HFAC Congressional Testimony
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
APRIL 22, 2009
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and
Members of the Committee, it’s a pleasure to be with you this
morning. This Committee has been a source of many advances
in our foreign policy and I look forward to working with you to
continue that tradition.
When I last came before the Congress at my confirmation
hearing, I spoke of my commitment to pursuing a foreign policy
that would enhance our nation’s security, advance our interests,
and uphold our values. Today, nearly one hundred days later, I
am proud to report that we have begun making progress toward
that goal.
The men and women of the State Department and USAID
are serving their country around the clock and around the world.
I am extraordinarily proud of their work.
1
HFAC Congressional Testimony
With their talents, and President Obama’s leadership, we
have put forward a new diplomacy powered by partnership,
pragmatism, and principle.
Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of
diplomacy and development along with military power. We are
securing historic alliances, working with emerging regional
powers, and seeking new avenues of engagement. We are
addressing the existing and emerging challenges that will define
our century: climate change, weak states, criminal cartels,
nuclear proliferation, terrorism, poverty, and disease. And we
are advancing our values and interests by promoting human
rights and fostering conditions that allow every individual to live
up to their God-given potential.
I expect many of your questions today will focus on
longstanding concerns: the security situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan; the need for a responsible end to our military presence
in Iraq; Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons; conflict in parts of the
Middle East; and fallout from the global financial crisis.
2
HFAC Congressional Testimony
I will speak to these subjects briefly, but I also want to
address the broader issues and opportunities on our global
agenda – issues that I will come to in a moment.
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President has outlined a
strategy centered on a core goal: to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat Al Qaeda, and to prevent their return to safe havens in
Afghanistan or Pakistan. We combined our strategic review
with intensive diplomacy, and nations from around the world are
joining together to address this urgent challenge. More than 80
countries and organizations participated in the international
conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, and a donors’
conference for Pakistan raised over $5 billion.
In Iraq, we are working toward the responsible
redeployment of our troops and the transition to a partnership
based on diplomatic and economic cooperation. We are
deploying new approaches to prevent Iran from developing
nuclear weapons. After years during which the United States
distanced itself from the process, we are now a full partner in the
P5+1 talks.
3
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In the Middle East, we engaged immediately to help
achieve a comprehensive peace between Israel and her Arab
neighbors. We are maintaining our bedrock commitment to
Israel’s security and providing economic support, security
assistance and humanitarian support to the Palestinian people –
an effort to which the Administration has pledged $900 million.
More broadly, we are also working to contain the fallout
from the global financial crisis. Our efforts at the G-20 focused
in large measure on the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In addition to providing support to the International Monetary
Fund, we are seeking resources for direct assistance to countries
such as Haiti, where I travelled last week. These resources will
help responsible governments in developing countries regain
their economic footing and avert political instability with wider
repercussions.
These challenges demand attention, but they must not
distract us from equally important – but sometimes less obvious
– threats ranging from climate change, to disease, to criminal
cartels, to non-proliferation.
4
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In today’s world, we face new challenges that have no
respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the
United States alone. None can be solved without us. All will
have a profound impact on the security of our citizens.
As daunting as they are, these challenges also offer new
arenas for global cooperation. And we are taking steps to seize
these opportunities.
First, we are pursuing a wide-ranging diplomatic agenda
premised on:
„h Strengthening our alliances with democratic partners
in Europe, Asia, Africa and our hemisphere,
„h Cultivating partnerships with key regional powers, and
„h Building constructive relationships with China and
Russia.
We are working with our longtime partners in Japan and
South Korea, to address not just regional concerns, but a host of
global issues, from the financial crisis to climate change.
And we are advancing our relationship with India, the
world’s largest democracy. I made my first overseas trip as
5
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Secretary of State to Asia, to signal that we are not just a trans-
Atlantic power, but a transpacific power, and that Asia will be
an indispensable partner in years to come. We are also working
closely with our NATO allies and our friends in the European
Union, building on partnerships forged in the 20th century to
meet the challenges of the 21st. And we are working with the
nations of the Americas, with whom we share a common home,
hemisphere and heritage, to pursue a new energy partnership,
fight drug trafficking, and consolidate democratic gains.
We are building closer ties with regional anchors, including
Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey, who can serve not only as
partners, but as leaders on issues ranging from deforestation to
democracy.
The President, Vice President, and I are all working to
establish constructive relationships with China and Russia, and
candidly address our differences where they persist.
We are making progress with Russia on finding a successor
to the START arms control agreement and with China on
developing technologies to reduce the world’s dependence on
fossil fuels. We will continue to work on such mutual priorities.
6
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Second, we are redefining diplomatic engagement to move
beyond government alone. Policies and political leaders change
over time. But ties between citizens, non-governmental
organizations, and businesses endure. They are the most
effective – and lasting – tools of diplomacy we know. For this
reason, President Obama and I are personally committed to
engaging these groups directly, as I have done already during
my travels. These relationships, combined with new
technologies, will form the foundation for future diplomatic
initiatives that are broader and more ambitious than traditional
efforts of the past.
Third, we are working to expand opportunity and protect
human rights, strengthening civil society, and living up to the
ideals that define our nation.
This starts with a development agenda that provides people
with the raw materials of progress: from education and health
care to sound institutions and the rule of law. I am particularly
committed to improving the lives and expanding the
7
HFAC Congressional Testimony
opportunities of women and girls, and those on the margins of
society.
Fourth, as we promote responsible governance abroad, we
are trying to live up to our own principles at the State
Department and USAID. We are working hard to create a more
agile, effective department with the right staffing, resources, and
authorities to fulfill President Obama’s agenda. That’s why I
have filled – for the first time – the position of Deputy Secretary
for Management and Resources.
I have also challenged the Department to reform, innovate
and save taxpayer dollars. We are turning our ambassadors into
in-country chief executive officers, with authority and
responsibility for all programs on the ground.
We are consolidating our IT support services, yielding cost
savings of 15 to 20 percent – tens of millions of dollars – and
implementing human resources reforms that will save $22
million over five years. We are deploying new media
8
HFAC Congressional Testimony
technologies to carry our message to the world more efficiently
and computerizing many of our consular services.
Even as we work to stretch taxpayers’ dollars, I am
determined to see that the men and women of our Foreign and
Civil Service get the resources they need to do their jobs safely
and effectively. As Secretary of Defense Gates has pointed out,
our country has underinvested in diplomacy. That must end.
Just as we would not deny ammunition to American troops
heading into battle, we cannot send our diplomats into the field
without the tools they need. If we fail to invest in diplomacy,
we will eventually spend far more paying for that mistake.
Mr. Chairman, we are pursuing all of these policies because
it is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. No
country benefits more than the United States when there is
greater security, democracy, and opportunity in the world.
Our economy grows, our allies are strengthened, and our
people thrive. And no country carries a heavier burden when
things go badly. Every year, we spend hundreds of billions of
dollars dealing with the consequences of war, disease, violent
ideologies, and vile dictatorships.
9
HFAC Congressional Testimony
10
Investing to create the type of world in which we want to
live is good for the countries and people we help – but it is also
in the national interest of the United States.
In this time of change and uncertainty, we have no shortage
of challenges. But we also have an extraordinary opportunity.
The world is looking for leadership – and looking to see how the
United States will meet this moment.
If we follow our plans and our principles, we will succeed.
We can lead the world in creating a century that we and our
children will be proud to own – a century of progress and
prosperity for the whole world, but especially the United States.
To achieve these goals, we need your help. We need your
advice. And we need your support. I look forward to our
discussion this morning and to working with you on these issues
in the months ahead.
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
APRIL 22, 2009
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and
Members of the Committee, it’s a pleasure to be with you this
morning. This Committee has been a source of many advances
in our foreign policy and I look forward to working with you to
continue that tradition.
When I last came before the Congress at my confirmation
hearing, I spoke of my commitment to pursuing a foreign policy
that would enhance our nation’s security, advance our interests,
and uphold our values. Today, nearly one hundred days later, I
am proud to report that we have begun making progress toward
that goal.
The men and women of the State Department and USAID
are serving their country around the clock and around the world.
I am extraordinarily proud of their work.
1
HFAC Congressional Testimony
With their talents, and President Obama’s leadership, we
have put forward a new diplomacy powered by partnership,
pragmatism, and principle.
Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of
diplomacy and development along with military power. We are
securing historic alliances, working with emerging regional
powers, and seeking new avenues of engagement. We are
addressing the existing and emerging challenges that will define
our century: climate change, weak states, criminal cartels,
nuclear proliferation, terrorism, poverty, and disease. And we
are advancing our values and interests by promoting human
rights and fostering conditions that allow every individual to live
up to their God-given potential.
I expect many of your questions today will focus on
longstanding concerns: the security situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan; the need for a responsible end to our military presence
in Iraq; Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons; conflict in parts of the
Middle East; and fallout from the global financial crisis.
2
HFAC Congressional Testimony
I will speak to these subjects briefly, but I also want to
address the broader issues and opportunities on our global
agenda – issues that I will come to in a moment.
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President has outlined a
strategy centered on a core goal: to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat Al Qaeda, and to prevent their return to safe havens in
Afghanistan or Pakistan. We combined our strategic review
with intensive diplomacy, and nations from around the world are
joining together to address this urgent challenge. More than 80
countries and organizations participated in the international
conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, and a donors’
conference for Pakistan raised over $5 billion.
In Iraq, we are working toward the responsible
redeployment of our troops and the transition to a partnership
based on diplomatic and economic cooperation. We are
deploying new approaches to prevent Iran from developing
nuclear weapons. After years during which the United States
distanced itself from the process, we are now a full partner in the
P5+1 talks.
3
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In the Middle East, we engaged immediately to help
achieve a comprehensive peace between Israel and her Arab
neighbors. We are maintaining our bedrock commitment to
Israel’s security and providing economic support, security
assistance and humanitarian support to the Palestinian people –
an effort to which the Administration has pledged $900 million.
More broadly, we are also working to contain the fallout
from the global financial crisis. Our efforts at the G-20 focused
in large measure on the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In addition to providing support to the International Monetary
Fund, we are seeking resources for direct assistance to countries
such as Haiti, where I travelled last week. These resources will
help responsible governments in developing countries regain
their economic footing and avert political instability with wider
repercussions.
These challenges demand attention, but they must not
distract us from equally important – but sometimes less obvious
– threats ranging from climate change, to disease, to criminal
cartels, to non-proliferation.
4
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In today’s world, we face new challenges that have no
respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the
United States alone. None can be solved without us. All will
have a profound impact on the security of our citizens.
As daunting as they are, these challenges also offer new
arenas for global cooperation. And we are taking steps to seize
these opportunities.
First, we are pursuing a wide-ranging diplomatic agenda
premised on:
„h Strengthening our alliances with democratic partners
in Europe, Asia, Africa and our hemisphere,
„h Cultivating partnerships with key regional powers, and
„h Building constructive relationships with China and
Russia.
We are working with our longtime partners in Japan and
South Korea, to address not just regional concerns, but a host of
global issues, from the financial crisis to climate change.
And we are advancing our relationship with India, the
world’s largest democracy. I made my first overseas trip as
5
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Secretary of State to Asia, to signal that we are not just a trans-
Atlantic power, but a transpacific power, and that Asia will be
an indispensable partner in years to come. We are also working
closely with our NATO allies and our friends in the European
Union, building on partnerships forged in the 20th century to
meet the challenges of the 21st. And we are working with the
nations of the Americas, with whom we share a common home,
hemisphere and heritage, to pursue a new energy partnership,
fight drug trafficking, and consolidate democratic gains.
We are building closer ties with regional anchors, including
Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey, who can serve not only as
partners, but as leaders on issues ranging from deforestation to
democracy.
The President, Vice President, and I are all working to
establish constructive relationships with China and Russia, and
candidly address our differences where they persist.
We are making progress with Russia on finding a successor
to the START arms control agreement and with China on
developing technologies to reduce the world’s dependence on
fossil fuels. We will continue to work on such mutual priorities.
6
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Second, we are redefining diplomatic engagement to move
beyond government alone. Policies and political leaders change
over time. But ties between citizens, non-governmental
organizations, and businesses endure. They are the most
effective – and lasting – tools of diplomacy we know. For this
reason, President Obama and I are personally committed to
engaging these groups directly, as I have done already during
my travels. These relationships, combined with new
technologies, will form the foundation for future diplomatic
initiatives that are broader and more ambitious than traditional
efforts of the past.
Third, we are working to expand opportunity and protect
human rights, strengthening civil society, and living up to the
ideals that define our nation.
This starts with a development agenda that provides people
with the raw materials of progress: from education and health
care to sound institutions and the rule of law. I am particularly
committed to improving the lives and expanding the
7
HFAC Congressional Testimony
opportunities of women and girls, and those on the margins of
society.
Fourth, as we promote responsible governance abroad, we
are trying to live up to our own principles at the State
Department and USAID. We are working hard to create a more
agile, effective department with the right staffing, resources, and
authorities to fulfill President Obama’s agenda. That’s why I
have filled – for the first time – the position of Deputy Secretary
for Management and Resources.
I have also challenged the Department to reform, innovate
and save taxpayer dollars. We are turning our ambassadors into
in-country chief executive officers, with authority and
responsibility for all programs on the ground.
We are consolidating our IT support services, yielding cost
savings of 15 to 20 percent – tens of millions of dollars – and
implementing human resources reforms that will save $22
million over five years. We are deploying new media
8
HFAC Congressional Testimony
technologies to carry our message to the world more efficiently
and computerizing many of our consular services.
Even as we work to stretch taxpayers’ dollars, I am
determined to see that the men and women of our Foreign and
Civil Service get the resources they need to do their jobs safely
and effectively. As Secretary of Defense Gates has pointed out,
our country has underinvested in diplomacy. That must end.
Just as we would not deny ammunition to American troops
heading into battle, we cannot send our diplomats into the field
without the tools they need. If we fail to invest in diplomacy,
we will eventually spend far more paying for that mistake.
Mr. Chairman, we are pursuing all of these policies because
it is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. No
country benefits more than the United States when there is
greater security, democracy, and opportunity in the world.
Our economy grows, our allies are strengthened, and our
people thrive. And no country carries a heavier burden when
things go badly. Every year, we spend hundreds of billions of
dollars dealing with the consequences of war, disease, violent
ideologies, and vile dictatorships.
9
HFAC Congressional Testimony
10
Investing to create the type of world in which we want to
live is good for the countries and people we help – but it is also
in the national interest of the United States.
In this time of change and uncertainty, we have no shortage
of challenges. But we also have an extraordinary opportunity.
The world is looking for leadership – and looking to see how the
United States will meet this moment.
If we follow our plans and our principles, we will succeed.
We can lead the world in creating a century that we and our
children will be proud to own – a century of progress and
prosperity for the whole world, but especially the United States.
To achieve these goals, we need your help. We need your
advice. And we need your support. I look forward to our
discussion this morning and to working with you on these issues
in the months ahead.
