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All eyes are clearly on Syria with the military strikes overnight and
we're continuing to monitor the humanitarian front and the
future of stabilization operations there.


Interestingly, Secretary Mattis and General Dunford also appeared
together earlier this week on Capitol Hill and their statements were
chock-full of quotes in support of our nation's civilian tools
of national security. Mattis stated: "Everything we do is done
to enable our diplomats to speak with more authority... So they
have the lead, we reinforce, and it's been a good team."


We were also closely watching the Senate confirmation hearing this
past week of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be America's next chief
diplomat.


While there were certainly a wide array of hearing topics that have
been well-covered in the press, my focus is on the narrow set of USGLC
issues: what was asked and what he said about the 'State of the
State Department' - especially on the personnel and
resources needed to advance America's interests.


Here's my quick thoughts - plus more to share down below:

* Impressive: Many Republicans and Democrats used their time
- in fact 70% of them - to pepper Pompeo with tough
questions about how he will ensure a reset at the State
department and USAID from budget resources to filling vacancies
- despite the other critical crises of the moment from
Syria to North Korea to Russia.

* The nominee: Pompeo was consistent and strong in his responses
on these issues - hitting the right tone and coming across
sincere in his responses, clearly separating himself from the
past year on budget cuts and vacancies. On morale, he declared
he wants to bring the "swagger" back to our
diplomatic corps.

* What's next: With a razor thin party split in the Senate,
everyone on Capitol Hill is closely watching how many Democratic
votes he'll pickup (Smart fact: 14 Democratic senators
voted for him for CIA Director). We'll see how quickly his
confirmation vote moves forward and if it's fast tracked.

Lots more to share next week on a number of topics - from Ivanka
Trump and OPIC's announcement on investments in women's
economic empowerment at the Summit of the Americas to the shake-ups in
the White House national security team. But for now wanted to pass on
this
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=o_3zJLvq87GA7ylKlMN6SQ

quick read-out below from the Pompeo hearing.

Best,

Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC

Readout from Director Mike Pompeo's SecState Confirmation
Hearing
Budget Resources, Personnel, Morale, and Humanitarian Challenges
April 12, 2018

There was no shortage of hot - and sometimes contentious -
topics that came up in the confirmation hearing, but what you may not
have seen was how Director Pompeo leaned in on some critical USGLC
issues: resources and personnel for diplomacy and global development.
The senators leading the pack on this line of questioning included
Booker, Cardin, Coons, Corker, Isakson, Menendez, Murphy, Portman,
Risch, Shaheen, and Young.


Here's a quick snapshot from the marathon 5-hour Senate
testimony:

* ON RESOURCES. In response to a comment on his predecessor
rejecting additional resources, Pompeo said: "I'll
take the extra dollar. I'm convinced that I can figure out
ways to add value - to create American national security
value with resources."

* And from his opening statement: "When the team [at
CIA] needed additional resources, I defended them, asked
for them, I demanded them, and the President, so long as
he found value, never hesitated to provide them. I was
able to persuade him. And with your help, I will do the
same thing at the Department of State."


* ON NEW BUDGET CUTS. When questioned on the potential for new
"rescission" cuts for Fiscal Year 2018, Pompeo is
now on the record 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 oppose the
rescissions. 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 - when that
happens, everyone's stretched thin, and the subject-matter
expertise that's needed to deliver America's
diplomacy around the world to conduct its missions - its
humanitarian missions, its development missions, each of the
missions - which are entrusted to the State Department
require talented people on-station doing their part, working
alongside it."

* ON MORALE. The nominee also went to great lengths to assure the
senators that he would tackle the morale challenges, 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 U.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
lead for democracy, for prosperity, and for human rights around
the world, who will? No other nation is equipped with the same
blend of power and principle."

* ON HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES. In a discussion on the numerous
global crises, Pompeo stated his commitment to humanitarian
assistance: "I'm happy to confirm it here...
Full scale, right from humanitarian needs to all the other
elements of U.S. diplomatic power."

* ON GETTING ITS "SWAGGER" BACK. In his opening
testimony, Pompeo declared: "Listening, leveraging
differences, unleashing talent, teamwork will become the fabric
of a State Department culture that finds its swagger once
again."


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