coming up thursday morning, ohio democratic congresswoman marcie captor will talk about the trump administration's trade policy and the conversation about trade issues will continue with texas republican congressman jodi angerton. be sure to watch "washington journal" each sunday for our special series on 1968, america in turmoil, starting march 18th. we'll look back 50 years to that turbulent time, which includes the vietnam war and a fractious presidential election. >> the director of the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases dr. anthony fauci will testify about the government's preparations and response to the flu season. watch live coverage from the house energy and commerce oversight subcommittee at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span3. in the afternoon --

>> can the nominees follow me, please?

>> the committee will come to order. good afternoon. this is an nomination hearing from the honorable joseph mcmahonis of new york. a career member of the senior foreign service. to be u.s. ambassador to colombia. ms. mary royce of california to an anassistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs. ms. robin bernstein of florida to be u.s. ambassador to the dominican republic and the honorable edward charles prado to be the u.s. president to argentina. before me and i ranking member make our remarks, we want to recognize our colleagues who have business to attend to. i would first recognize senator john cornyn of texas who is here

to introduce judge edward prado. >> it's an honor to be back before you. particularly to introduce my friend judge ed prado who has been nominated by the president to be the u.s. ambassador to the argentine republic. we go back a long way. when both of us served as judges in san antonio, texas, he was a little bit ahead of me as a state district court judge, but he went on to serve with distinction in the federal judiciary now for almost 35 years. he's had an incredible career. the first 19 years he served as a federal district judge and then on the fifth circuit court of appeals for 14 more. he's been a public defender, u.s. attorney, state district court judge, assistant district attorney. he's done a lot of different things. but for some in the audience who may not know, the states of louisiana and mississippi and texas, for those states and the people who live there, judge prado and his colleagues on the

fifth circuit have essentially been the supreme court. since you know roughly 80 or so cases make their way to the united states supreme court. in his role for the fifth circuit, the judge was confirmed by the senate unanimously, 97-0. it's not surprise that he was appointed by the chief justice to the -- of the supreme court to chair the criminal justice active review committee and serve on the board of the federal judicial center as well as other committees. judge prado is just a popular, sharp and actually once you get to know him, pretty funny guy, but i hope he doesn't show that part of his personality here today. he was first in his family to go to college. judge prado received his undergraduate and law degrees from the university of texas and grew up in a predominately latino area in san antonio. he speaks fluent spanish, which will come in handy in argentina. i was surprised to learn that his family's history extends

back to a spanish soldier married at the alamo in the 1700s. so one of the -- one of the jokes about federal judges is that although they get lifetime tenure, sometimes it feels like a life sentence, and ed and maria are embarking on a new chapter in their lives, which i know must be exhilarating for them and it's to our great benefit to have somebody of their distinction and their character representing the u.s. government in argentina. although down in argentina, he's going to have to remember that cowboys are -- but argentinians may be strangers to bevo, but they're no stranger to beef. so as the committee knows, argentina's become an increasingly important country in south america. the president recently implemented a series of economic

reforms that has literally turned that country around and eliminated some of the currency controls in reducing taxes on agricultural exports. and his broad election victor last fall indicates he'll continue to enjoy broad support. so just as our relationship with argentina has improved, it's really important that we have somebody of character and talents and experience of judge prado representing the united states government in that country. as we work together to combat narcotics trafficking, money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption and other elicit financial activities. we all share the concern, which i know the chairman particularly feels poignantly, the political concern over venezuela and recently our two presidents agreed to launch a bilateral working group on cyber security issues. so the argentine republic is fortunate to have such a strong believer of democratic principles and rule of law serve as u.s. ambassador.

i thank you for your courtesies and letting me make this introduction and thank the president for making such an outstanding nomination. i hope the committee will favorably report out his nomination. >> thank you, senator cornyn. the senior senator from florida, bill nelson. >> i might say also about mrs. royce, we well-know her husband ed. they have been frequent visitors to our state of florida. and have always been such gracious, gracious folks to grace and to me. and i want to particularly thank the two of you for your leadership. you're both very skilled, the chairman and the ranking member, in foreign affairs. i had the privilege of serving on this committee for a number of years. and i thought it important that since i had known robin for a

long time, the nominee for the dr, i wanted to come and tell you about her that her interest in public service started at a very early age. she even campaigned for scoop jackson and hubert humphrey. now, please, mr. chairman, don't hold that against her -- >> that's not in this file. i didn't see that. [ laughter ] >> she even campaigned for me, mr. chairman. please, don't hold that against her. and he worked for the joint economic committee and the department of commerce. and she's always had that spirit of public service. and let me tell you what she did in the aftermath of puerto rico. in a bipartisan way, she put together the palm beach county

cares organization that within just a few weeks of the hurricane in puerto rico, they delivered over 100 tons of supplies. and they also helped to get clean water. and you know how desperate those folks are as they continue many of them still without electricity this late in the day. and potable water. that spirit of service and that proven ability to work in a bipartisan manner is going to make her a great ambassador. and so i've already congratulated her on the nomination, and i'd like to see her confirmation fly through the senate. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator nelson. think i speak for the ranking

member, we thank you for your clips. you are free to come to all of our hearings and say that as well. >> i just did that in a press conference with you, mr. chairman. >> yes, sir. thank you for coming today. a member of our committee, senator yudall, of new mexico, will be introducing ms. royce. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman. and i just also want to say what it is a pleasure working with you, chairman rube and ranking member ben cardin. my wife jill and i have known marie royce for close 20 years when i began may service in the house of representatives. marie is a california native. growing up in the west, she's active in conservation organizations and initiatives and i believe she understands the important connection of those programs to international security and the rule of law. i also think her experience and educational and cultural affairs makes her a good fit for this

important leadership role. ms. royce, a businesswoman and former professor, has been the ceo and principal of marie royce llc in california since 2016. she has more than 30 years of experience in the private sector with fortune 500 companies. as a small businessowner, creating and launching start-ups and new initiatives and serving as a key business liaison to 80 countries. as a former educator and full-time university professor, ms. royce led an international grant program between two universities. she is a private sector appointee on the advisory committee on international communications and information policy at the department of state. and has served on two u.s. cultural exchange boards. marie served as an american counsel of young political leaders delegate to hungary in poland. ms. royce earned a bachelors in science and business administration from california

state polly tech nick university and a masters in business administration from georgetown university. her nomination has significant support within the diplomatic community. patricia stacey harrison served as assistant secretary for educational and cultural affairs under president george h.w. bush and secretary of state colin powell. and currently serves as ceo and president of public broadcasting. ms. harrison says, and i quote here, marie royce's experience, leadership, knowledge and commitment to service will be of high benefit to our country and the department of state and the bureau of education and cultural affairs, end quote. likewise, former assistant secretary for education and cultural affairs under president clinton says, and i quote here,' are thrilled to seema ree royce nominated for a key leadership role at state.

she continues to share our vision a more secure and prosperous world through the power of international exchange. end quote. ms. royce's experience, judgement and temperament qualifies her for this important position with our diplomatic corps and a wholeheartedly support her anonymous and urge my colleagues to do so also. thank you both. really great to be here with you. >> thank you. the three ambassadorial nominees, if confirmed, will be the face of america to the countries in which you will be serving and your primary job, of course, is to communicate and execute the policies of the united states, explaining to local populations what we are doing and why. the western hemisphere is a region vital to our national security and to our economy. and one increasingly contested by foreign powers who have little to no interest in democracy or human rights or the rule of law. if we want the united states to remain free, prosperous and secure, it starts in the western

hemisphere. this is a contest that we cannot afford to lose and you will be on the front lines. as for the nominee to the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs, if confirmed, you will be charged with one of america's most important foreign policy tools, the finest educational system in the world and a culture that is prevalent in nearly every corner of the planet. all four of these positions play an important role in u.s. foreign policy and i'm pleased that all four of these nominations are here with us today. let's begin with colombia, where we have a relationship that in my view is a poster child for what good u.s. foreign assistance can do. we have worked for decades now with the colombian government on a problem of mutual concern, the production and trafficking of drugs. the u.s. colombia initiate plan colombia is one of the most effective bilateral efforts that we've ever undertaken and is a model in this western hemisphere. the initiative's main goal was to reduce the supply of illegal drugs produced and exported by

colombia, but in addition, it helped the security of colombia itself, the stability of its government and its governance. and as a result, economic relations with colombia have deeped throughout the years and the u.s. remains their top trading partner. in short, this partnership has allowed the colombian government to intake billions of dollars in foreign assistance and in return has allowed them to invest it in ways which have been good for both countries. today, colombia is a free and democratic nation. the rule of law is legitimate. it has one of the strongest and largest economies in the region and it is among our strongest allies in the hemisphere. no longer just a recipient of support but providing it themselves in places like honduras. still, it faces challenges, and given the internal and regional issues its government is facing, especially with narc owe trafficking, anyone in consideration for this position should dim straight a deep understanding of political, economic climate as well as

opportunities for the united states in partnership with colombia and the region at large. the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs oversees some of the u.s. government's most popular and prominent programs like scholars named after the longest serving chairman of this committee and exchange programs that expose people from all over the globe to america. these are soft power tools that could very well help decide whether this century is also an american one. the dominican republic and the united states has deep cultural ties, especially in my home state of florida. accord og to pew, dominicans are the fifth largest hispanic group in the united states with nearly 2 million in the year 2015. it also happens to be a popular tourist destination for americans, hosting upwards of 2 million americans as tourists last year. beyond personal and economic ties, the dominican republic finds itself at an important flash point for freedom in the region. the dominican republic is part of the group of countries that receive subsidized oil from a dictatorship in venezuela.

and if we want venezuela to return to the prosperous constitutional democracy that its people deserve and that it was just a few decades ago, it is important for us democracies in the region such as the dominican republic to support the democratic aspirations and the human rights of their brothers and sisters in venezuela in forums like the oas and the united nations. argentina is a leader in south america that is recovering from years of poor economic leadership. the president's election has shown a commitment to stronger bilateral relations with the united states and a return to good governance, the rule of law and free markets. the news yesterday of charges being brought against the former president demonstrate just how precarious democracy can be and why we need to be on guard for cracks in our own democratic institutions and in democratic institutions in the region and throughout the world. so all of these positions will hold key roles in american foreign policy and i begin at

the outset by thanking you and your families for your commitment to your country and your willingness to serve it abroad. the ranking member. >> well, chairman rubio, first of all, thank you for convene this hearing. i appreciate it very much. it's a pleasure to work with you in regards to the nomination for these four individuals. i also want to welcome you. thank you for your willingness to step forward in public service or continue in public service. it's not easy today. these are challenging times. and it's at great sacrifice to your privacy and for your families. so we thank you and we thank your families who are willing to serve our country. we're pleased that so many of your family members could be present with us today as we go through this hearing. marie royce for assistant secretary for education and cultural affairs. marie, you seem to have connections in a lot of states. i mean, you've got a florida

endorsement, a new mexico endorsement, you're from california, but you tell me you have ties to maryland. so obviously you know the country. congratulations on so many different contacts. you have an extremely impressive background, well-known for your experience in business and your global engagements. so we thank you for being willing to take on this extremely important position to promote u.s. standing in the world and our democratic principles. our cultural ambassador. cultivating global relationships. let me underscore the importance of this. we look at the alumni programs you find many and current former heads of state. so this truly is america's gift to the international community in promoting our values. more important now than ever before when you see, for example, what's happening in the philippines with president duterte's use of extra judicial killings in order to deal with the drug problem there.

and some kind comments sent by our president in regard to those methods. believe me, we have challenges today and we need your help. i do want just to acknowledge that the administration's budget would cut your program by 75%. now, we're not going to go along with that, but we need a friend in your huff-to advocate with us so that you have the resources you need to carry out this very important assignment. mr. chairman, i might point out, i am pleased that we have four nominees with us today, but i have to acknowledge that there are so many vacancies in the state department, such a drain of the top seasoned diplomats that have not been filled, that i am extremely concerned about the pace of the trump administration's bringing to us nominees. i can assure you that we will work with the chairman and expedite all the nominees brought forward because we desperately need your presence

in these areas. to ambassador mcmahonis, thank you for your career service. you've had an extremely impressive career, including being our representative in vienna to the international organizations, including the iaea. that gives you a wealth of experience that you can take to colombia. the implementation of the peace accords. senator blunt and i have worked with the atlantic council in regards to the implementation of the peace accords. there is a lot of interest in congress, bipartisan interest, but one of the real challenges that we need to follow up in this committee is very interested is in accountability. and make sure there is no impunities as to the violations of human rights of the farc and others that -- the longest civil war in our hemisphere. we want to make sure that the peace accords are entered into

in the right way and there is accountability for the human rights violations. we have to address the elicit coca cultivations. we know that. it is a major source of concern to us. and as the chairman pointed out with both colombia and argentina, the impact of venezuela of so noticeable. the impact on colombia, particularly on people trying to find life can exist in venezuela and the inability to deliver effectively humanitarian assistance to the people of venezuela. all that will become part of the charge of our missions in colombia and in argentina. to judge prado, we had a chance to talk yesterday. you've had a very distinguished career and we thank you for your willingness. we don't normally get circuit court judges on their way to become ambassadors, but your experience is incredible and

your commitment to public service is one that we all admire. so i just really wanted to thank you for being willing to take your talent to argentina. it is our only major non-nato ally in latin america. this year, they will host the g20, as we had a chance to talk about. and as i explained to you, we need to bring closure to the 1994 bombings of the jewish community center in argentina. the cover-up here by the former government is one that cannot go unchallenged. and the united states needs to play a role to make sure that argentina brings close or to that issue, holding those responsible accountable for that bombing. and i am concerned about the increased presence of china in argentina. and it's one in which we need to understand as we go forward and

our ambassador will play a very, very important role there. mrs. bernstein, you bring very impressive credentials in the business community, the philanthropic community. we thank you for your willingness to serve in a very important position. i'll just make one observation, which is not your calling, i think president trump makes it more difficult, and i'm just going to explain why. many of us are concerned about the fact that president trump never made full disclosures in his business interests, et cetera. we know there are trump organization activities within the dominican republic and we just urge you to understand the sensitivity of maintaining the objectivity of the mission in the dominican republic and we will be depending upon you to maintain that objectivity for the american people. mr. chairman, i look forward to our witnesses' testimony and to engaging them in some questions. >> thank you. we're going to begin our witness testimony as i -- your entire statement will be entered into the record.

so if there is an abbreviated version, we're happy to hear anything you have to to say, but in the interest of time, we have members coming in and out and they want to ask questions. so i would encourage you if you can to shorten the statements if possible so we can get right to the questions. ms. bernstein? >> chairman rubio, ranking member cardin, distinguished members of the committee, i would first like to thank my longtime friend and esteemed senator from florida, senator bill nelson, for his kind introduction. it is an honor to be with you today as president trump's nominee to be the u.s. ambassador to the dominican republic. if confirmed, it will be an honor to be the second woman to serve as u.s. ambassador to this country. i am humbled that the president has entrusted me with this opportunity. with your approval. to represent the united states. if confirmed, i look forward to working with the white house, secretary tillerson and your

talented and dedicated staff to lead our engagement with such an important regional ally and partner. i would like to take this opportunity to thank my family who are with me today. my wonderful husband richard, our children arthur, his wife karla, ariel, alexandra and julia and my mom carolyn. i would also like to acknowledge my late father, archie, whose lifelong passion was to host young exchange student ambassadors in our home and whose vision enabled me to go to high school in france as an exchange student and later to the school of international service in washington, d.c. my family sustained me throughout the many challenges and opportunities in my life, and without their support i would not be able to undertake this next and exciting stage of my career. i began one of my first professional positions here on the hill at the joint economic committee in this very building. after obtaining my mba, i moved

to florida where i met my husband and where we raised our family. for over three decades, i've worked alongside my husband at our family insurance business in a number of leadership roles. during this time, i continually worked in the nonprofit community in a wide variety of positions, particularly in the areas of empowering and supporting women, health care issues and supporting the underserved community. i'm especially proud that as the co-founder of the bipartisan organization palm beach county cares i helped facilitate the deliver of medicine and critically needed supplies to our fellow americans in puerto rico and the u.s. virgin islands in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes. i'm confident that my education and my experience in the public sector, private sector and nonprofit worlds have prepared me for this important diplomatic mission. if confirmed as u.s. ambassador, i will work closely with the personnel from across the

government to lead our embassy's efforts in forging stronger bonds with the government and the people of the dominican republic. if confirmed, this appointment would be especially meaningful to me as a jewish american. my grandfather fled russia as a child with his family to escape religious discrimination. they came to the united states to pursue the american dream of religious freedom, human rights, democracy and economic opportunity. that is why i'm humbled to stand before you today, and if confirmed pledge to continue the fight to preserve these american values. in the jewish faith, we have a saying, when you save a life, you save the world. during world war ii, the dominican government and its people opened their arms to thousands of jews who were seeking refuge from the atrocities in europe. serving as ambassador would be a significant way for me to show

gratitude for how the dominican republic and their people cared for the jewish people in their time of need. as close neighbors, we also share a mutually beneficial economic, cultural, sports and people-to-people ties enhanced by a very sizeable dominican american desapra. if confirmed, i'll work to ensure that trade opportunities continue to grow and deliver prosperity for both our nations and to ensure that our economic engagement will continue to benefit the united states. over the years, the dominican republic has endured challenges to the health of its civil society. if confirmed, i pledge to continue to promote policies that advocate for the rule of law, strengthen democratic institutions a institutions and trackle corruption. fighting elicit trafficking and crime and s. one of president trump's highest priorities. the dominican republic is one of our strongest law enforcement

partners in this hemisphere. continued bilateral cooperation will help tack the drug related addiction and crime-related problems that affect both of our countries. finally, if confirmed, i'll work tirelessly to facilitate humanitarian, cultural and educational exchanges that reaffirm to the people of the dominican republic america's enduring foreign policy values of democracy, freedom and human rights. thank you very much for considering my nomination. i look forward to answering your questions. >> thank you. ms. rice? >> thank you. mr. chairman, ranking member cardin, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today. i'd like to thank senator udall for his kind introduction. i want to thank president trump and secretary of state rex tillerson for their confidence in me, and if confirmed it will be a privilege to represent you and the american people globally.

i'd like to thank ed, my husband of 33 years, for his love and inspiration. and i would like to recognize my mother mary barbara, my father-in-law ed sr. and my late father ronald porter and aunt peg. to my family and friends in california and my friends that are here today, i could not ask for better support. i'm a passionate champion of people-to-people exchanges. time and trust in uca programs like fulbright and the international leadership program have built important relationships. one in three current world leaders are alumni of u.s. government exchange programs. so are over 500 former heads of state and 84 nobel laureates. as a professor at california state polytechnic university pomona.

i saw the impact of our ideals, values and policies on their world view and on their perception of u.s. foreign policy. because of the prevalence of disinformation in many parts of the world, these eca exchanges bring real world experiences in the united states that foster credibility and trust. these people-to-people ties are an important way to show that u.s. disagreement with a given regime overseas or with the government of the country and not with the people. thus, academic, cultural and athletic exchanges cultivate mutual understanding as well as friendly and peaceful relations between the people of the united states and the people of other countries. in my time as a business executive in the telecommunications industry, working in emerging markets in africa, europe, south america and asia, i obtained a deep

appreciation of the role played by our educational programs. so often those i met in key decision-making roles had been the beneficiaries of eca's bilateral agreements where foreign partners, governments, businesses and ngos. they had experienced the richness of america's political, economic and cultural life. and as a result, they were very receptive to what america had to offer. as a delegate to hungary for pl portland in the acypl program, i experienced the effectiveness of these bipartisan programs. acypl promotes mutual understanding and cultivating long-lasting relationships among next generation leaders. it was an honor for me to later serve as secretary of the board. i served as a trustee of meridian international, which works closely with the state department and other u.s. government agencies to provide

exchange and policy programs that strengthen u.s. engagement with the world and prepares leaders to address complex global problems. my professional career began with the proctor and game be& g sales management. i helped create and launch a mentoring program for women and minorities to help close gender and racial gaps in the workplace and attract diverse talent. i raise this point because american diversity and the advances in opportunity for women and minorities in our society serve as an example for those struggling for full rights abroad. prospect for empowerment, democracy and the rule of law worldwide are advanced when young people can participate in our public diplomacy programs. involvement of american and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups create opportunities that are open to all.

this inclusion is an american value and advances american interests. from creating programs at cal poly pomona, p & g -- and a program for muslim women in afghanistan and later iraq, i have volunteered my time to those who have faced discrimination and lacked opportunities. as a private sector appointee on the advisory committee on international communications and international policy at the department of state, i developed long distance mentoring programs. as noted by the senator udall, i have more than 30 years of experience in the private sector in small business and as a full-time university professor. if confirmed, i would aim to strengthen our people-to-people ties even further. i'm very honored to be appointed to this important position and i will focus all my efforts on improving the vital missions of these programs. thank you very much.

>> thank you. ambassador? >> thank you, senator. mr. chairman, and mr. ranking member, members of the committee. it's an honor to appear here for the president's nominee as u.s. ambassador to the republic of colombia. in a country so key to our security and prosperity in the western hemisphere. i would like to thank first my wife carol and our son chris for their support during my 32-year career in the foreign service. without that support, i would not be here today. mr. chairman, colombia's transformed itself -- mr. chairman, i find myself particularly challenged by the fact that your introduction and the ranking member's introduction on colombia were a perfect articulation of our policy. it is a representation of the bipartisan nature of that support over the past 20 years, and i would be happy to read my statement, my abbreviated

statement, but i would prefer, in fact, to in the senate tradition associate myself with those remarks and leave myself available for a full set of questions. it is a well-known account. it is one that we all understand. and i look forward to talking to you about it. if confirmed, i plan on representing our country fully and in a fashion that would continue the progress that we've made under plan colombia. >> yeah, senator cardin makes the point that any time your statement basically is you agree with what we have to say, it's always a good sign, buts butt that's just our -- [ laughter ] >> i got lucky, senator. >> all right. judge, do you agree with us, too? >> 101%. i think that he should have checked with the rest of us on the panel as to whether he should have cut his statement short because the rest of us would prefer it would be longer.

mr. chairman rubio, ranking member cardin and other members of the committee, including senator king who is here, and i'll acknowledge him, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you this afternoon. and i also wish to thank my good friend senator cornyn. we go back a very, very long way when we were both young lawyers. we have an informal agreement that if i don't tell stories on him, he won't tell stories on me. so i'll leave it at that and thank him for being here today and introducing me to the committee. it's an honor to appear before you today as the president's nominee to be the united states ambassador to the argentine republic. i must say it's a rather awkward position for me because as an appellate judge, i'm used to being the one behind the bench and asking the questions and controlling the little red lights and traffic. so it's a little different situation for me today, but be that ads it may, i hope to assue

you that my career as a judge, my work ethic, my resolve, make me well-qualified to be america's voice in argentina. i thank president trump for his confidence in me and for this opportunity. and i thank secretary rex tillerson for supporting my nomination. i'm here today with my wife of 44 years, maria. she has been my strongest supporter throughout my life and our marriage and in this new endeavor. she understands that there is an important role for the spouse of an ambassador and she's eager to take on that responsibility. we are a team. she's coming with me as part of my team. our son edward could not join us today, but he's very enthusiastic about this opportunity for his father, and i think he'd rather save his money for possible trips further south than to come up here to d.c. today. i'd also like to acknowledge some of my former law clerks

that are in the audience. as a judge for many years, i've had the opportunity to hire young, bright lawyers from various law schools throughout the country and they have been part of what they call team pardo, and i wish to thank them for appearing here with me today. my career has prepared me well for this new responsibility. as a federal judge, i listened, i gathered information i analyzed it carefully and ultimately had the responsibility to make difficult decisions. i understood that with the title of judge came power and respect. but with that power and with that respect also came a responsibility to do what the law demanded, regardless of the consequences. likewise, the title of ambassador carries with it a great deal of prestige. but with that prestige also comes a great responsibility to represent the united states of america.

my goal will be to earn the respect that comes with the title of ambassador and to represent our country to the best of my ability. i also realize that while i might serve as the face of the court, there are dozens of persons behind the scenes that make the courts function properly. the same is true of an embassy. while i might be the face of the embassy, i understand that there is a team and many dedicated employees behind the scenes making sure that america is properly represented. an embassy is only as strong as those who make it function, from the ambassador to the consular section to the people working in the cafeteria. we are a team working together with the same goals, the same mission. i have had the opportunity to travel to argentina on numerous occasions. i have met -- made presentations and participated in workshops across argentina and have made

friends among the argentine legal community. i know how important the rule of law is and how important a strong end judicial branch can be to a country if it is to be a solid democracy. my intent is to continue working with the lawyers and the judges of argentina in improving the judicial system and strengthening the confidence the people have in the judicial system. as a former prosecutor, i appreciate the efforts of our law enforcement agencies to make our country and the world a safer place for all citizens. it is my intent to fully support united states law enforcement agencies' efforts in supporting argentine law enforcement and their fight against crime. i am committed to help build capacity within the argentine police to promote security in a vital regional ally. as a son of a world war ii veteran and myself a retired

army reservist, i appreciate the importance of a strong military commitment to a democratic world free from the threat of terrorism. our support of the argentine military must continue. i also hope to work closely on commercial and economic issues to increase opportunities for united states business in argentina. i will work to further enhance our bilateral trade relationship. argentina is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and has a powerful and diverse economy. while the country has no doubt dealt with its share of economic challenges, the current macri administration has established wide-reaching reforms seeking to strengthen argentina's market and its position in the global economic community. i intend to work closely with the argentine administration to not only assist them in these efforts but to strengthen mutual

trade and commerce between our two countries. i look forward to continuing our friendship and partnership with a close ally. through our efforts, we can strengthen peace and prosperity in both countries and i look forward to representing the united states on the global stage. i welcome your questions. >> thank you all for being here. i'm going to just question one of the nominees and then turn it over to our members and then i'll be able to remain and continue in our work, but i wanted to start with ambassador macmanus who served as executive assistant to secretary race and then secretary clinton in particular during 2012 when we experienced the terrible terrorist attack at our diplomatic compound in benghazi. a number of members, not just on the committee but off it have raised questions about this period of time. so i wanted to give you an opportunity to address it in this committee. let me begin by asking you, when did you know the attacks were terrorism and not related to

anti-american protest and when did you first inform the secretary of state of that fact? >> senator, thank you. i'm going to try to answer that in the correct order. i first learned of the attack when it was reported from the diplomatic security command center to our operations center and they in turn contacted me to let me know that there had been an attack or that there was an attack underway. to identify when i had knowledge that it was a terrorist attack is a different arc. my response initially and all of my communications were internal and intended only to inform people as required to understand what the secretary's whereabouts were and what the secretary was addressing at that particular moment. and this was over the course of several hours in the afternoon and into the evening.

i used the term terrorist attack because that's what i judged it to be. it was not a legal determination. it was not based on an amass of evidence or analysis, it was the term that i used to describe what i saw taking place. >> when did you first inform the secretary of state? >> well, i would say within minutes. it was probably approximately 3:30, 3:20, if i'm not mistaken, in the afternoon when i informed the secretary that this was underway and that we way, and that we were monitoring what exactly was taking place. >> okay. one more question. and to give you the opportunity to answer, did you ever purposely mislead or adversary for misleading the american public about the nature of the attack? >> never, senator. never.

thank you, senator cardin? >> judge prado, you and i had a chance to talk about the use of your talents in the legal system to deal with the problem in argentina from the '94 bombing of the jewish community center. and i just really want to get on the record here our concern that that matter be of high priority to our mission, that there be justice in regards to what happened and any cover-up that was engaged by the government. >> yes, sir, senator. i'm encouraged that the present administration has refocused its investigation on those horrible terrorist attacks. we share unfortunately that with argentina that our country too has been attacked by terrorists, and many people killed and injured.

the administration is going forward with investigation, not only about the bombings that took place, but also the killing, murdering death of alberto nisman who was a special prosecutor that was investigating the case, that mysterious death, and i hope to get down there and help the process in any way can i with regard to any assistance that we might provide, whether it be as prosecutors or as assistance to the judicial process. >> thank you for that there is at least some indication that there were foreign interests involved in that attack, and that there may have been governmental cover-up to the investigations. so that obviously is a matter of grave concern. >> yes. i would like to encourage the iranian government to cooperate in the investigation and assist in the investigation. >> thank you. ms. bernstein, i'm sure you're

aware of the 2013 decision of the dominican constitutional court that stripped hundreds of thousands of domians of their haitian descent, of their nationality, rendering them stateless. these are people who for a long time have lived in the dr, and the constitutional court has now declared that they have no citizenship, that are literally stateless. what would be your approach to ensuring that these individuals have their nationality restored? >> thank you, senator, for that very important question. humanitarian rights are very, very important to me, especially as someone whose family's fled russia because of the lack of respect for human rights. so this is something that's deeply ingrained in my soul. and this is something that -- a question that is very, very important to me. first of all, i would -- i agree with you that human rights should be respected.

and the pope, even pope john paul said that everyone, if i may quote, everyone should have the opportunity to eat enough, to be cared for when ill, to find housing, to study to overcome illiteracy, to find worthwhile and properly paid work. all that provides a truly human life for men and women, young and old. and i would take a very active role in working with embassy or embassy staff. i understand that this is something that we do if confirmed that i -- that we work to help them gain passports. and i would hopefully work with my esteemed colleague, michelle sisson, ambassador sisson in haiti, and try and work with her should there be any issues where we could partner together and try to make sure that the restoration of the people that are, quote, stateless have their

rights. >> i would ask you keep this committee informed on that process. these individuals basically have been there for long periods of time. >> right. >> there is no other country that they belong. because their language is slightly different, they have been discriminated against by dr. and we would just ask that you make this a priority to keep us engaged on this subject. >> absolutely. and if confirmed, i can assure you that i look forward to working with you to assure that this will happen. and i look forward to staying engaged with you on this issue. >> ms. royce, i really appreciate your testimony. it was almost as good as ambassador macmanus' testimony. i really appreciate the way you talked about the exchanges and american values and the impact it's had. because i agree with everything you just said. and human rights is a priority of this committee. it's one of my top priorities. american values to me are a strength. and we've got to be pretty clear about it.

it's being challenged today. it's not easy. there is a lot of concerns about whether america still maintains that global position as it relates to our traditional values. and i just want you to know that there is a lot of support by both democrats and republicans in congress to make sure that your role is clear that america's strength are our values. and that we want you to have the tools you need to continue these exchanges to promote i would say universal values, american values. as you move forward, there is going to be challenges. it's because of the current issues that are for america and before the global community. so will you be open and frank with us as to how we can help? >> oh, thank you, senator. we well, first of all, i want to

say thank you for your thoughtful comment and your willingness to help. what i would like to share in your opening statement that you stated was how important exchange programs are as far as that valued aspect of america's international leadership. as you know, and you mentioned in your statement, about resources, and i want to assure you that if confirmed, that any level resource, i'm going to utilize my skills coming from the private sector where i managed with challenging budgets oftentimes. and i'm going to leverage the assets of the eca. and that includes the experts at the state department, our resources, and you mention of the alumni. that's really important. in addition to that, i'm going to marshall resources against our highest public policy priorities for foreign policy. so i will just say that i'm going to welcome your feedback and be open to it any way that

we can make any improvements to enhance and improve our public policy, i would welcome that. >> thank you. and with your indulgence, mr. chairman, i want to ask ambassador macmanus, in regards to the peace process in colombia, and the reconciliation is critically important, that the terms of the peace agreements as it relates to those that had been -- had violated human rights, that they're held accountable or consistent with the peace agreements, there is responsibilities on both sides. and what i find that when peace agreements are entered into, the human rights component sometimes gets left on the table as far as enforcement is concerned because it is not considered to be of equal priority to the other provisions in the peace accord. i would ask that that needs to be of highest priority. and the u.s. mission can play a

major role and make sure that in fact is carried out. >> senator, a comment briefing on that. first, i think the peace accords themselves have woven into them an understanding that the repair that needs to be done to the social fabric in that country is part and parcel of both the scourge of illegal narcotics and the response to that scourge in the peace accord and following, which is the introduction of a state presence, of state institutions in areas that have traditionally not seen investment and participation by the state. one for security reasons initially, but secondly, because they are areas that are in need of growth. and many of them in fact line up with areas of the country where indigenous populations or

afro-colombian populations are prevalent. so the key word, as you said, is accountability. accountability for crimes. and then accountability to resolve part of the underlying causes for the state being in the woeful condition it was in when we first went forward with a plan colombia. human rights must be a part of that. and we've seen reactions from the colombian government in terms of providing greater protection to labor leaders and human rights defenders. it is still a problem, and it is going to be over the course of the generation that makes changes in colombia that will build out, i think, the institutions of colombian governance that will provide the most important protections. >> thank you. >> senator king? >> thank you, senator. congratulations to each of you this. is a very well qualified panel

for the positions you've been nominated for. if i could ask you, mr. mauns, qui macmanus, quickly, we were talking in the back room. a lot of times we wonder whether the effect of american foreign policy is positive. we try hard. we have good motivations. often despite all of those things, we get involved in other countries. we're not happy with the outcomes and that makes people question whether we should question at all. colombia is a perfect example that is really been transformative. we've seen colombia go from a near failed state to a wonderful partner for the united states and leader in its region. i remember going to visit the multinational force of

observers, the patrols that provides peace in sinai. and colombia is a major participant in that peacekeeping operation. so there is a lot at stake at this point in making sure that progress continues. one of the issues i know that colombia is very interested in, and i wanted to get your take on it is colombia's desire to be part of the oecd. so i would like to hear your thought about whether colombia seems to be on track to meet benchmarks for ascension to the oecd, and what are obstacles that remain. and then what more could the united states do to be an ally in that effort. >> thank you, senator. colombia's desire and in fact ambition to become part of oecd, to join in a community of nations that believe in normative standards, and are being to prove that they're capable of it is a great sign that they are prepared to move

forward. our trade relationship with them now has as its framework a trade cooperation agreement which has resulted in a trade -- a fairly good trade balance. it's one of the best in the world. a trade in goods of about $23 million -- sorry, 23 million a year. it fathers depending upon a variety of factors. but also that trade agreement and the desire to join oecd has provided an impetus for a continuation in progress on standards, on labor standards, on resolving conflicts that exist that have to do with protection of intellectual property. the access to the market of u.s. companies. u.s. companies have expressed, continued to, a great desire to invest in colombia.

colombia is a country of 48 million people. it has a prominent role in the region and has ready access to other markets. it is really at a point where it should be developing in a very expansive way in terms of a larger global footprint. there are issues that have yet to be resolved. there is every hope that they can be resolved in short order. but it's under a concentrated review by the u.s. trade representative, by the labor department, and by the department of commerce. i've spoken with both commerce and labor about these issues. this is a serious and ongoing conversation. and it will continue to be so. because there are elements of the colombian economy that continue to involve directly issues such as child labor. and i don't mean child labor as in cutting the lawn on the weekend. really, the misuse of children

in a labor market. so those are, again, longer term shifts that have to take place. i think we're very positive in terms of the movement and hopeful that that can reach a good conclusion. >> i would encourage you in that way. i think this has a lot of benefit for colombia if it's done. but i also think it has benefit for the oecd. it can easy by be viewed as a northern hemisphere kind of thing. i think it's really important that southern countries around the world also find their own places in organizations like this. and so i would encourage you in that way. >> thank you. >> ms. royce, let me just put a pet issue of mine on the table for your new job, and that is in the area of education exchanges. of course we have a crown jewel education system, fulbright scholarships. i worry when we talk about education we dis career and technical education. i think there is an opportunity for exchanges in this case. if you apply for a pell grant in

this country, you can use it on a college campus but you can't use it as an apprenticeship or career in a technical. if you're in the military like any son, you get a tuition assistance benefit. you can use it as a college campus. you can't use it to take a welding certification exam if you're an ordinance officer. we had a presidential scholars program for 50 years that recognizes high school students who are superstars only in recently senator portman and i convinced president obama to start recognizing career in technical education superstars too. you can pretty much look across the spectrum of u.s. education policy. and we say college is great, and we've kind of underestimated career technical education and apprenticeships there is some superb apprenticeship programs around the world, switzerland, germany. the united states has some wonderful examples. newport new ship building in virginia. but i would hope as you're thinking about educational exchanges how to both share our best practices and learn from the best practices of others

that it wouldn't just be about college or, you know, elementary and secondary but we would make sure we include career technical as a part of what we both want to learn about and both want to spotlight that we do well. >> thank you. senator kahne for that input. i would be very open to looking at those types of programs. as you are very well aware, many programs have been made been conducted with working back and forth with congress. a couple of those include the kennedy-lugar program for high school students. another one you probably are aware of is the ben gilman program. and under ben gilman provided an opportunity for people that were first generation students and their families to go to college. it helps with financial need. of course, again, that was in direct consultation with congress. so i would just add that i think these types of ideas are great

to think about and include. so i appreciate your input and would look forward to -- if i'm confirmed, working with you on this. >> that's very good. thank you so much. i have another question or two that i'll just submit for the written record. >> thank you. ambassador macmanus, i wanted to ask you about cocaine. from 2006 to 2010, according to the rand study, the rand study, there was a 50% drop-off in consumption of cocaine in the united states. and then it began to climb, to the point where we've seen record supplies of cocaine over the last couple of years. obviously most -- much if not most of it from colombia. and the increase, of course, has led to a drop in prices and an increase in the rate of consumption in both the united states and in parts of europe, that the timing of that climb, of course, coincide with the peace deal. and one of -- among -- they stopped aerial erad case. but the other thing that

happened is they created this sort of program where they were paying growers not to stop growing coca, but to be in a position to qualify for it. for those payments, the people had to be growing ococa so people would qualify for the payments when they became available. we have now seen historic numbers of cocaine. already cocaine kills more people than heroin does among african americans in the united states. so it's a burgeoning problem. describe -- it is my belief that if confirmed you will be the ambassador to colombia at a time in which cocaine is going to begin to compete with heroin and opiates as a headline issue in the united states, and immediately people are going to realize where it's coming from, and there is going to be real tension created as a result of it. give us some ideas about how you plan to get ahead of that both in your interaction was the colombian government and the united states government, because i see that coming, and i

see it potentially becoming a major irritant in the relationship between our countries. and quite frankly, i could foresee people begin to question, not me, but others begin to question the wisdom of a plan that is supposed to be dealing with this and yet they'll be saying we're spending all this money and it isn't working. how do you plan to get out ahead of it, both working with our counterparts in colombia and of course the folks at the state department and here in the u.s. government? >> thank you, senator. i think that irritation is already there. it's beyond an irritation. the president in last year's declaration on a majors list, a list of major drug producing and drug trafficking nations expressed a deep concern about the increase in coca cultivation and cocaine production in colombia. the colombians have felt the same way. members of this committee have

expressed themselves of this view. and the colombian government itself has also expressed the concern that they need to have on this issue. the most recent experience on interdiction has been a positive one. in 2017, 500 metric tons of cocai cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride were interticketed and cocaine pacific northwest. as well, the highest number of hectares of coca cultivation were eradicated. most of that with forced eradication. some of it a much smaller number with involuntary eradication. the columbi colombian approach a new strategy, and while it is tied to and part of the addresses cocaine that was built

into the peace accords, both rural reform and addressing elicit drugs, they placed responsibilities well within the grasp of the colombian government to begin to address these in a coordinate way. so they have been using and beginning to use a whole of government approach. now, the growth is due to a number of factors. you mention the payments that would be made to farmers who were cultivating. we saw that growth beginning earlier. in fact, before the end of aerial spraying. some of that we take to be encouragement by the farc. some of it was in anticipation of negotiation we think for the peace accords, and some of it was clearly related to the opportunity to turn in hectares of coca cultivation for a cash payment. all of those have a predictable

quality to them. what is absolutely necessary is the commitment of the colombian government to reduce these numbers. most recently, we had a high level dialogue with colombia earlier this month, and the colombians have committed themselves to an eradication within five years to a level of 50% current numbers. now, we believe that there is both the focus, the appropriate tools, the professionalized military that was part of -- and one of the outcomes of plan colombia that lead to the ability of colombia to do that. i recognize that there is a chain of suffering that starts in colombia and gets to the united states. and every country that is affected along the way and certainly americans who are

affected by the introduction of the elicit narcotics in the united states are part of that and feel that suffering. we know we have a responsibility at this end, and we've spoken about it in terms of demand reduction. unfortunately, demand also appears rising. some of those indicators like the number of first-time users continues to push up. these are all issues that are going to have to be dealt with in a coordinated fashion at our end, and we understand what the coordination needs to be at that end. >> well, and it's impossible to talk about cocaine and its distribution -- well, let me begin by saying that some elements of the farc may have disbanded and disarmed and decommissioned, the space they once occupied in many parts of colombia have been taken up by cartel and/or eln elements. and you're someone that is familiar, very familiar with the region and obviously is a career service at the highest levels of the state department are aware of this.

it is indisputable, right, that the distribution of cocaine is holy is assisted actively by elements in the venezuelan government that participate both in its distribution and as we've seen with kingpin destinations and sanctions in this part of the -- and in indictments in the united states against some of these elements, and our own counterparts in colombia point to this. the venezuelan government is supportive of the eln. have often hosted officials on that side of the territory. but without doubt, as you see the aerial routes that are distributing through the caribbean, they almost all proceed from venezuelan territory of colombian cocaine. and therefore, as we look at this surge, it is fair to say that elements within the venezuelan government and/or military are active participants in the distribution of these cocaine routes. >> senator, it would -- it would attest credulity that the eln

which has traditionally operated along the venezuelan border, and has also acquired greater license in areas that had previously been controlled by the farc, that that border somehow becomes an impossible barrier for them. it is the border between colombia and venezuela is ripe for mischief and for illegality. the eln has an interest in creating opportunities for generating illegal funds. so i would have to say that only somebody who was waiting for the final analysis to make that conclusion would disagree with your statement. i don't. >> it's also fair to say if you look at the challenges facing colombia, whether it's assistance to the eln, whether it's a massive migratory issue now with refugees fleeing

venezuela, whether it's the distribution of cocaine, including by elements within the government, the nephews of the dictator in venezuela, who have been convicted, venezuela poses a very significant national security threat to our strongest ally in south america and colombia. >> that's correct, senator. the summit of the americas this year in april has as its main theme democratic governance against corruption. you could put a colon after that and then say the problem of venezuela. clearly venezuela as a regional threat, as a threat to colombia is the principle problem of today, of right now. there are solutions and steps that can be taken and that we've called for that the united

states government has called for that are simple steps of return to democracy, return to a respect for human rights, allow free and fair and transparent elections to go forward with international observers, open a humanitarian corridor for food and medicine. many of the venezuelans who are crossing the border are seeking medical attention, are seeking simple vaccinations. children are dying. babies are dying as a result of that inability to secure basic care. >> and one last question in that regard, and that is as you see more and more people coming across the border, by the way, some are citizens of both venezuela and colombia. >> yes. >> but as they come across the border, and more strain a placed upon our allies, do you anticipate at some point, if not already, that the united states will need to step up and potentially provide colombia

with assistance along with the international community to deal with the pressures being created by these large number of refugees flowing in to colombia from venezuela? >> i do, senator. i've had conversations with usaid, and with other elements in the state department that would be directly involved in that kind of assistance. i think colombia understands deeply the depth of this particular problem and this crisis. and are prepared to seek support when it's needed in order to help alleviate the enormous stress that it's going place both on the individuals, the venezuelans themselves that have been displaced, but also on the systems in colombia that are going to need to be able to respond to it. >> thank you. ms. bernstein, i wanted to ask you too, or i guess it's one question with two parts about the dominican republic. one of the things that's concerning to us is while we're

allies of the dominican republic and work with them and have strong cultural and economic ties, in settings like the united nations, their votes are very often not aligned with our priorities. as an example, it is my view, and i think the view of most members of the senate, in fact i know it is, because 100 members of the senate addressed a letter that i led with senator coons to the u.n. secretary general to express our deep concern with the unfair treatment of israel at the united nations. it is a entity and body that is frequently home to anti-israel resolutions that in many cases attempts to delegitimize israel. the u.n. general assembly adopted 18 resolutions directed at israel, resolutions about which the united states voted no. the dominican republic voted for each of these 18 resolutions. we have also seen them at the oas be less than cooperative on efforts to pressure the

venezuelan government. in essence, efforts to allow the oas to function the way it is supposed to. and that is to be an organization of democracies in the region that protect democracy and that condemnations that are violating it. and obviously one of the reasons potentially why this is happening is their membership in a group of countries that receive subsidized oil from venezuela in exchange for venezuelan influence in their government. i would ask do you commit to this committee this is an issue you're going to begin a dialogue with highest levels of the government, of the dominican republic both on their anti-israel votes at the united nations and also at their consistently not wanting vote in favor of supporting democracy in the region. will you commit to this committee that that will be among the issues you will raise if so directed by the department of state at the highest levels of the dominican republic government? >> yes, absolutely, senator. and i look forward to working with you in concert on this if

confirmed. >> thank you. >> judge prado, this has already been asked, and i just want to reiterate. i think argentina has a loft positive things happening. they're a member of the lima group, as an example, a nation that -- a group of nations that have taken it upon themselves to combine and coordinate efforts to pressure venezuela's dicta r dictatorship and push forward. i would ask do you commit to doing all you can in your role to coordinate with your counterparts in other member countries and be supportive of the argentine government's commitment to this process? >> yes, senator. yes, senator, i do. president macura has been a long-time critic of the venezuelan government and the treatment of the citizens by the maduro administration. he took efforts to have

venezuela taken out of the common market group of south american countries. so i think there is some positive moves being made by the argentine government in its criticism of how the venezuela administration is treating its citizens and the lack of democracy. and i intend to do all i can to support their efforts to remedy the situation. >> and as i mention in the opening statement, just yesterday the argentine judiciary deferred for public trial christina kirschner and other officials in connection with a cover-up of the '94 bombing of a jewish community center in buenos aires by the iranian government. their abuse of power and obstruction of justice in holding iran responsible for the terror attack, which by the way killed 85 people. and i would just ask if you could commit to the committee if confirmed that you'll not only do all you can to support their government in the search for justice for those who died in

that attack, but also that you'll support and do all you can on behalf of the u.s. government to support them in any ongoing investigations into what i believe was the murder and the assassination of a prosecutor, alberto nisman, who was on to the truth when his life was taken? >> yes, senator. i appreciate that question. and i will do all i can to support the macre administration in its investigation of this very serious, tragic situation that has occurred in their country. >> and finally, ms. royce, florida, my home state, has benefitted from educational and cultural ex-chags in numerous ways, including a large impact on our economy. there was an gnarl "the washington post" in november of last year that has basically outlined there has been a sharp change in foreign enrollment in the u.s. with numbers declining in 2016 and 2017 of international students coming to the united states. i was just -- i guess my question, if confirmed, what ideas do you have about

increasing participation of educational and cultural changes both here and abroad? >> thank you, senator, for your question. the information that i've received is that we've had one million international visitors this past year and the year before. so of course i would like to continue that. i'd like to also add in that number, we even have 14,000 -- you're talking about students. international students? >> i think it's a combination of student and cultural exchange. >> okay. i'm sorry. maybe you can repeat the question. >> the question is what can we do to continue to ensure that part of what is happening some countries around the world, they now have options available that they can only have gotten in the united states in years past. that's a part of development. but there might be some other factors in play that might be discouraging the growth in study abroad in the united states and/or in participating in exchanges between students or copping here, and whether it's

rhetoric and our politics or perhaps the unavailability of some of these programs. but one of the things that we notice in our work, and i think the ranking member would agree, oftentimes when you meet with important foreign leaders, one of the things you'll notice in their biography is that they graduated from an american university. and it actually has a real impact in our ability to engage with them because they are familiar with our system of government, they're familiar with the united states. it's a real advantage to this country. what ideas do you have to ensure that we continue on that trend as we may face new global competitors for that, and/or perhaps options domestically that may no longer make our universities or cultural exchanges as attractive as they have been. >> okay. thank you very much for the question, senator. you mentioned about the top world leaders. i mentioned that in my opening statement that one in three world leaders today are actually people that experienced the united states firsthand through

the international eca programs that we've had. i would also add that we've been doing some exciting things by trying to promote english. and we have english centers around the world where we offer young people the opportunity to learn english, and they can do that online. and so consequently, that also gives them an exposure. another thing that's exciting about eca right now is we've got some digital diplomacy initiati initiatives. even our facebook page, we had seven basic facebook pages. and we've got the third largest hits on one of the facebook pages. and we've got a twitter feed. we've got digital initiatives where people can actually go online and have a mentor. i'll just add one type of program. it's the christopher stevens initiative which is actually all virtual. excuse me, after our former ambassador. and so consequently, we're engaging with people that normally would never have the

opportunity to interface with an american. and so i think that's another example where we're able to create some hybrid programs to expose people, to also increase our numbers. but what i've understood from the information i've received is that we've had a number of people are still continuing to come to the united states from the international visitor program. and there is a strong economic impact. i'm sure you know the numbers. those students have created 450,000 jobs here in the united states. $39 billion worth of impact financially. again, i think i'll continue to try to do everything i can if confirmed to try to continue to promote ways for people to be interested in coming to the united states. as, again, because these leaders are so important. and also i would add on a short-term basis, having these leaders here gives us opportunity to talk about things that are very important, countering terrorism, managing the refugee crisis, for example, or even responding to disaster

relief. because these people are already here. so if that's a leader or exchange student, and if it's a student, of course they're getting exposed to american values. we mentioned human rights, democracy, rule of law, free speech is another one. we're talking about countering aggressive regimes, getting the opportunity to be able to speak and gather freely. and i know you're a senator also on technology. even open and free data flows across border communications. i think that's really important. thank you. >> if i could ask ms. royce on the summer work travel programs, j-1 visas, 17 senators sent a letter to secretary tillerson last summer in regards to the importance of the continuation of that program. it's been under concern. i can just give you one example. i had talked with the jewish

camp organizers, and the use of the j-1 visa for counselors at the camp for can cultural countries for the campers there. it's an incredible program. we are concerned about in this immigration debate that this program remain as a high priority and continuation. what is your view on this program? >> thank you, senator, for your question. i wanted to share with you that i am familiar with the letter. and i also was impressed with the fact that each of you that signed on really talked about the importance of the summer work travel program to the local community in addition, you recognized something that is very important in that letter, which was the fact that americans should also have the opportunity to be able to go for these jobs. and, in fact, it was recognized

then that these jobs shall also be promoted broadly to americans, but, of course, there is always a need for a talent and high demand season. one of the things about this area is that they're closely monitored. and site visits are conducted. and they're always updating the regulations. and i want to let you know that i would continue to -- with those practices in a transparent way, and would want to work with you on those. and i understand the summer work-travel program has really strong bipartisan support. and obviously, just even speaking on the hill here on my visits, you know, i just know how important that is, and i would be interested in, you know, continuing this dialogue. >> thank you. thanks. >> thank you. all right. well, thank you for your service, your willingness to serve. we look forward to chairman moving this on to the

confirmation vote. the record on this hearing is going to remain open until the close of business this friday. and seeing no objection, the hearing is adjourned.

the director of the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases, dr. anthony fauci will talk about the government's preparations and response to the flu season. watch live coverage from the house energy and commerce oversight subcommittee at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span3. in the afternoon, the senate panel will investigate domestic violence and child abuse in the military. our live coverage from the senate armed services committee begins at 2:15 eastern, also here on c-span3.

you can also follow both hearings online at c-span.org and with the free c-span radio app. a memoir of his experiences and what he has learned about our immigration system since leaving the border patrol. >> the woman was pregnant. that's why she couldn't keep up. and they were lost for three days after their group left them. they were drinking filthy water from cattle tanks. and they made it to a village, and the border patrol got called. and i was the agent who was supposed to take them in. and, you know, i started talking with them. and it turned out that this pregnant woman had grown up in iowa. and she spoke perfect english. and she was a school teacher in iowa. and, you know, i think her husband saw that we were talking, and that we had a

connection. and he sort of leaned over at one point. hey, man, can you just -- can we skip the whole arrest and deportation thing? could you just drive us back to the border and let us cross back into mexico? be a brother? and i didn't hesitate. i said no. this is my job. you know, i can't do that. and i took them in. but what i remember about that encounter is i remember asking their names. and i remember introducing myself to them. and i remember wanting to remember them because i had this connection. and i wanted to hold them in my mind. i wanted that woman to be safe. and for their child to be safe. and then a couple of hours later, i went back out on patrol. i was sitting in my car, and i had completely forgotten their names. the reason that encounter sticks with me so much, i think that's the first step in dehumanization

is forgetting what makes someone an individual. >> sunday night at 8:00 eastern on c-span's q&a. minority leader nancy pelosi, majority whip steve scalise, delaware senator chris coons, and florida congresswoman elena ros-lehtinen spoke to a group of journalists. they were part of the washington press club foundation's annual congressional dinner. thank you for join iing us the 74th annual congressional dinner. i'm lou jacobsen, the foundation's president. thank you. please give a warm welcome to the members of our head table, but keep your applause until the end.