Ricketts Helps Advance President Trump’s Nominees, Focuses on Nebraska Agriculture and Indo-Pacific Partners
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, while chairing a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the role of Americans serving their country through government and the threat of foreign adversaries. Ricketts highlighted the Committee’s record pace in advancing 43 of President Trump’s nominees to the Senate floor.
“It’s vital for our foreign policy that we have confirmed ambassadors in positions of importance,” said Ricketts. “This is something I’ve heard consistently as I visit with partners and allies around the world… Disappointingly, though, many of these nominees aren’t yet confirmed. This hurts our ability to advance our interests at a time when we are competing for influence with adversaries like Communist China. We cannot afford to let partisanship get in the way of what’s best for our country.”
Ricketts spoke on the role of agriculture in American domestic and foreign policy.
“Nebraska is the nation’s fifth largest agricultural exporter, with nearly $8 billion in ag exports last year, the third highest total on record,” said Ricketts. “Simply put, when Nebraska agriculture thrives, so does my state. Nebraska’s impact just isn’t domestic, though it’s global. In western Nebraska, cooperatives package and ship dry edible beans used in the World Food Program humanitarian operations, delivering American grown products to save lives in some of the world’s hardest hit regions.”
Ricketts also discussed the vital importance of partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.
“Singapore is one of our more vital partners in the Indo-Pacific,” said Ricketts. “On the security front, it supports rotational US military deployments that enable our patrols throughout the region and hosts thousands of American sailors, airman, and their families. Singapore is a significant buyer and user of US defense technologies. It’s also a hub for maritime trade and financial services, a gateway for over 6,000 American businesses operating in Asia, and a leader in emerging technologies. Oftentimes, an American company’s first step into the Indo-Pacific is in Singapore. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Wong, Foreign Minister Balakrishnan, and Defense Minister Chan at the Shangri-La dialogue, and I can confirm Singapore’s desire to not only maintain our strong partnership, but to build upon it.”
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The hearing considered the nominations of Anjani Sinha, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore; Jeffrey Bartos, to be Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform and as an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations; Lynda Blanchard, to be U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture; Kimberly Guilfoyle, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to Greece; and Jennifer Locetta, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in and the General Assembly of the United Nations.