[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] this full Committee Nomination hearing will come to order. This morning the committee will consider four nominations the key transportation positions within our jurisdiction. Nominees before us today are eric soskin, the nominee to be Inspector General for the department of transportation. Robert primus who is been nominated to be a member of the Surface Transportation Board. Sarah feinberg, nominated to be director of the amtrak board of directors, and chris coons was been nominated to be a direct of the amtrak board of directors. The Inspector General for the part of transportation overseas critical audits and investigations of dots programs with the end goal of ensuring that our National Transportation system is safe, efficient, and effective for the american people. Eric soskin the numbered for the some portable. Mr. Soskin is a senior trial counsel in the federal Programs Branch at the u. S. Department of justice where he h has s
The committee will come to order. Thank you all for coming today, i dont think all of you for being here. It is our honor to have the deputy secretary of state here to testify on u. S. Policy regarding peoples republic of china. I originally defaulting back in march, however, our need to focus on the Community Protests from doing that. It is important this committee continue its work on its most committing Foreign Policy challenges, obviously china is one of those. As a complete mistrust correctly recognized, china is a strategic in global competitor of the United States. It would be the greatest Foreign Policy challenge the United States faces in decades to come. Policies of the Chinese Communist party undermine u. S. Interests and values, as we share with partners around the world. Covid19 has brought this challenge the fork front of american life. We now know just how much the Chinese Communist partys decisions and actions directly affect u. S. Citizens, our allies and partners in t
Together im going to talk to my children about Sexual Orientation id like to have that conversation with them one on one i dont really want to come in the form of a christmas. Wherever youre tuning in from around the world this hour welcome to moscow and to our to international my names you know many of your company. After a series of. Injuries against protesters its come to light that french authorities were warned of the dangers of using tear gas grenades i can stemmons traitors as far back as january last year. The company which makes the military grade devices wrote to the French Interior ministry about the safety risks of its grenades being used by riot police. The blast the fact of the device is produced by an expose of substance a likely to maim or mortally injured an individual well those within 10 sound effects can cause irreversible hearing damage the resumption of production is impossible without completely reviewing the production process while in a letter leaked to the fre
Department on august 21, 2017, after unanimous confirmation in the United States senate. As that of the office of legal policy, assistant attorney general williams oversees the departments policymaking functions and serves as a covice chair of the attorney general task force on religious liberty. She bravely serve as special counsel for the United States Senate Committee on the judiciary can work in private practice and serve as a law clerk to judge Richard Wesley of the United States court of appeals for the second circuit. Please join me in welcoming to the stage assistant attorney general beth williams. [applause] thank you, john, for your kind introduction. Im honored to beer to facilitate a a discussion about the administrations efforts to combat antisemitism. Im also honor to serve in the departments stand for the rights of all americans including those of jewish faith to worship and safety into practice their religion freely. As we were going the last panel one important way tha
Normal. We cannot grow accustomed to this kind of disgraceful behavior. We cannot look at the poor behavior of already confirmed nominees and conclude that we should lower our standards when it comes to miss blanchards nomination. This is the United States senate, supposedly the worlds greatest deliberative body. We should examine the fitness and qualification of every single individual nominated to be the face of america in nations across the world. We should expect our ambassadors to represent the United States with dignity, respect, and sound judgment. And we should remember that americas role as a leader of nations rests on our moral standards and greatest values. Something is wrong if we willingly confirm people to these positions who repeatedly spread fake news, baseless slander, and the most despicable of conspiracy mongering. For these reasons, i will be opposing the nomination of Lynda Blanchard, and i urge my colleagues to do the same. With that, i yield the floor. The presid