Excerpts from House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing
New Beginnings: Foreign Policy Priorities in the Obama Administration
April 22, 2009
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – Opening Statement
Funding for the International Affairs Budget
- “I am determined to see that the men and women of our Foreign and Civil Service get the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
- “As Secretary of Defense Gates has pointed out, our country has underinvested in diplomacy. That must end. Just as we would not deny ammunition to American troops heading into battle, we cannot send our diplomats into the field without the tools they need. If we fail to invest in diplomacy, we will eventually spend far more paying for that mistake.”
- “Every year, we spend hundreds of billions of dollars dealing with the consequences of war, disease, violent ideologies, and vile dictatorships. Investing to create the type of world in which we want to live is good for the countries and people we help – but it is also in the national interest of the United States.”
Implementing a “Smart Power” Agenda
- “Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of diplomacy and development along with military power.”
- “…we are redefining diplomatic engagement to move beyond government alone. Policies and political leaders change over time. But ties between citizens, non-governmental organizations, and businesses endure. They are the most effective – and lasting – tools of diplomacy we know.”
- “When I last came before the Congress at my confirmation hearing, I spoke of my commitment to pursuing a foreign policy that would enhance our nation’s security, advance our interests, and uphold our values. Today, nearly one hundred days later, I am proud to report that we have begun making progress toward that goal.”
Addressing the Global Challenges of the 21st Century
- “In today’s world, we face new challenges that have no respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the United States alone. None can be solved without us. All will have a profound impact on the security of our citizens.”
Addressing the Global Financial Crisis
- “More broadly, we are also working to contain the fallout from the global financial crisis. In addition to providing support to the International Monetary Fund, we are seeking resources for direct assistance to countries…These resources will help responsible governments in developing countries regain their economic footing and avert political instability with wider repercussions.”
Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Commitment to Fully Fund the International Affairs Budget
- “I am committed – and I know many of my colleagues on the Committee are as well — to doing everything that we can to ensure that the budget request is fully funded.”
Rebuilding our Civilian International Affairs Capacity
- “Madam Secretary, I want to commend you and your excellent team for taking immediate steps to address the dangerous lack of capacity at the State Department and USAID.”
- “I couldn’t agree with you more that we desperately need to reinvigorate our civilian foreign affairs agencies. To the extent diplomacy and development can help avoid conflicts before they start, it will save us billions in the long run. It will also help prevent the continuing migration of development-related programs to the military, thus relieving the burden on our brave men and women in uniform.”
Modernizing our “Smart Power” Tools of Diplomacy and Development
- “We will also do our part by marking up and passing a State Department authorization bill – hopefully on a bipartisan basis — very soon after we receive the detailed budget.”
- “And later this year, we hope to pass foreign assistance reform legislation to rationalize our various foreign aid programs and provide the Administration additional flexibility to ensure that the most urgent needs are being met.”
