'We Face Threats From All Across The Globe': GOP Senator Tells Sec. Rubio About Issues The US Faces

Forbes Breaking News

At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing before the Congressional recess, Sen. James Risch (R-ID) spoke about threats around the world.

Transcript

00:00I'm going to make an opening statement, Senator Shaheen is, we will then defer to Senator Rubio,

00:10then we'll go, excuse me, he took your chair and thinks he's running the place now, kind of like

00:16you did. Anyway, we'll then have your statement, Secretary Rubio, and then we're going to open it

00:26up to around five-minute questions. Before we talk any further about what we're going to do,

00:30I want to talk a little bit about what we're not going to do. As you know, since I've taken

00:36chair of the committee, we have a zero tolerance on any kind of protests, on any kind of attempt

00:42by anyone in the audience to contact, influence, or in any way communicate with either the witness

00:50or people that are here on the dais. So that includes no signs, no standing up, obviously

00:57no shouting or comments. And you'll be interested to hear, Secretary Rubio, since you were here

01:03last time, it's been calm and quiet. We haven't had to run anybody out of here. But if we have

01:09a problem, you'll be taken into custody and banned from coming into this room for the next year.

01:15So with that, I would like to say a warm welcome back, Senator Rubio. We're always glad to have you

01:23here and so glad you're happy to spend time with us. You've picked up a little bit more responsibility

01:30since we saw you last time, but you don't look any worse for the wear. So I think you can handle it.

01:35And it's good to have you here again. Under President Trump and your work at the department,

01:39this administration has accomplished incredible things in a short period of time. To name a few,

01:44a secure border, a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, continued pressure on both the Russians

01:51and the Ukrainians to end the war, and the return of American hostages from the clutches of Hamas.

01:56You've instituted a return to the office for states' employees and a return to a merit-based hiring

02:04system, ensuring the department can deliver for the American people. And of course, the Trump

02:09administration has sought to overhaul our federal spending, cutting much of the waste and abuse

02:14that wreak havoc on America's bottom line. Indeed, today up here, one of the main concentrations

02:21we have of the view is the fact that we're going upside down a trillion dollars every 150

02:27or so days. You've done all of these things while maintaining our strong presence abroad.

02:33This committee has worked hard in a bipartisan manner to approve 31 nominees for posts here

02:38and overseas to make sure you have the staff you need. And we continue to do so because you can't

02:44be everywhere at once. And the U.S. must have high-level representation on the world stage.

02:49This is important because we face threats from all across the globe. Actors from China to Russia,

02:55from North Korea to Iran have united in an authoritarian axis bent on weakening the United States. I believe

03:04China is America's greatest long-term competitor. But the previous administration treated China like an

03:10ally we disagreed with rather than an aggressor that takes advantage of America and our allies at every

03:16level. The Chinese government is fundamentally different from the United States. Where America

03:23promotes free markets and innovation, the CCP clamps down on businesses and steals American intellectual

03:30property. Where we believe that every person has God-given rights, the Chinese government commits

03:35genocide against Uyghurs and other minorities in China and harasses dissidents here in America.

03:41We want to work with you to ensure you have the tools you need to counter Chinese influence,

03:46including through the Development Finance Corporation and the Millennial Challenge Corporation.

03:51To truly counter China, we need to catalyze private sector growth worldwide where we can.

03:58As you know, China is not the only threat. Over the last decade, particularly in the last three years,

04:03Putin's aggression has created the largest security crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

04:09President Trump is working diligently to help end this conflict. We need to keep pushing our European

04:14allies to increase cooperation on security. Some have already boosted their defense spending to 5%,

04:20but many still need to take stronger steps to confront the threats they face from Russia.

04:26In the Middle East, even after the President's successful trip, tensions remain high. Hezbollah

04:31remains a disruptor to reform in Lebanon. Baghdad must work to disarm Iranian-backed militias.

04:39Israel remains under constant threat from Hamas and Iran's other proxies. And we all hope Syria's

04:45government lives up to the opportunity you and the President have given the country with sanctions relief.

04:50Meanwhile, the maximum pressure campaign this administration is reinstating on Iran is very promising.

04:56We stand a real chance at bringing greater stability to the Middle East. I know you and the President will

05:02continue this important work. Finally, I greatly appreciate President Trump's efforts to address

05:07long-standing issues with our foreign military sales process. Rebuilding our defense industrial base is

05:13critical to America's long-term national security, and FMS reform can play a vital role in that effort.

05:20However, I should note that many of the problems that plague the FMS process are the result of less than

05:25desirable policies and practices at the Department of Defense. It is in our interest to expand our

05:31defense production capacity and deliver needed capabilities to our allies. This committee has

05:36always worked closely with the administration on foreign military sales, and I know this will continue

05:42under your leadership. Secretary Rubio, as you and President Trump remake the State Department, I hope you'll

05:48consider this committee a partner and closely collaborate with us. As you bring the Department into the 21st

05:54century, through thoughtful reforms, I hope to finally see implementation of my Secure Embassies

06:00Construction Counterterrorism Act and Mission in a Box Act. These laws will help build new embassies easier,

06:08faster, and more cost-effectively. Consequently, freeing our personnel to conduct diplomacy abroad that

06:14advances American interests while better positioning the U.S. government to out-compete adversaries like

06:19China. Everyone who sits or

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