar. I’m convinced I can find ways to add value—to create American national security value with resources.”


* Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): “I talked to you yesterday about the incongruency of our policy in Syria. The president has announced he would freeze $200 million in stabilization assistance and that…as soon as ISIS is defeated he wants to pull out as soon as possible. And I’m wondering what’s your view on that?”

* Pompeo: “I want to be a little bit careful. With respect to the longer term strategy in Syria I can speak to that as opposed to the near term events that are before us now. … I think the president made clear he wants to get out, he does want to have fewer American men and women there…To the extent that we can achieve that objective with fewer men and women on the ground and better diplomacy, that’s the task that’s before us.”

On Personnel:


* Pompeo (opening statement): “You have my commitment, too, that I will work with each of you, the White House, and the entire Senate to fill the senior vacancies. This is critical to strengthening the finest diplomatic corps in the world. America and the world need us to be that.”


* Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN): “In order to execute foreign policy effectively, the Secretary must have a fully functional department behind him…I am hopeful that if confirmed you will make it a priority to fill those key positions and to work to earn the trust of the career public servants in both the Department’s foreign and civil service.”


* Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ): “I was pleased to hear you say earlier this week that you plan to support the career public servants at the State Department. The problem is we have an emaciated State Department under this Administration. … We expect you to advocate for robust diplomacy as the first line of defense against sending our sons and daughters into war. To do that, we need a strong diplomatic corps, and an AID that complements and enhances our foreign policy.”


* Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID): “There has been a fair amount of criticism that your predecessor did have, was hampered a bit because he didn’t have some of the jobs filled that are so important there. And we all know that in order to manage an agency like that you’ve got to have really solid people around you to be able to make the bureaucracy work… could you tell us your thoughts on how you’re going to go about that, because it needs some work. … We do need the Ambassadorships filled, and the top positions in the Department filled.”


* Pompeo: “At the State Department there are too many holes, too many vacancies, too many unfilled positions—when that happens, everyone is stretched thin and the subject matter expertise, which is needed to deliver America’s foreign policy around the world, to conduct its missions—its humanitarian missions, its development missions, each of the missions to which are entrusted to the State Department require talented people.”

* Pompeo: “I’ll start with the biggest gaps…we don’t yet have an Ambassador to South Korea, we need one, there are a handful of other places that need immediate attention. With respect to each of those positions, I am a talent hawk. I will find what I find to be the best fit.”


* Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): “It’s my understanding that there is still a hiring freeze at the State Department. That’s the only department within the federal government that still has a hiring freeze in place. I hope you will commit to repealing that hiring freeze and move forward as quickly as possible on filling the vacancies that exist within the State Department.”

* Pompeo: “I will, I’ve heard different things about the exact status of the hiring freeze, but I want to go one further—I spent a lot of time working on recruiting of human capital at the Central Intelligence Agency. … I want to do that at the State Department too, I want the best of America that had traditionally been part of the State Department, saying I want to be a professional officer at the State Department.”

On Morale:


* Pompeo (opening statement): “I have met hundreds of State Department employees…they expressed their hope to be empowered in their roles and to have a clear understanding of the President’s mission. That’ll be my first priority. They also shared how demoralizing it is to have so many vacancies and frankly, many of them said not to feel relevant. I’ll do my part to end those vacancies. I’ll need your help.”


* Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA): “My experience with the State Department has been that it has been in a blue funk for about a year and half. … I want to challenge you to replicate where possible in the State Department the same energy and fire that you have at the CIA because the State Department needs it desperately. The State Department is our hope for peaceful settlements of difficult problems and putting our best foot forward early so we don’t have to put our biggest foot forward late.”

* Pompeo: “If you sign up to be a Foreign Service Officer, if you decide to devote your life to that, you have a special commitment. My task, if I’m confirmed, will be to free them up to go do the great work that they signed up to do when they came aboard at the State Department – I’ll work at that every day.”


* Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH): “Something you and I talked about a lot in our meeting was your management approach. I told you that I thought our morale problem at the State Department was real and that we needed a fresh start there. I enjoyed working with Secretary Tillerson. I think his lack of appointees being confirmed by this body was one of the problems but for whatever the reasons, there’s a morale problem.”

* Pompeo: “There are few people like soldiers who appreciate diplomats and good diplomatic work…You are counting on the fact that there will be diplomats around the world resolving these challenges, pushing back on these conflicts, preventing the very activity for which you are training and preparing.”

* Portman: “You should like Colin Powell.”

* Pompeo: “I take that as high praise.”

* Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): “I very much appreciate your statements with respect to addressing morale at the State Department, to addressing staffing at the State Department. I hope you will also look at promotions—that has been another issue at the State Department.

* Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): “I just want to hear for the record is something that you told me privately—that this would be a priority for you, that you will invest your time and attention to in a significant way. Not just boosting morale, filling positions, but putting forth a strategy to deal with everything from the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan to Congo to the political crises and challenges we see in places like Zimbabwe and South Africa.”

* Pompeo: “I confirmed that for you yesterday and I’m happy to confirm it here too. Full scale—from humanitarian needs to all the other elements of U.S. diplomatic power.”

Other Key Quotes:


* Pompeo (opening statement): “There’s no one like someone who served in uniform who understands the value of diplomacy and the terror and tragedy that is war…it’s the last resort and it always must be. I intend to achieve the President’s policies with diplomacy rather than sending our young men and women into war.”

* Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA): “I’m a big fan of Africa and I’ve developed an affinity for Africa since I’ve been on this Committee on Foreign Relations. I’ve traveled there extensively and I think it’s the continent of the 21st century in many respects for our country and for everybody else. China is demonstrating they think it’s important because they’re spending a lot of money and building a lot of buildings and things of that nature.”