[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Nominations

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, first, as chairman of the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee, I just want to bring to my colleagues' attention 
that we need to confirm our diplomats around the world.
  Yesterday, I had a chance to meet with General Richardson, our 
SOUTHCOM Commander, and she told me about the challenges we are having 
in our own hemisphere because of nominees who have been approved by our 
committee who are here on the floor but have not been confirmed by the 
U.S. Senate. So I really just want to underscore the point that, if we 
are going to be able to have our interests represented around the 
world, we need to carry out the responsibility of confirming nominees 
that have gone through the process.
  In too many cases, individual Senators have placed holds that require 
us to deal with cloture, which takes a lot of time. It is our 
responsibility to act on these nominees, and it is in our national 
security interest to have a confirmed ambassador in each of these 
countries.
  In many cases, these are career individuals who have given their 
lives--literally, their professional lives--in service to our country. 
They deserve to have us act timely on their nomination. I would urge 
our colleagues to do that.