Ranking Member Shaheen Opening Remarks for Nominations Hearing for Key State Department Positions

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, entered opening remarks into the record for a committee hearing on the nominations of John Breslow to be Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, Fleet White to be Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Todd Steggerda to be Representative to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Preston Wells Griffith III to be Representative to the Vienna Office of the United Nations and to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Adam Cassady to be Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy.

"A number of us on the Committee recently returned from visiting our allies and partners in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "One thing we heard over and over was the importance of U.S. consistency in support for partners in the region. This is especially important in Taiwan, where billions of dollars in promised but undelivered U.S. weapons remain in the pipeline. Against the backdrop of discussions between President Trump and Xi Jinping. Any hint that arms sales to Taiwan are being slowed or used to placate China undermines our credibility. That extends beyond the Indo Pacific. There are reports that critical air defense systems are now going to the Middle East rather than to Ukraine. Taken together, this raises real questions about how the United States is prioritizing commitments across theaters. This Committee has a role in those decisions."

Ranking Member Shaheen pressed Fleet White, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, to be transparent with Congress and the American people on the decisions about arms sales and security assistance.

"The Political-Military Affairs Bureau has a unique relationship with this Committee on arms sales and security assistance," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "Those decisions should be coordinated with us. Not simply presented after the fact. [...] If confirmed, I hope you will bring clarity and discipline to how these decisions are made. The Administration is making difficult tradeoffs across Taiwan, Ukraine and the Middle East. Those choices will define whether the United States is seen as consistent and credible, or reactive and unpredictable."

Ranking Member Shaheen also emphasized the importance of working with allies to counter Russian cyber operations to Adam Cassady, nominee for Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy.

"Cyber operations are a central tool of Russian statecraft, from attacks on infrastructure to influence campaigns," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "According to the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism-Russia has been linked to more than 150 hybrid operations across Europe since 2022. Congress codified this bureau to respond to these threats. If confirmed, it will fall to you to work with allies to counter these operations and impose costs on those responsible."

The Ranking Member's remarks, as prepared, are below.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to our nominees and their families and supporters who are here today.

A number of us on the Committee recently returned from visiting our allies and partners in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. One thing we heard over and over was the importance of U.S. consistency in support for partners in the region. This is especially important in Taiwan, where billions of dollars in promised but undelivered U.S. weapons remain in the pipeline.

Against the backdrop of discussions between President Trump and Xi Jinping. Any hint that arms sales to Taiwan are being slowed or used to placate China undermines our credibility. That extends beyond the Indo Pacific.

There are reports that critical air defense systems are now going to the Middle East rather than to Ukraine. Taken together, this raises real questions about how the United States is prioritizing commitments across theaters. This Committee has a role in those decisions.

The Political-Military Affairs Bureau has a unique relationship with this Committee on arms sales and security assistance. Those decisions should be coordinated with us. Not simply presented after the fact. Mr. White, you are nominated to be the Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs. If confirmed, I hope you will bring clarity and discipline to how these decisions are made. The Administration is making difficult tradeoffs across Taiwan, Ukraine and the Middle East. Those choices will define whether the United States is seen as consistent and credible, or reactive and unpredictable.

Mr. Griffith, you have been nominated to serve as U.S. Representative to the United Nations in Vienna and to the International Atomic Energy Agency. At a moment of heightened nuclear risk, there is a real danger that countries draw the wrong lessons about what it takes to deter conflict. That puts more pressure on the nonproliferation system and on the IAEA. If confirmed, I hope you will show U.S. leadership there with clarity and consistency. That same question of credibility applies in Cyprus, which sits at the center of rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr. Breslow, you have been nominated to serve as Ambassador there. Cyprus plays an important role in enforcing EU and U.S. sanctions on Russia strengthening financial transparency. I hope that if you are confirmed, you will use this post to reinforce regional stability and fully enforce those sanctions.

Mr. Cassady, you have been nominated to serve as Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. Cyber operations are a central tool of Russian statecraft, from attacks on infrastructure to influence campaigns. According to the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism-Russia has been linked to more than 150 hybrid operations across Europe since 2022. Congress codified this bureau to respond to these threats. If confirmed, it will fall to you to work with allies to counter these operations and impose costs on those responsible.

Finally, Mr. Steggerda, you have been nominated to serve as U.S. Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. At our hearing yesterday on the United Nations, we discussed the importance of multilateral engagement. If confirmed, I hope you will work to advance U.S. priorities and ensure these institutions deliver results.

I look forward to hearing from all of you.

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