Opening Statement: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on assessing the impact of DOMA on American families

Thank you, Chairman Leahy, and thank you to you and Senator Feinstein for your long and determined work on repealing DOMA. Thank you to the members of our panel today who’ve shared with us searing personal stories of their experiences as veterans, teachers, attorneys. They represent, I know, thousands of our constituents, our colleagues, our classmates, our friends, who have gone through similar suffering, loss, mistreatment through DOMA.

The purpose of today’s hearing is to look at S.598 and to consider the impact DOMA has had on legally-married couples who have been denied access to all sorts of different federal programs, benefits, rights and privileges, and – as Ms. Murray mentioned – they are like waves on a beach that just drive away the possibility of equality, even to those legally recognized couples.

To me, this hearing is fundamentally about equality and whether or not we as a nation think it’s ok to deny some American citizens the same rights and privileges afforded other citizens? Do we really think it is ok for our federal government to say “we simply don’t like who you love?” My question here is how we can have an answer that is anything other than, emphatically, no.

Equality for all is supposed to mean, in my view, equality for all, and I don’t see what business is it of our federal government to reach into Americans’ hearts and judge them for whom they love? Particularly, when their states have empowered them to marry.

I am tired of it being the law of this land that it’s ok for the government to discriminate against Americans solely based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. I’m tired of seeing kids grow up in a country where their government tells them discrimination is ok, and I think it is no wonder that we continue to see kids being bullied in school and see so many LGBT children take their own lives because they’ve given up hope, because, in my view, because this law simply encourages discrimination.

We have bigger problems in this country than going out of our way to continue to discriminate against and deny rights to Americans.

We’ve heard here today and some of these witnesses have, I think, movingly testified about how same-sex marriage is at real harm from DOMA. In my view, others have testified here and elsewhere about how, somehow, same-sex marriage threatens or hurts heterosexual marriage. I don’t know about my colleagues, but my wedding ring and my marriage didn’t magically dissolve or disappear just because New York passed a same-sex marriage bill last month.

In my view, S.598 is about restoring rights —it’s not about taking them away. It’s about righting these wrongs and moving on.

I am a person of faith. My family and I worship regularly, and I am raising children in what might be considered a traditional marriage, but I don’t think that my faith, which informs my politics, empowers me to have a monopoly on the interpretation of the will of God. In my view, it is expressly not appropriate for the federal government to discriminate against couples based on who they love.

So, in my view, the Defense of Marriage Act, is just wrong. It’s wrong and needs to be repealed, and I’m grateful to the Chairman and to the witnesses before us for having laid out in clear, compelling ways how DOMA has harmed them directly.

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Committee Statement: Supporting reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act

Mr. Chairman, nearly 17 years after its original passage, it’s hard to imagine America without the Violence Against Women Act and the remarkable impact it has had on the safety of women across our country.

As a Delawarean, I am proud of my state’s long tradition of support for the Violence Against Women Act. When then-Senator Biden first introduced VAWA in 1990, he was among the first in the Senate to recognize that domestic violence was a national issue that demanded a national response. By the time Congress passed VAWA in 1994, Joe Biden’s leadership had helped to change the way all Americans view violence against women.

VAWA funding supports critical victims services throughout the country. As we will hear from the witnesses today, VAWA supports rape crisis centers and transitional housing programs for women at risk. VAWA supports women’s safety on college campuses, in rural areas, and on tribal lands. VAWA programs target aid to vulnerable populations, such as children and youth, the elderly, and culturally- or linguistically-isolated groups. Domestic violence so often occurs in the home, where misplaced loyalties and stigma can render it so difficult to identify. Through the STOP program, VAWA trains and provides capacity for law enforcement to detect, stop and prosecute domestic violence. In my home state of Delaware, VAWA provided almost $5 million last year in critically needed funding to support community programs for victims of domestic violence.

And the evidence shows that VAWA is working: reports of rape are down since VAWA was passed, even as the percentages of rapes that are reported have risen. Domestic violence resulting in death is down more than 20 percent.

Without Congressional action, many of VAWA’s programs will expire this year and as a human rights issue, we simply cannot allow that to happen. To those who claim that we cannot afford VAWA in these tough budgetary times, I would say that we cannot afford not to.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for calling this hearing and I look forward to working with you to reauthorize VAWA.

Opening Statement: Chairing Senate Foreign Relations nomination hearing

I am honored to chair this hearing for the nominees to be ambassador to Rwanda, Djibouti, Malawi, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau, and the USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health. Today’s nominees bring to the table a vast array of experience specifically in Africa and around the world, and I look forward to hearing their vision for advancing U.S. interests and policy priorities.

Before we begin, I would like to reflect briefly on my recent trip to West Africa with Senator Isakson. Traveling in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin over the past week, we witnessed first-hand the implementation of critical food security, global health, and development programs in addition to U.S. policy aimed at making critical improvements in governance, transparency and sustainable economic growth. At each stop, we met with elected officials, the U.S. ambassadors, embassy teams, Peace Corps volunteers and representatives from USAID. I am proud and grateful for their service and commitment to diplomacy, and impressed with the central role our ambassadors play around the world. As Senator Isakson frequently noted, Africa is “the continent of the 21st century for the United States” in terms of its vast array of potential opportunities and I look forward to, in the context of this nomination hearing, continuing that conversation. I am grateful to Senator Isakson and his staff, and the staff of this committee, for putting together a very, very meaningful trip for all of us to West Africa.

Our first nominee today is Donald W. Koran to be Ambassador to Rwanda, which has emerged from the shadows of the genocide of 1994 to make progress in the areas of economic reform and health. Today, Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, and U.S. policy continues to encourage economic liberalization while focusing on needed improvements to democracy and governance, which are essential to its future.

Mr. Koran is a career foreign service officer currently serving as the Director of Africa Analysis in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at State, and his previous relevant assignments include Division Chief for West and Southern African Affairs in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research; Deputy Chief of Mission in Kigali, Rwanda; and desk officer for the DRC, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.

Geeta Pasi is the nominee to be Ambassador to Djibouti, a key strategic ally in the region and home to the U.S. Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier. Djibouti is a valuable partner when it comes to combating piracy and other sources of instability in Somalia and the Horn, and I look forward to hearing from Ms. Pasi on balancing U.S. strategic interests in Djibouti with a broader set of regional concerns, including promoting democracy, good governance, and human rights.

Ms. Pasi is a career member of the Foreign Service and currently serves as Director of the Office of East African Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs. Her other relevant experiences include posts as political-economic, and international relations officers in Ghana, in Cameroon, and at West African Affairs.

Ms. Jeanine Jackson is the nominee to be Ambassador to Malawi, which has made recent progress combating corruption and developing its largely agricultural-based economy, though many challenges still remain. In April, our country signed a $350 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact with Malawi, and I look forward to hearing about what steps are being taken to ensure the government does not pursue deeply-concerning new laws aimed at restricting human rights and media freedom.

Ms. Jackson is a career member of the Foreign Service currently serving as the Minister Counselor for Management at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. In addition to several posts coordinating diplomatic activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ms. Jackson previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso

Lewis A. Lukens is the nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Senegal, and, concurrently, Guinea-Bissau. He is a career member of the Foreign Service currently serving as the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the State Department. Previously he served as Consul-General in Vancouver, Executive Secretary in Baghdad, and Senior Director for Administration at the National Security Council in addition to tours in Cote d’Ivoire, China, and Australia.

Senegal is a moderate and largely secular democracy, which has experienced economic growth over the past decade but still faces challenges alleviating poverty and disease. I look forward to hearing from Mr. Lukens about how the U.S. can continue to promote economic growth in Senegal – including through the MCC – while also combating drug trafficking in the region, in particular Guinea-Bissau.

Finally, we will hear from Dr. Ariel Pablos-Mendez, the nominee to be the Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID. Dr. Pablos-Mendez currently serves as Managing Director of the Rockefeller Foundation, where he works to develop initiatives to address the Global Challenge of Health Systems, including the role of the private sector in health systems in the developing world. His work in global health spans two decades, including as a researcher and physician focusing on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, the development of public-private partnerships to combat disease, and delivery mechanisms for HIV/AIDs treatments to mothers and families.

I look forward to hearing from him about his plans for integrating global health programs and transitioning authority for GHI, or Global Health Initiative, from State to USAID, as envisioned in the QDDR, or Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. This is a critical moment for USAID to demonstrate leadership over U.S. global health programs, and Dr. Pablos-Mendez will sit at the helm of this historic and important change. I look forward to hearing about plans for meeting the benchmarks in the QDDR, aimed at better integrating GHI, so that we can effectively promote global health. I am very pleased to welcome all of today’s distinguished nominees, and I look forward to your opening statements. But first I will turn it over to Senator Isakson for his opening statement and then to Senators Barrasso and Enzi, who have joined us to introduce Jeanine Jackson.

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Opening Statement: Chairing Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee hearing on Cote d’Ivoire

I am pleased to chair today’s Africa subcommittee hearing on the next steps in Cote d’Ivoire. I am privileged to serve with my friend Senator Isakson and want to take the opportunity to thank him for his partnership on the subcommittee.

Cote d’Ivoire is emerging from a severe political-military crisis that followed historic elections held on November 28, 2010. Just to underscore, these were the first truly national elections in Cote d’Ivoire’s history, with candidates representing every region in the country. While President Ouatarra’s victory was certified by the Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission and the United Nations, Mr. Gbagbo refused to recognize these results. The subsequent violence and conflict that emerged resulted in the tragic death of nearly 1,000 civilians and the displacement of up to one million people.

I am pleased that armed conflict largely ended days after Gbagbo’s arrest on April 11, and that President Ouattara was sworn-in less than a month later with a formal inauguration planned for next week. I am also pleased that President Ouattara recently reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring accountability for those implicated in the violence, including forces loyal to both him and Mr. Gbagbo. As President Ouattara asserted on his recent state visit to Senegal, “No one is above the law. All those that committed crimes of blood will be punished.” Reconciliation – in addition to accountability and justice for all – are absolutely essential to promoting a stable and prosperous future in Cote d’Ivoire.

Political reconciliation will be a challenge for President Ouattara, who has made it a top priority along with restoring security, addressing human rights abuses, ensuring transitional justice, reviving the economy, and reforming the security sector. This hearing will provide an opportunity to hear several perspectives on his ambitious agenda, and consider the role of the U.S. and the international community in supporting President Ouattara as he addresses governance issues and humanitarian concerns. It will also consider the role of multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in response to the conflict, as well as regional implications of recent events.

Cote d’Ivoire is an important economic hub in Africa, the world’s largest cocoa producer, and one of the largest U.S. trading partners in the region. We will therefore also explore economic consequences of the recent crisis, and steps toward economic recovery and growth. An additional goal of the hearing is to consider military sector reform, which has been a challenge since the Ivorian civil war in 2002. We will hear recommendations for the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration process which President Ouattara has undertaken to create a unified military that can offer protection to the Ivorian people and serve as a source of stability in the region.

I was deeply concerned about allegations of mass atrocities carried out by both sides in this conflict, and am disturbed by reports of ongoing looting in Abidjan and violence. I also am acutely aware of the continuing humanitarian crisis, and look forward to hearing the strategy for providing assistance to refugees, displaced persons, and Ivoirians facing ongoing security concerns.

Beyond the immediate crisis, I look forward to hearing suggestions on how the international community can support the Ouattara government as it attempts to address the underlying causes of instability in Cote d’Ivoire. It is essential to build on lessons learned from this past election and build stronger institutions of governance, especially as Cote d’Ivoire prepares for legislative elections. As President Obama said in his speech earlier today, “…we have a stake not just in the stability of nations, but in the self determination of individuals.” I agree with this statement, and believe it should serve as a guiding principle for U.S. foreign policy not just in the Middle East and Africa, but globally.

We will have two panels, the first comprised of representatives from the State Department and USAID, and the second consisting of non-governmental experts on West Africa and Cote d’Ivoire.

First we’ll hear from Bill Fitzgerald, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who will discuss the U.S. diplomatic priorities in Cote d’Ivoire and the administration’s plan for the country going forward. We will also hear from Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance at USAID who will discuss the humanitarian efforts undertaken by USAID and its plans for supporting economic recovery and political reconciliation.

On the second panel, we will hear from Dr. Michael McGovern, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Yale University, who will discuss the prospects for political reconciliation, the challenges of demilitarization, and the promotion of good governance and stability. Jennifer Cooke, Director of Africa Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), will discuss the role of the international community and regional implications of events in Cote d’Ivoire. Finally, we will hear from Dr. Raymond Gilpin, Director of the Center for Sustainable Economies at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), who will discuss the economic causes and consequences of instability in Cote d’Ivoire, and provide suggestions for economic growth going forward.

I appreciate our witnesses being here today, and look forward to your testimony.

Opening Statement: Chairing Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee hearing on President’s FY2012 Budget Request for Africa

I am pleased to chair today’s Africa subcommittee hearing examining the President’s budget request for sub-Saharan Africa in Fiscal Year 2012. It is a distinct privilege to serve as subcommittee chairman, and I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by Chairman Kerry and my colleagues on the Committee.

I am also honored to serve with my friend Senator Isakson, and look forward to working with him in the 112th Congress on issues we both care deeply about in Africa including economic growth, security, stability, governance, global health, food security, conflict prevention, and democratic institution-building.

The goal of today’s hearing is to review the President’s budget request for Africa, including bilateral and regional priorities for foreign assistance. This hearing will help inform the Committee of the administration’s program and resource priorities in sub-Saharan Africa, as well the basis and projections for requested resources. The discussion is intended to also include priority initiatives such as the Global Health Initiative including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and Feed the Future, as well as the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

One of the objectives of the hearing is to consider the whole of government approach toward the region and to explore the impact of proposed budget cuts in the continuing resolution, or CR, for Fiscal Year 2011. Within a constrained budgetary environment, these are issues of critical importance for the Committee and Congress as we consider the implications of tightening our belt. Unfortunately, limited resources require difficult decisions and trade-offs regarding budgetary priorities. I hope to hear from our witnesses about the implications of reductions in foreign assistance, and the projected impact these cuts will have in Africa where the need is great and the resources are scarce.

According to the long-term CR, on which we will vote later today, the Pentagon’s budget is more than ten times larger than that of State. Today, we will consider cuts to the State budget from last year while raising the Pentagon budget, which demonstrates about our growing emphasis on military spending at the expense of foreign assistance. I am pleased that both Secretary of Defense Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mullen have expressed their strong support for increased resources for the State Department, so it can continue to lead U.S. diplomacy and development as a means of mitigating the potential for military conflict.

Today we will hear from the State Department, as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the MCC, about their strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, as reflected in their budget requests for the next fiscal year. We will examine the administration’s priorities and means by which it aims to meet competing goals in the region, responding not only to U.S. objectives but also to regional and bilateral needs.

As demonstrated by this chart, the total foreign assistance request for Africa in FY12 is $7.8 billion, nearly three-quarters of which is dedicated to global health. This program increased dramatically during the Bush administration as a result of new initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria. The Global Health Initiative (GHI) was developed under President Obama in 2009, and I look forward to hearing today from the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Eric Goosby, about future plans for the GHI and specifically PEPFAR.

Six percent of the Africa budget request is dedicated toward the Feed the Future initiative, which was developed by President Obama to last year to address global hunger and poverty. Twelve of twenty focus countries are in Africa, representing one-third of the total funding. With USAID as the agency responsible for coordination of Feed the Future, I look forward to hearing from Deputy Assistant Administrator Jandhyala about agricultural development programs and food security, as well as the wide range of other areas of cooperation between USAID and State with regard to Africa policy and planning.

After the initiative funding, only 23% of the budget – or $1.8 billion – remains, which must be carefully divided between the wide range of foreign assistance priorities overseen by the State Department, such as strengthening democratic institutions, fostering sustainable economic growth, preventing and resolving armed conflict, and helping to address transnational threats, among other issues. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson is here to discuss these priorities and challenges, as well as current events in Africa, such as the Nigerian elections and violence in Cote d’Ivoire.

Finally, we will hear from Patrick Fine, Vice President for Compact Implementation for the Millennium Challenge Corporation about the MCC’s work in Africa, where it focuses 70% of its funding. The MCC is a smart investment that has contributed to poverty reduction through economic growth in well-governed countries, and I look forward to hearing from Mr. Fine about his plans to expand and sustain past success in light of anticipated budget cuts.