Nominations of Segura, Hanrahan, Bauer, Lake and Vance for State Dept

United States for uh Senate Foreign Relations Committee will come to order. We have a uh business to do today, as usually, welcome everyone uh in our audience to uh watch. Uh this is uh not interactive, there'll be no participation from the audience, and I think those of you who are contemplating it know what's gonna happen if you do, so. Uh we uh look forward to doing the government's business un- uninterrupted and we again appreciate uh people's attendance. Uh we have today uh uh five nominations to consider. And uh uh we have a a good panel, an interesting panel, and uh we're going to uh proceed uh as uh I'm going to give an opening uh statement, a few opening remarks I'm gonna yield to Senator Sheeheen to do likewise. Uh then we will hear uh from uh the nominees, and then we will proceed to a round of uh five minute questions uh uh from all of the members uh of the committee. uh who wish uh to ask questions. Before we do that uh we have a couple of introductions. Uh Senator Lee, I believe you have uh something for the good of the order.

Yes I do. Thank you so much uh Mr. Chairman. It's an honor and a great privilege for me to uh be here today to introduce my friend, uh Kerry Lake. Um who has been nominated to be the next United States Ambassador to Jamaica. Ms. Lake is a true champion of truth, of accountability, of the US Constitution, uh and of the freedoms that we all enjoy as Americans. President Trump has a clear-eyed vision for the Western hemisphere, uh ensuring that American prestige and security uh uh remain strong, and remain strong in particular in this hemisphere. The key to our prosperity uh doesn't always lie on the other side of the world. It it often is found, is often best defended, close to home, in our own hemisphere, and that certainly includes the Caribbean and Jamaica, uh the country where she's uh been asked to serve as the ambassador. So we need somebody now more than ever, who knows how to advance our interests and articulate our values. And Kerry Lake is that person, exactly that person. If you tried to design a person better suited to be the US ambassador to Jamaica, you could not. do a better job uh uh than uh someone uh than Kerry Lake. Uh a as a leader for the US agency for global media, she's looked out for American interests all over the world uh to make sure that the US government's international broadcasting efforts actually advance our interests. She's fought for that every day and uh her work in uncovering security threats uh at an agency as well as rampant waste, fraud and abuse demonstrate how unwavering her patriotism is and her commitment to good government. She's also spent nearly thirty years in the media industry as a television, news, journalist and anchor. And in that capacity, she's become a very effective communicator. She knows how to get a point across succinctly, clearly and uh w- with the appropriate uh emphasis that the occasion happens to require. Throughout her entire career, uh, she's received awards for her work. Uh, um, whi- while she was, um, at Fox ten News in Arizona, she conducted several high-level, uh, uh, one-on-one interviews, uh, with then-President Barack Obama in twenty sixteen and with President Trump in twenty twenty. She stepped down from her position at Fox, um, back in twenty twenty one, where she was one of the longest serving and top-rated news anchors and her life and her career, to public service and to media accountability. In addition to her success as a journalist and uh an advocate for our country, uh uh she's she's also uh uh an uh a wife to Jeff Halprin and to their children, Ruby and Leo, who are with us today. I've no doubt that upon her confirmation, Ms. Lake will hit the ground running running and she's gonna build on our relationship with Jamaica and do so in a way that advances American interests meaningfully, and consistently, unwaveringly. So, Kerry, you have my unqualified enthusiastic support. I know you're ready for this position, you were born for this position, and I look forward to working with you, to my colleagues. I strongly encourage you to support her nomination. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Senator Lee. Uh, Senator Hagerty, you have something.

Thank you, Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Sheen. Appreciate you holding today's hearing. Uh, it's my distinct honor to also introduce Kerry Lake, President Trump's nominee to be US Ambassador to Jamaica. I've had the privilege of serving our nation myself as US Ambassador to Japan during President Trump's first term. And I know what, I know firsthand what it takes to succeed as an ambassador, and in particular, I know how essential it is for an ambassador to have the president's trust. Kerry Lake has that trust. She's earned it through her courage, her dedication to the American people, her abilities as a great communicator, and her willingness to fight for the principles that make our country great. In fact, Kerry's story is a remarkable example of the American dream. She grew up in Iowa as the youngest of nine children, the daughter of a football coach and a history teacher, in a family where nothing was handed to her and where she was taught the importance to earn the and value what you have. In a large household, Kerry learned early how to speak up and hold her own, yet also to listen carefully and to nurture relationships with those closest to you. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa and subsequently spent three decades as a top-rated news anchor and television journalist in Arizona.

Look at him, right at him.

What's apparent, though, is that Kerry has the heart of a public servant.

Huh? See what you got? Yeah.

She could have easily chosen to remain in the private sector, where she built a successful, lucrative and Emmy award-winning career in news media. But Kerry felt a genuine calling to public service.

Grand other.

And she's acted on that calling because

Oh, absolutely.

she believed there were critical issues facing our country that demanded new leadership

Mhm.

and a fresh voice.

Yeah.

After running as a candidate for public office, Yeah. You don't really do it. she subsequently served as a political appointee in the Trump administration. Yeah, that's a good point. At the US agency for global media, Kerry has helped return the agency to its statutory mission. The agency was supposed to be providing news that is quote, consistently reliable. authoritative, accurate, objective, and comprehensive. Before her arrival, however, the agency had drifted far from that charge, with the State Department Inspector General identifying major information security and grant oversight failures that increased the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse at the agency. Through much needed reforms, Kerry has helped restore accountability and she's put the agency back on the side of the American taxpayer. As the president's nominee to be US Ambassador to Jamaica, Kerry also brings a genuine love for the island, its people and its culture. She's deeply familiar with Jamaica, having visited the island over forty times, and she understands the tremendous promise of the deeper strategic partnership between the United States and Jamaica. Of importance, Jamaica as host government will know that if she's confirmed as US Ambassador, she will be a chief of mission who has a clear line of communication with the President. Kerry will bring to this post a uniquely American story. a proven ability to communicate a deep trust and connection to the President, and the strength required to represent our nation with utmost confidence. I believe she has what it takes to be an excellent ambassador, and I therefore urge this committee to move quickly in considering Kerry Lake's nomination so she can begin her important work as our next ambassador to Jamaica. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Senator Hagerty. So first of all, let me say thank you, uh, to the panel for all of you willing to step forward and uh take on these uh uh these positions. And just as importantly, thank you to your families. Uh we all know the families play a huge role in these kind of jobs and uh their support is absolutely necessary and they will certainly uh assist with that. So let's get down to business and I'm gonna start, Mister Vance, uh with you. Uh you're the, well the bureau you would manage is smaller than some of its intelligence counterparts. uh the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, or INR, and its staff punch well above their weight uh in competition with the other seventeen intelligence agencies that America has. INR has a history of uh analytic independence and was famously the only intelligence agency to get it right on uh what was gonna happen when uh Putin uh uh got into Ukraine. Every other agency gave us uh estimates of somewhere the war was gonna last, somewhere between three days and three weeks and uh and uh the agency you're taking over said, " I'm not sure of that." They were the only one of the uh at that time there were only seventeen but uh they were the only one of the seventeen agencies that uh that got that right. Today I hope to hear how you will continue this tradition and advance the administration's security priorities. Uh, Mr. Hanrahan? Uh, as you know, the US and Europe share the world's largest economic relationship and account for one third of global trade. Our security alliances and institutions, most of all NATO, which is the most successful political military alliance in the history of the world have uh underpinned an unprecedented period of growth and prosperity on this planet. But the threat posed by Russia, China and Iran working together grows clear uh by the day, and we need our European allies on our side to confront them. As Assistant Secretary for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia, you will be on the front lines of defending Americans from these threats. I'm eager to hear how you will implement policy that strengthens and modernizes our relationships in Europe particularly our security and economic relationships. Those of us on this committee deal regularly with our European allies, and you will find some interesting conversations as you go forward with our allies. It's important we maintain a good relationship with them. Uh, Ms. Lake, the United States and Jamaica maintain a robust relationship based on shared democratic values and our economic and security interests. I was glad that Jamaica decided to end its participation in Cuba's medical professionals' labor trafficking and join the administration's Shield of the Americas initiative I hope that as ambassador you would work uh with this positive inertia and advance US interest in Jamaica and the Caribbean more broadly. Mister uh uh Segura, the United States has an enduring interest in a prosperous uh democratic and uh stable Western hemisphere as clearly outlined in the national security and national defense strategies I believe the most substantial threats to US interest in our hemisphere are China and violent transnational criminal organizations, I deeply appreciate President Trump's actions to curb both threats in the Panama Canal Mexico and in Venezuela. Uh, Mister uh Segura, I hope to hear from you on how you will build on this work as Assistant Secretary uh to the Western Hemisphere and ensure the United States can strengthen regional cooperation to advance our national interests. And finally, Mister Bauer, As you know, the US remains Belize's top trading partner and largest foreign direct investor, underscoring our long-standing bilateral relationship. I appreciate Belize's continued support for Taiwan and I look forward to hearing from you on efforts to deepen that partnership and our partnership with this key Caribbean neighbor. Thank you again to all our nominees, and with that, I would like to turn it over to the ranking member, Senator Xi. Thank you.

Well, thank you, Mister Chairman, and welcome to all of our nominees this morning to your family and supporters who are here with you, thank you all for being willing to be considered for these positions. I think one of the the real benefits that the United States has enjoyed has been its credibility. I think the credibility of this country is a strategic asset, and distrust of US statements really matters. Iran, Russia and China understand that. Last year, Tehran increased funding for its state broadcaster by fifty percent. At that very moment, our adversaries were investing in the information battlefield. The United States was retreating from it. Dismantling programs designed to deliver independent fact-based news to people living under authoritarian regimes. Miss Lake, the administration put you in charge of that effort. I have a different view than Senator Hagerty about your work. on that effort. You placed hundreds of employees at the US agency for global media and Voice of America on administrative leave. You attempted to cut off funding for Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia until a court intervened. USAGM and Voice of America survived, but our adversaries exploited that chaos. Iran's Lego video campaign, mocking and humiliating the president, reached more than a billion views in just thirty days. Its purpose was not to strengthen Iran. It was to weaken confidence in the United States. Miss Lake, this is the information environment you may soon have to navigate as ambassador to Jamaica. If confirmed, I hope you will push back, not only by advancing the administration's message, but by contesting the narratives our adversaries are spreading throughout the region. Beijing and Moscow are investing heavily in shaping perceptions of the United States across the global south. Mister Shigora, am I pronouncing your name correctly? You have been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere. And Mister Bower, you have been nominated to be Ambassador to Belize. Russia has trained more than a thousand Latin American influencers to spread pro-Kremlin propaganda messaging, across Latin America. And that network didn't stop operating when Maduro fell. If confirmed, I hope each of you will take these efforts seriously. Mister Hanrahan, you've been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Europe. But I think we have to ask a threshold question there, and that is, what is the portfolio that you're gonna have? Ukraine peace talks are being run by Special Envoy Hyk-Golf. The Armenian initiative is led by the policy planning staff. Bosnian policy appears to have been outsourced to the White House. The threats in this region are not waiting for Washington to sort itself out. Vladimir Putin has spent years investing in far-right parties across Europe, parties that oppose Ukraine aid and want to dismantle European institutions. Ukrainian battlefield successes have complicated those influence operations, But they have not stopped Putin from exploiting our political divisions. If confirmed, I hope you will be a strong voice against Russian influence and for those governments that have stood with us and with Ukraine. And finally, Mister Vance, you've been nominated to lead the department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. As the chairman said, INR occupies a unique role within the intelligence community. of other intelligence agencies, and it's charged with providing objective fact-based analysis to the secretary of state. I have concerns, given your unwillingness to affirm the basic fact that President Biden won the two twenty twenty election. I have concerns about your commitment to that fact-based mission. You've also written that Western Europe is succumbing to what you call soft authoritarianism, and have compared it, some European practices, to the Soviet Union. If confirmed, I hope you will put aside prior views and provide Secretary Rubio with the unvarnished intelligence that he needs to operate. Again, thank you all.

Well, uh thank you Senator Shaheen, appreciate that. We're now gonna hear from uh each of you, uh we're gonna start uh with Mister Segura, what I'd ask uh that you do is uh please keep your remarks to five minutes or thereabouts. Uh, if you have anything you wanna add, uh, we got lots of room in the record, so you can submit whatever you'd like, uh, for the record. But, uh, in the meantime, to give everybody a chance at, uh, questions, if you'd, uh, keep it to five minutes, uh, I'd appreciate that. Mrs. Gura, so you're the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Rich, Ranking Member Shaheen, and distinguished members of the committee. It is an honor to appear before you today as the President's nominee to serve as the next Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. I'm grateful for the confidence President Trump and Secretary Rubio have placed in me at this watershed moment in our engagement with the hemisphere. I'd also like to thank my family, who in part are here today. They truly are the bedrock of my life. To my wife and partner, Cecilia, I love you. and thank you for everything you do every day. I would be nothing without your support and belief. To my parents, Enrique and Alejandra. Thank you for always challenging me and for setting a beautiful example of faith, hard work and great sacrifice. It is truly through the eyes of my parents who came to this great country with nothing, more than forty years ago, that I first came to understand the why of the United States of America. From as young as I can remember, three words would ring true. Never give up. Whether it was in sports, in school, or in building companies, where there was a will, there was a way. As I reflect on my own story of building a health care company, to be one of the largest maternal monitoring companies in the world, to leading economic growth in international trade for the great Commonwealth of Virginia, a state that has a GDP of more than six hundred and twenty billion dollars a year, never giving up, is how we overcame seemingly impossible obstacles. I believe this administration will never give up on the hope for America and its people, and how America works with and partners with the Americas. President Trump's national security strategy underscores the critical importance of the Western hemisphere. The Trump administration has set an ambitious agenda that includes securing our border, defeating narco-terrorist groups, securing critical infrastructure, and expanding economic opportunities for Americans. The national security strategy also outlines that the United States will reassert the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western hemisphere and push back on the influence of global adversaries and malign actors in the region. The Trump administration is aggressively implementing this strategy with regional partners expanding cooperation bilaterally as well as enlisting partners in new initiatives including the Shields of the America the America's counter-cartel coalition, and a critical minerals ministerial to build secure and resilient supply chains. As a former Virginia Secretary of Commerce, I'm particularly enthusiastic about the Trump administration's prioritization of commercial diplomacy in the Western hemisphere. If confirmed, I look forward to employing all available tools to ensure American companies are well-positioned to help our regional partners build their economies. As the National Security Strategy notes, an economically stronger Western hemisphere is not only a more attractive market for American companies and investment, but increased commercial linkages will benefit both sides and reduce the space and influence of non-hemispheric actors. This will require closer coordination with the American private sector, and this coordination is a role I'm eager to embrace, drawing on my professional background as a former entrepreneur and investor. If confirmed, I look forward to leading the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs to enlist the cooperation of our regional allies, the private sector, and Congress to advance the Trump Administration's ambitious agenda for the Americas. Thank you for your consideration, and I welcome your questions.

Well, thank you very much. Uh, let's uh move to uh, Mister Hanrahan.

Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen, distinguished members of the committee, I am honored to join you as the nominee for the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. I appreciate the trust that President Trump and Secretary Rubio have placed in me by nominating me for this role. If confirmed, I commit to working closely with you and members of your staff as I work to implement our foreign policy. I want to start by thanking the many teachers, mentors and colleagues that have shaped the educational and professional experiences that I will bring to this role. In particular, the teachers and coaches at Roxbury Latin in Boston,

Right.

who fundamentally instilled in me the call to public service. My foremost thanks I extend to my family for their love and support, to my grandparents, who have led through the example of public service in our military and who have exemplified humility and hard work. To my three siblings, Mary Aiden, Grace and Eamon, who have been my foundational support throughout my life. To my parents, Doctors Lin and John Hanrahan, who have given me my faith in God and taught me the imperative of personal integrity and service to others. And finally, my greatest thanks and love to my wife, Lauren, who is with me here today, and our newborn son, James. I would not be here without their support. The United States stands at a critical moment in our relationship with our oldest and strongest continent of allies. I think it is important to underscore that core framing to our relationship It is an alliance, forged in a shared history and a civilizational heritage. As Secretary Rubio stated in his Munich speech earlier this year, we want Europe to be strong, and we want a strong relationship with Europe. A safer, stronger, more prosperous United States in the twenty-first century requires a reinvigorated relationship with Europe, that can better advance our shared prosperity. Leading this work requires a seriousness of purpose and candid diplomacy. Should I be confirmed, I will bring both to our efforts. In practical terms, I will focus on four guiding objectives. First, keeping American citizens safe by working closely with our ambassadors and missions abroad. This is our highest and most essential goal. Second, rebalancing our relationship with Europe to better advance our core interests, the security and prosperity of American citizens. In the domain of security, this means advocating for transferring primary responsibility for conventional European defense to our allies,

I just

while simultaneously expanding the US defense industrial base and co-production opportunities with NATO partners. We must press our allies to fulfill the defense investment commitments that they made at The Hague last year. Rebalancing also means enforcing a reciprocal trade and regulatory environment especially with the European Union, one that permits a level playing field for American businesses and workers. Third, if confirmed, I will focus on promoting promoting a peaceful, stable Europe that unlocks the economic potential of the region. I will support President Trump's efforts to secure a durable peace in the Russia-Ukraine war. I will work to solidify the significant gains from President Trump's historic peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And I will work to further de-escalate other regional tensions by empowering local actors to forge local solutions. One of the key tools to advancing this peace and stability is commercial. ensuring Europe and Eurasian countries partner with the United States for their technology and energy. The United States has already supplanted Russia as the LNG supplier of choice, and by pushing for large-scale energy infrastructure projects

Mm-hmm.

to support and transport US gas across the continent, we can further secure Europe's energy sector and support the American worker. Fourth and finally, if confirmed, I will work with European counterparts to guard against emerging and future threats to US interests. This will entail enhancing law enforcement co cooperation to combat terrorist networks, to organize crime and other bad actors that have exploited unfettered mass migration to the detriment of Europe and the United States. It will also require protecting supply chains by mitigating our collective dependence on adversaries and rivals. If confirmed, I will focus on countering China's abuse of the global trading system by advocating for commercial partnerships between trusted US and European firms to reinforce a secure US-Europe Economic Partnership. I thank the Chairman, Ranking Member, and committee for your time and the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions.

Thank you. Appreciate that. Mister Bower, it's good to be with you again. The floor is yours.

Mister Chairman. Ranking Member and distinguished members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Thank you for the honor and privilege to appear before you today as the President's nominee to serve as United States Ambassador to Belize. I'm honored by the confidence President Trump has placed in me through his nomination. I'd like to begin by thanking God for his many blessings and the opportunities that brought me here today. I'd like to thank my wife, Meredith, who's here with me. I'm grateful to have all four of my children here, Holland, Holden, Hudson and little Andre, whose presence in my life has been a continual source of joy and perspective, as well as purpose. Additionally, I'm eternally grateful to my parents for the sacrifices they made and the values they instilled in me. Throughout my life, I've served in a very a variety of roles as a substitute teacher, as an entrepreneur, and as a businessman. In South Carolina, I served in the House of Representatives, the South Carolina Senate, and two terms as Lieutenant Governor. In each of these roles, I worked collaboratively with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to address concerns of constituents, Improve government services and bring attention to issues that are too often been overlooked. In the United States, the United States and Belize have a strong bilateral relationship. United States is Belize's largest source of tourism, with more than a million Americans visiting annually. Additionally, more than eighty-five thousand Belizeans live in the United States, further strengthening the close ties between our two nations. Tourism remains a vital driver of Belize's economy, supporting jobs and economic opportunity throughout the country. If confirmed, I look forward to working alongside Belizean leaders to strengthen economic ties between our nations, to support continued tourism and trade, and expand avenues of cooperation and investment. Having spent much of my career in the private sector, I understand the power of U. S. business and investment. If confirmed, I'll work to strengthen commercial ties between our two countries, creating a stable investment climate where U. S. businesses can grow and invest and also flourish and is is is essential to expanding opportunities for both of our countries. Belize and the United States enjoy a strong partnership in security cooperation. Belize works closely with the United States to combat counter-narcotics, narcotics, trafficking, and human trafficking, as well as transnational criminal activity. The United States continues to support Belize through programs focused on counter-narcotics, border security and criminal deterrence. If confirmed, I'll work diligently to continue supporting to promote security, stability and safer communities for Belizeans and for American citizens. I will also work to ensure that Belize remains a reliable partner encountering risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party to hemispheric security and prosperity. Protecting the safety and interest of United States abroad will remain my highest priority. As we work together to address shared challenges, we must also continue to advance areas of mutual opportunity. Belize presents growing opportunities for American investment in areas including tourism and economic development that can benefit both our nations. If confirmed, I'll serve with the same work ethic, determination, and commitment that have guided me through my life and my career. I'll work to advance the interests and values of the United States while strengthening our partnership with Blizz and its people. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. It would be my honor of a lifetime to serve as the United States Ambassador to Blizz. I thank you and I look forward to all of your questions.

Thank you very much, Ms. Lake.

Thank you, and I'd like to start really quickly with thanking Senators Lee and Hagerty for the wonderful introduction, I really appreciate that. Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen, and distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you as President Trump's nominee to serve as Ambassador of the United States to Jamaica. I am deeply honored that the President has put his trust in me for this position, and I'm mindful of the responsibility this role carries. I thank the president for his continued friendship and support. I also want to thank my family, and it was mentioned I'm from a big family. I'd like to thank my siblings who are watching today, Vicki, Jill, Kim, Lori, Jack, Lisa, Susan, and Jennifer. Um, thank you for shaping me into the woman I am today and my parents in heaven. I'm joined today by my husband of twenty eight years, Jeff, who has given me unconditional love and is my rock. Also here, my daughter Ruby and son Leo. Aside from a few moments in the teen years, they have brought me nothing but joy.

Mm-hmm.

My favorite claim to fame is telling people that I raised you. Also here today, my future daughter-in-law, Scotty, who's celebrating a birthday, and my son-in-law, Stetson, is watching back home in Arizona. I spent three decades as a top-rated television journalist and news anchor communicating complex issues on national and international issues with clarity and purpose that experience combined with my work. leading the modernization and accountability efforts at the US agency for global media, has prepared me to represent American interests abroad with transparency, discipline and results-driven leadership. Over the past thirty-five years, I've traveled to Jamaica too many times to count. Jeff and I honeymooned in Jamaica, and from the time our kids were very little until now, we've spent family vacations, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays in Jamaica. Yes, of course, Jamaica has beautiful beaches and mountains and waterfowl. That's a that's a given, but it's the incredible Jamaican people whose warmth, friendliness and deep pride in their country keeps us going back. When Jamaicans put their hearts into something, they succeed, from earning Olympic gold medals to creating entire musical genres, like reggae, to creating businesses. Nothing can keep a Jamaican down. It's evident that God is a source of strength, guiding Jamaica through challenges and shaping the nation's character. There are more churches per square mile in Jamaica than anywhere in the world, and as a woman of faith I really admire that. We have a shared belief that through God all things are possible. Jamaica is one of our largest trading partners in the Caribbean with bilateral trade in goods exceeding three billion dollars in twenty twenty five Americans account for more than seventy percent of the tourists visiting the island and Jamaica's a key security partner and a founding member of the counter-cartel coalition combating narcotics trafficking in the region. These deep economic security and personal ties are the foundation of a strong and enduring relationship. Under the Trump administration, we are renewing our focus on strengthening partnerships in the Western hemisphere, recognizing that our neighbors are vital partners in creating mutual security and prosperity. If confirmed, I will focus on four priorities. First, keeping Americans safe, protecting the tens of thousands of US citizens living in Jamaica, along with the roughly two million who visit each year, is a core responsibility. With hurricane season now underway and after two devastating storms in the past two years, it's especially important that this role is filled soon and actively engaged to work with the Jamaican government, to strengthen preparedness, improve coordination and respond effectively to future disasters. The United States and the American people stood firmly Jamaica during its recovery from the catastrophic hurricane Melissa, and acted with compassion and generosity. If confirmed, I will build on that commitment and ensure this critical work continues. Second, strengthening security cooperation, I will work closely with the Jamaican government to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, disrupt drug trafficking, and combat financial scams targeted at vulnerable Americans. And third, advancing American economic interest, I will advocate for U. S. businesses work to address trade barriers, such as Jamaica's long-standing restrictions on US pork exports and promote American investment, especially as Jamaica continues to rebuild. I will work to ensure American companies can compete and succeed as we deepen our economic partnerships with Jamaica. And fourth, we must counter China's growing economic influence. Less than five hundred miles from our shores, the Chinese Communist Party has made strategic investments across the Caribbean in ports, infrastructure and critical sectors that carry long-term security implications. In a region this close to the United States, those efforts are not just economic, they are strategic. I will work to ensure that Jamaica continues to choose transparency, sovereignty and partnership with the United States over dependence on actors whose interests do not align with our shared values. Jamaica's dem- uh democratic traditions, strategic location and resourceful and strong citizens make it an indispensable partner in the Caribbean. If confirmed, I will bring my work ethic, clear communication and commitment to accountability to this role, and I will ensure that the United States Embassy proudly represents the American people with professionalism and purpose. I thank you for your consideration today, and I look forward to your questions.

Thank you, uh, Ms. Leek. We'll hear from uh, Mr. Vance.

Chairman Rish, Ranking Member Shaheen. and distinguished members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am honored to be considered for the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research. I have too many people to thank to give everyone the credit they deserve for getting me to this point, but I do want to express my gratitude to the President for his confidence and to the Secretary of State for the trust he has placed in me. I would also like to thank my wife, Alessandra, for her patience and loving support over the course of my career. She is with me here today, along with my four children, Wyatt, Morgan, Ellis, and Mabel. I also want to thank my parents for the example they have set for me in life. My mother, a retired Dickinson County, Virginia school teacher, taught me the value of education. My father, a former coal miner turned small business owner, taught me about hard work and dedication to family. I know they are watching today from home. Finally, I would like to thank the many colleagues from across the intelligence community. the State Department, and the White House, who have offered encouragement throughout the nomination process. If confirmed, it would be a tremendous privilege to lead the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, an organization with a proud tradition of analytic rigor, independence, and service to US foreign policy. INR plays a unique and indispensable role within the intelligence community. Its officers provide objective, policy-relevant all-source intelligence analysis, and support rooted in deep expertise and an understanding of diplomacy, ensuring that policymakers receive assessments that are candid, timely, and free from political influence. At a time of increasing global competition, persistent conflict, and rapidly evolving technological challenges, the demand for high quality intelligence has never been greater. If confirmed, my foremost priority would be to safeguard the integrity and independence of INR's analysis, while ensuring it continues to meet the needs of the secretary, the department, and Congress. I also recognize the critical importance of partnership within the department, in the intelligence community, and with our friends and allies overseas. INR's value is magnified when it understands the department and its needs, collaborates effectively across agencies, and integrates diplomatic insight with intelligence collection and analysis. If confirmed, I would work to strengthen those relationships. Equally important is our responsibility to Congress. I am committed to transparency, timely engagement, and forthright communication. Robust oversight strengthens our intelligence institutions, and I would view my relationship with Congress as essential to the Bureau's success. Finally, I would be deeply mindful of our obligation to the deb- dedicated public servants of INR. Their expertise, professionalism, and quiet dedication underpin the Bureau's reputation for excellence. If confirmed, I would prioritize supporting and developing this workforce, ensuring they have the tools, leadership and trust necessary to carry out their mission. Thank you again for considering my nomination. I look forward to your questions and to the opportunity to serve our country.

Well, thank you very much. Um, we'll uh now uh proceed to a round of five minute questions uh by the members uh on the basis of uh First come first serve. So uh with that, I was here first I guess, so I will go first. Even if I wasn't, I'm still gonna go first.

I'm here for the last time.

I was, I was just not allowed.

Sure.

Um so, Ms. Legge, uh y- you uh spent time at the US Agency for Global Media and uh there's been a lot of discussion about the USA uh GM amongst members for some time. And uh I'd like you, if you could, to talk about your work.

Chairman, thank you so much for that question. I appreciate it. Um and thank you for asking me about the work that I've done at US agency for global media I'm very proud of the work that we have done there and I am currently still in the role as deputy CEO at the agency the agency runs voice of America the agency runs office of Cuba broadcasting we have several grantees and if you ask people who the agency right now, they will say we're doing the best news product that we've ever done. I'm really honored today to have in the crowd Alvaro Alba. He runs our Office of Cuba Broadcasting. He's been there twenty eight years, started as a reporter. And even though the media reports have tried to disparage the work we've done, Alvaro would tell you that every sing- every single thing they've asked for in the effort to get news into the island of Cuba that I have provided or given him or made access to so that they could be incredible journalists covering what's happening in Cuba so that the Cuban people can hear it. The same goes for Iran as well. We are putting in uh an exceptional product into Iran. Even during uh outages when the internet was down, we were on the air twenty four seven. I have people that run the newsroom, the VOA newsroom, VOA Persian who say we're doing the best coverage we've ever done. Unfortunately, the media hasn't uh been fair in their coverage of what we're doing. We have been modernizing the agency, and we have been making it more efficient and rooting out some of the waste. Every single media outlet across the globe has been modernized and uh had efficiency measures taken, except for unfortunately some of our uh government-run media. So I had the tall task that President Trump assigned me to uh with an executive order, to bring this uh the agency to where it should be statutorily, and we are proud to say that we are operating in a statutorial fashion right now with an incredible team of journalists who are proud of the work that they're doing. We're no longer pushing anti-American sentiment, no longer pushing pro-CCP, pro-regime sentiment. We are putting out America's story and and how it aligns in our for foreign policy and our national security strategy.

Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, Mister Hanrahan, you're gonna find uh a challenge dealing with our European counterparts. Uh the ranking member and I and other members of this committee frequently uh deal with with our European um allies and uh I I have to say that um, i it's very very mixed. Uh you're you get uh some that are wringing their hands and talking about how bad uh the relationship is deteriorated and others uh that have a recognition that it's time for them to step up and be much more of an equal partner than, than what they've been. And um you're it's it's a rough patch with some people, but yeah you're gonna have to uh uh you you're gonna have to navigate that. I've I've said over and over again that uh Europe uh and uh NATO and our European allies are our natural partners our natural allies as we go through this century, and confront uh uh what is going to be a real challenge from uh China. Uh e even uh if you put our two populations together, we're still uh only about half of what uh what China is. Uh but um we are much more like our European cousins than uh than like um uh China. And it's important that uh we stand together because it it's going to take that uh really to stand up to China as they become more and more sophisticated uh in their challenge to us. A a and they're the they're the most likely, they're the most natural allies we have in that regard. Our values are the same, uh we're democracies, we're capitalists, we're uh we we have a rule of law, a strong uh uh view and respect for human rights. China's a hundred and eighty from that. So it's a lot easier for us to work with our European allies. I is are we always gonna agree? Of course not. Uh that that's that's never gonna happen. But I'd like to hear your thoughts on the relationship and uh and uh your your management of that.

Uh, Mister Chairman, thank you very much for that question and thank you also to all your team's time as I went through this process. I I really appreciate it. Um, I agree with your assessment completely. I think um as as I noted, the intention and objective for our relationship with Europe is one in an alliance that can counter shared threats, and those come from both Russia and increasingly in the twenty first century, those will come from China. I think one of the key focuses for President Trump's administration is to bring that message and to be direct to our European partners that they need to step up. And inevitably in some of those conversations um that, you know, directness creates some bumps in the road, but I think um how I, if confirmed, would take that message forward is calmly and uh candidly to them, And I do think we're starting to see some good progress in that domain. I think in particular in China, uh there's there's really two components that we can work on. One is increasing awareness of the threats some of our UMP partners there, others still have a ways to go to show them what the challenges can be. I think once we get past that, the second component is um you know really bringing the experiences we have to think about how to calibrate expert controls uh synthesizing those how to

Thank you, I that uh sounds like you have a good handle on the landscape there, and I wish you well as you go forward. Uh uh if if you can uh bring those things to fruition, it will be in the best interest of uh of the United States of America. And with that, Senator Shaheen.

Thank you, Mister Chairman, um Miss Lake, I wanna begin with you. because as you heard in my opening statement, I have real concerns about how you operated at USAGM. You destroyed the Farsi language broadcasting ahead of President Trump's war in Iran. You cut the Spanish language services ahead of the administration's action in Venezuela. You put over two thousand employees on leave, paying them not to do anything for months. And when my staff asked how much that cost taxpayers, you had no idea. Well, we know that keeping those personnel out of office and on administrative leave has cost American taxpayers a hundred and thirty-nine point seven million dollars. An independent audit found that your interpretation of the so-called statutory minimum standard on staffing caused the agency to violate the law. And when my staff asked questions about these actions and invited you to meet with them, you refused to meet and you subsequently directed your team to stop all communications with my staff on this committee. So, help me understand h- how we're gonna be able to trust you to respond to Congress's concerns if you're confirmed as ambassador to Jamaica, if what you've done to date is to stonewall questions that I have on behalf of this committee.

Thank you, ranking member Shaheen, for the question. I appreciate, um, your concern for the agency, it's an important agency and I'm, as I said to the chairman, I'm really proud of the work that we are doing there.