Merkley Announces Support for Rubio’s Secretary of State Nomination

Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's United States Senator Jeff Merkley-a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee-announced his support for Florida's U.S. Senator Marco Rubio to be U.S. Secretary of State:

"During our time in the Senate, Senator Rubio and I have partnered on a range of legislation to shine a light on the Chinese government's ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, and others facing persecution by the People's Republic of China (PRC). Together, Senator Rubio and I passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act-sending a powerful, bipartisan message that the United States will take concrete, meaningful action against China's horrific genocide and slave labor-and spearheaded other pieces of legislation to bolster U.S. support for Taiwan, tackle transnational repression, and hold China accountable for undermining human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

"There are many areas that Senator Rubio and I are in agreement on, including the importance of the United States standing with our allies and remaining a strong voice for democracy and human rights globally. However, the United States faces enormous challenges over the next four years to make our country safer, stronger, and more prosperous for all.

"We do have disagreements on how to solve challenges of our time, most notably climate chaos. We can make important progress by immediately stopping U.S. LNG exports to China, which only raises prices on American households and industries. The United States should not bolster the PRC's economy while Beijing continues to harass American citizens in the United States and advance unfair trade practices, including cracking down on U.S. companies operating in China and stealing American intellectual property.

"We also differ on the best path to peace and prosperity in the Middle East. I will continue to advocate for a regional alliance that secures Israel's safety combined with a concrete path to a Palestinian State.

"It remains incumbent on Senator Rubio and the incoming administration to continue strong U.S. support for Taiwan's defense capabilities to counter China's belligerence against Taipei, work with Ukraine to secure a just resolution to Putin's illegal war and strengthen badly needed humanitarian support to Gaza.

"As America's voice on the global stage, a Secretary of State must lead with a steady vision for foreign policy and serve the American people. Senator Rubio has the expertise to execute that vision, and I look forward to supporting his nomination."

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