Excerpts from Senator Hillary Clinton’s Testimony
January 13, 2009
Commitment to “Smart Power” Tools of Diplomacy and Development
- “We must use what has been called ‘smart power’, the full range of tools at our disposal — diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal, and cultural — picking the right tool, or combination of tools, for each situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy.”
Commitment to Increased Resources for the International Affairs Budget
- “One of my first priorities is to make sure that the State Department and USAID have the resources they need, and I will be back to make the case to Congress for full funding of the President’s budget request. At the same time, I will work just as hard to make sure that we manage those resources prudently so that we fulfill our mission efficiently and effectively.”
- “Secretary Gates has been particularly eloquent in articulating the importance of diplomacy in pursuit of our national security and foreign policy objectives. As he has stated, ‘our civilian institutions of diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned and underfunded for far too long,’ both relative to military spending and to ‘the responsibilities and challenges our nation has around the world.’ And to that, I say, ‘Amen!’”
Support for Increased Civilian Capacity
- “Ensuring that our State Department is functioning at its best will be absolutely essential to America’s success. This is a top priority of mine, of my colleagues’ on the national security team, and of the President-elect’s. He believes strongly that we need to invest in our civilian capacity to conduct vigorous American diplomacy, provide the kind of foreign assistance I’ve mentioned, reach out to the world, and operate effectively alongside our military.”
- “Whether they are an economic officer in a large embassy, or an aid worker in the field, or a clerk in a distant consulate or a country officer working late in Washington, they do their work so that we may all live in peace and security. We must not shortchange them, or ourselves, by denying them the resources they need.”
Commitment to U.S. Global Engagement
- “I look forward to working with all of you to renew America’s leadership through diplomacy that enhances our security, advances our interests, and reflects our values.”
- “…our overriding duty is to protect and advance America’s security, interests, and values: First, we must keep our people, our nation, and our allies secure. Second, we must promote economic growth and shared prosperity at home and abroad. Finally, we must strengthen America’s position of global leadership – ensuring that we remain a positive force in the world, whether in working to preserve the health of our planet or expanding dignity and opportunity for people on the margins whose progress and prosperity will add to our own.”
- “America cannot solve the most pressing problems on our own, and the world cannot solve them without America. The best way to advance America’s interest in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions.”
- “Diplomacy is hard work; but when we work hard, diplomacy can work, and not just to defuse tensions, but to achieve results that advance our security, interests and values.”
- “We will lead with diplomacy because it’s the smart approach. But we also know that military force will sometimes be necessary, and we will rely on it to protect our people and our interests when and where needed, as a last resort. All the while, we must remember that to promote our interests around the world, America must be an exemplar of our values.”
- “Today’s security threats cannot be addressed in isolation. Smart power requires reaching out to both friends and adversaries, to bolster old alliances and to forge new ones.”
- “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.”
- “I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of a “bottom-up” approach to ensuring that America remains a positive force in the world. The President-elect and I believe in this strongly. Investing in our common humanity through social development is not marginal to our foreign policy but integral to accomplishing our goals.”
- “We have a bigger job, which I will assume, of trying to explain to the American people why our national security depends upon defense, diplomacy, and development.”
Support for Transferring Development Assistance Authority from the Defense Department
- “I don’t think in this complex and dangerous world, there is any substitute for the role of the State Department and USAID professionals, so it will be my undertaking to make this department as efficient as possible so that you know you’re getting your money’s worth….”
- “But the disparity of resources is such that when you’e got more than 10 times the resources going to the Defense Department than you have going to the State Department and foreign aid, DoD has in effect been recreating mini-State Departments.”
- “We’ve got to make the case, I think Secretary Gates is open to the case, I know the President-elect is very committed – he actually wants an increase in foreign aid because he believes so strongly in its efficacy as part of our foreign policy. They are committed to transferring assets and functions back to the State Department, but we have to prove that we’re ready to take them on….”
