Committee will come to order. Today, we will hold the nomination hearing on a very important position. The honorable John J Sullivan to be the ambassador to the Russian Federation. First, we have two very distinguished colleagues of ours who wish to introduce our nominees. Torefore, i am going postpone my Opening Statement and i ask the Ranking Member to do likewise. Beh that, we are glad to joined by senators sullivan of alaska and cardin of maryland. Sullivan thank you very much, mr. Chairman, Ranking Member menendez. It is an honor to be in front of the committee again in front on behalf of my friend John Sullivan to support his nomination to be the United States ambassador to the Russian Federation. Despite what his last name would suggest, we are not related, although i regularly joke with senator markey who is also a proud sullivan member in his heritage that at some point in history, we will probably all related. I have supported secretary sullivans nomination before and can speak to his long and distinguished career. I would begin by stating that the recommendations have been endorsed by this committee and as the United States senate, previously confirmed by a vote and confirmed during the Bush Administration unanimously to be secretary of commerce, and in 2005. I first met john when we were serving together in the george w. Bush administration. I was working as an assistant secretary of state under secretary of state condoleezza rice. Notably, since 2017, john thesuccessfully served as United States deputy secretary of state with integrity. Respected not just across federal National Security agencys and our own government, but internationally and, most importantly, by the department of state which he has helped to lead. He has worked with them, led them stood by them and for in his tenure as deputy secretary. Take to quoting the National Media but you may have noticed that there is a wide crosssection of journalists and media in our country that have noted johns qualifications and reaffirm the positive impact he has already had on the state department. An article from politico recently stated that, John Sullivan is winning over state department employees. So far, sullivan has shown a fluency with a fluency with diplomacy. Crucial ingredients to leading the mission to russia. In a wall street journal oped by ambassador thomas pickering, he said of secretary sullivan, i have come to respect John Sullivans judgment, his balance, his good sense, his openminded approach to how to deal with Foreign Relations problems we may have. You may have seen a letter of former diplomats, security officials, secretaries of defense, and other positions were all endorsing secretary sullivans ambassadorship to russia. To the newes position he has been nominated, twourrently leads the only dialogues on Strategic Security. He has played a key role relating to the u. S. Russia relation ship over the past two years. At a time when u. S. Russian relations are more complex and strained than ever, it is important to find some like john as americas top diplomat. I had the honor of introducing the ambassador to saudi arabia to this committee. While there i said, were many disagreements in this policy towardr saudi arabia, there should be consensus that we need a well respected ambassador. Russiae holds true with today. John sullivan knows what it means to serve our nation and has a career in doing so. I urge this committee to support his nomination. Mentioned the letter that was addressed to myself and senator menendez. I am going to admit that into the record. Sen. Cardin thank you. To be introducing secretary sullivan to this committee. Secretary sullivan is a maryland or who has a boston accent. Nation, butd our sounds more like senator markey then he does me, but that is fine. Sinceves our nation well may of 2017, acting secretary of state since april of 2018, senior positions in the department of justice, the defense department, commerce, two decades. John sullivan, to me, is a straight shooter. Experienced public servant. My experience is that he has communicated with me effectively and honestly. He reached out to me when i was the ranking democrat on this committee and he has respected my role as a United States senator and a member of this committee. Said he was looking for a challenge when he agreed to take this position. This is a challenging position. Russia has been our adversary, make no mistake. They interfered in the 2016 elections, and that was not isolated to the United States. This committee pointed out mr. Putins arsenal of attacking democratic countries in europe and the United States. He invaded and occupied, and still occupies, ukraine, in violation of helsinki accord. He is also occupying georgia and moldova. He has violated human rights of his own citizens, leading to the enactment of the magnitsky law not only in the United States but around the world. Mr. Chairman, we need a confirmed ambassador who will support our democratic principles and give hope to the voices in russia that stand up to the repressive regime of mr. Putin. Conclude with the nomination hearing that senator sullivan referred to, when the nominee told us that our greatest asset is the commitment toward the fundamental values expressed with our nation, the pursuit of happiness. At the heart of leadership in the world. I am grateful that mr. Sullivan will step forward to take this challenge. Sen. Risch i understand you have a commitment. I have a commitment also. You do. Again, i want to thank all of you for coming. John, welcome. We will contemplate the nomination today of the honorable John Sullivan. We welcome you back to the committee. Thank you for your willingness to continue serving in what is a challenging and important role. Kind andgues will be generous, i hope, as we go through this. As senators cardin and sullivan have already given deputy secretarys introduction, i will take a few moments to talk about the importance of this position. Many agree that the relationship with russia is at a low point. Attempts to reset the relationship only to find the other side an unwilling partner. This isused caused in no little part by our very different value sets in very different views and helping mankind. The last few years have been marked by russian interference in the american political process and other electoral processes around the globe. By the expulsion of each others diplomats and a complete lack of russias worldwide bad conduct. Internationally, instead of acting like a global power that it proclaims to be, russia has chosen to wreak havoc. We are all familiar with the g, long list of russias they seized sovereign territory from georgia and ukraine. It continues to occupy that. Oday it has poisoned its enemies with chemical weapons on foreign soil inf treaty sothe blatantly that allies reached a unanimous conclusion. Syria, venezuela, long after they should have and would have they have propped up regimes in syria and venezuela long after they could have and should have fallen. They have even gone so far as to inempt a coup in montenegro 2016. Thankfully, other than those in the International Community who engage in similar conduct, most countries recognize russias maligned influence and have taken action. The government has sanctioned corrupt russian oligarchs under the magnitsky act, and others, all of which strain russias attempts to raise revenue and act maliciously. I hope the senate will soon pass a bill that will sanction those nordstream 2 involved delaying the nordstream 2 pipeline. There are also times of cooperation with the russians like in the area of counterterrorism. It is important to make clear to the russian bull that we do value our relationship with them. We should be clear that educational and cultural exchanges to take place and we support Civil Society in their country as much as we can. Russia is a proud and important country on the International Stage and the u. S. Russian relationship will exist long after putin is gone. All of this leads me to the reason we are today, for the nomination of secretary sullivan to be ambassador to a country we have such a contentious relationship with. Deputy secretary sullivan is ready for this role. He has served the government at the department of commerce, defense, justice, and now at state. Asm confident that serving deputy secretary of state has given him a clear view of the problems we have with russia, the u. S. Governments efforts to solve them. I am honored and pleased to hear the compliments you have received from both sides of the aisle and from the National Media. Thank you for being here today. Thank your family for sharing the sacrifice to do this. With that, i will turn it over to Ranking Member menendez. You understand the role of congress as a coequal branch of government and you have differentiated yourself from those in the administration in look to break every norm policy. Unfortunately, one person, no matter how skilled and dedicated, cannot counteract the disarray that is the Trump Administrations Foreign Policy. I have served 27 years between the house and the senate, and work on Foreign Policy that entire time. Never before have i seen such chaos and foreignpolicy incoherence. Our state department is on the they areof patriots charged with solving problems through diplomacy, not conflict. I have seen so many of our diplomats maligned. You dont have to take my word for it. Just look for the testimony of two patriots, ambassador yovanoich ambassador vitch and ambassador taylor. The state department is in disarray with the president using National Security as a political weapon. Never in my years have i seen a department or administration so willing to stick its thumb directly in the eyes of congress , a coequal branch of government. I dont think we have to cite the constitution here today but i am certainly prepared to do so. Over the years, there has been friction. We have entered new territory, dangerous territory, and i am not just talking about the house s current inquiry. I am talking about 20 times attempting to get a piece of basic information. To evenrtment refusing discuss certain matters. This is not just playing hardball. This is undermining our democratic system of government. Unfortunately, mr. Secretary, this has taken place under your watch and the direction of secretary pompeo. We will talk about all of those issues that have been so central to the administration of the state department over the last two and a half years. I also want to talk about your vision for the bible for the bilateral relations with the Russian Federation. I dont believe that those who do business with the russian military, like turkey, should be given a free pass. I dontieve believe delaying Security Assistance for ukraine. President trump is on the record of believing all of those things, every single one. I think the president has lost he shred of legitimacy when delays Security Assistance to ukraine. Ukrainians died at this delay and americo is made less safe. I need to hear directly from you as to what constitutes success. His success fulfilling President Trumps prokremlin vision for the u. S. Russia bilateral relationship, or will you actually advocate a policy that protects National Security . If it is the former, i will have serious reservations about supporting your nomination. If it is the latter, i am open to the conversation and i look forward to hearing your thoughts on this fundamental choice. Beenpolicy in russia has intrinsically wrapped up in our ukraine policy. Your position at the state department would have afforded you the responsibility of overseeing policy. What did you know about the role played by woody giuliani . Rs volunteere status lead to confusion . Where was the state department leadership, yourself included, when it came to supporting yovanovitch . I supported you for your current position but we will need answers to these questions and others. I cant say this will be a quick and simple and kind hearing, but i do guarantee you it will be a fair and honest one, and i look forward to your answers. Risch thank you, senator menendez, for your views, as always. We will now turn to our nominee, secretary sullivan. He currently serves as deputy secretary of state. Several positions at the department of commerce, justice, defense, as well as a partner in several law firms. Your you, thank you to family, the letter from the 40 former official in previous administrations certainly speak to the high regard in which they hold you. With that, we will turn it over to you. We ask you to spend about five minutes talking to us about your views on these matters. Mr. Sullivan thank you. It is an honor to appear before you today as the president s nominee to be the u. S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation. I want to thank the president for his confidence in me. Thanke i want to secretary mike pompeo for his leadership of the department of state in support of my nomination. Finally, i am indebted to our most recent ambassador to russia, my friend jon huntsman, for his leadership there and his advice. I come to the committee after serving for more than 2. 5 years as deputy secretary of state. My service at the department, working with the men and women of the Foreign Service in washington and around the world, it has been the most rewarding professional experience of my wife. It would not have been possible without the love and support of my family, joining me today. And my, grace rodriguez, children. My motherinlaw, my sisterinlaw susan, her husband tony, and their children. I am eternally grateful to them for their support. I would bring to my position not only my experience as deputy secretary of state, but also my Prior Experience in a variety of other government positions over the last 35 years. I believe my background and experience in four cabinet departments across president ial administrations provides the experience for serving as chief of mission in moscow. It will not be easy or simple. Our relationship with russia has reached a postcold war a litany of russian malign actions is painfully familiar to this committee. Andating the territorial integrity sovereignty, employing a weapon of mass destruction in an attempt to assassinate citizens abroad, violating the inf treaty, and infringing on rights of its people, among other things. The need for principled engagement with russia is as important as ever. Russias status as a superpower and permanent member of the it requiresl sustained diplomacy with the russian government in areas of shared interest, for instance in arms control, counterterrorism. But resolute opposition to russia where it undermines the interests and values of the United States, our allies, and partners, for example threatening stability in europe and election stability in the United States. I have been directly involved in developing u. S. Policy on russia. I lead a senior delegation to geneva in mid july to reset a Strategic Security dialogue. Last month, i participated in a decision to remove sanctions on others associated with the Internet Research agency for their attempts to interfere with the 2019 midterm election. Considering these kinds flex these complex issues, i want to acknowledge committee insights on russia. To collaborate with members of this committee, individually and collectively, on russia policy. If confirmed, i would continue to support dialogue with the russian government on arms control as well as on denuclearizing the korean peninsula, finding a peaceful conflict in afghanistan, syria, and other issues. But i will be relentless in opposing russian efforts to interfere in u. S. Elections, to violate the sovereignty in georgia, and to engage in the malign behavior that has reduced our relationship to such a low level of trust. I ensure the committee that i inld also be indefatigable supporting people who travel to russia including business, tourists, athletes, and all americans. I will continue to press the russian government for the release of paul whalen, who has been in prison without charges for a year now, and to propose that michael kellys case be disposed of in a civil, not criminal hearing. I would look forward to working with the russian people to celebrate russian culture, russian history. I will also continue to promote exchanges to foster a better understanding of the United States as i have done. I would meet with civil rights activists. Finally, there would be no greater honor for me if confirmed than to serve with the dedicated women and men who constitute our mission in russia. Katerinburg, where career officers from across the u. S. Government are serving with distinction. Their tenacity in the face of these challenges is inspiring, indeed it was the example of my colleagues in Mission Russia that inspired me to seek to leave washington and join them on the front lines of american diplomacy. I humbly ask this committee for that opportunity. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member menendez, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to come before you today. We are now going to do a fiveminute round of q