U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp comments after voting for Rex Tillerson to serve as the secretary of the U.S. Department of State.
“Striking a delicate balance between tough, smart national security strategies and pragmatic diplomacy requires a steady hand – and it’s no easy task,” said Heitkamp. “It’s critical that any Secretary of State possess the discipline – in the face of the current terrain of difficult relations with adversaries and even allies across the globe – to fully commit to holistic policies that support our country and allies, keep our communities safe, and help spur job growth here at home. I’ve known Mr. Tillerson for a long time and when we met in my office I was blunt about my concerns with his ability to assert that discipline given his ties to Russia and the new Administration’s talk of loosening sanctions on the country. While I’ll continue to closely monitor those ties and reinforce the need to stay vigilant on Russia, I look forward to working with Mr. Tillerson on our shared support for soft power investments that reinforce America’s ties with strategic partners and treaty allies and to bolstering America’s proactive approach to diplomatic relations.”
Heitkamp has been meeting with and attending Senate hearings on the new Administration’s Cabinet-level nominees over the last few weeks. Earlier this month, Heitkamp launched a new online portal on her website where North Dakotans can offer their questions and comments on President Trump’s Cabinet-level nominees. So far, Heitkamp has received more than 4,000 comments from North Dakotans about the nominees.
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