Republicans objects to Jacobson nomination
Senator Lee objected on behalf of Senator Rubio.
Unofficial Transcript:
UDALL: MADAM PRESIDENT, I WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT
THIS. I WOULD -- THIS IS THE NOMINATION OF ROBERTA JACOBSON TO
BE AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, ROBERTA JACOBSON TO BE AMBASSADOR TO
MEXICO. THIS IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL POSITIONS WITH ONE OF OUR
NATION'S LARGEST TRADING PARTNERS. IT'S NOW BEEN VACANT FOR
OVER A HALF A YEAR. IMPORTANT WORK IS LEFT UNDONE. WE ALSO HAVE
IN THIS INDIVIDUAL, ROBERTA JACOBSON, A HIGHLY QUALIFIED CAREER
NOMINEE. SHE'S READY TO SERVE. SHE HAS SOLID SUPPORT ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE. THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND, AND I THINK
MANY SENATORS' MINDS, THAT WE NEED A STRONG AMBASSADOR IN
MEXICO CITY TO REPRESENT OUR INTERESTS. MEXICO IS WORKING WITH
US TO STOP THOSE WHO CROSS OUR SOUTHERN BORDER ILLEGALLY.
MEXICO IS OUR THIRD LARGEST TRADING PARTNER. ONE MILLION
AMERICAN CITIZENS LIVE IN MEXICO. IT IS OUR TOP TOURIST
DESTINATION, WITH MILLIONS OF U.S. VISITORS GOING TO MEXICO
EVERY YEAR. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE ON COMBATING
ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE, INCLUDING THE TRAFFICKING OF ILLEGAL
OPIOIDS. REFORMING THE JUDICIARY AND CREATING ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER. THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE WORKING ON TOGETHER. AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO
ADDRESS IMMIGRATION ISSUES WHILE CRACKING DOWN ON DEADLY BORDER
VIOLENCE. IN NEW MEXICO, WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS
POSITION AND THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH MEXICO. MY STATE SHARES A
BORDER WITH MEXICO. WE ALSO SHARE A CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TRADE
THAT GROWS WITH MEXICO EVERY YEAR. EXPORTS FROM NEW MEXICO TO
MEXICO HAVE SOARED FROM OVER $70 MILLION 15 YEARS AGO TO $1.5
BILLION A YEAR NOW. OVER 36,000 JOBS IN MY STATE DEPEND ON
U.S.-MEXICO TRADE. ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS ALSO SHARE
SIMILAR AND DEEP RELATIONS WITH THE MEXICAN PEOPLE AND ARE NOT
-- AND NOT CONFIRMING THIS NOMINEE HARMS THOSE STATES AS WELL.
AND LET ME JUST SAY A WORD, MADAM PRESIDENT, ABOUT ROW AT THE
BAH JAKE -- ROBERTA JACOBSON. SHE IS A DEDICATED PUBLIC
SERVANT. THE "L.A. TIMES" HAS CALLED ROBERTA JACOBSON -- AND I
QUOTE NOW -- "AMONG THE MOST QUALIFIED PEOPLE EVER TO BE TAPPED
TO REPRESENT THE U.S. IN MEXICO." ROBERTA HAS WORKED ON THE
MAREATA INITIATIVE TO FIGHT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ORGANIZED
CRIME IN MEXICO. SHE SERVED ABLY AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE
WESTERN HEMISPHERE -- WESTERN HEMISPHERE'S AFFAIRS AT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT. LAST YEAR THE PRESIDENT REESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH CUBA. AFTER OVER 50 YEARS OF A FAILED POLICY
WITH CUBA, ROBERTA HELPED NEGOTIATE THIS HISTORIC SHIFT, GIVING
THE UNITED STATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE CUBAN
PEOPLE. TIME AND AGAIN SHE DID HER JOB AND SHE DID IT VERY
WELL. SHE WAS APPROVED BY THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. THIS WAS WEEKS AGO AND STILL
WE WAIT FOR THIS NOMINATION TO COME TO THE FLOOR AND GET A
VOTE. MADAM PRESIDENT, IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO MY CONSTITUENTS
THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AN AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO BECAUSE A FEW
SENATORS DISAGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT'S POLICY ON CUBA. THEY
DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. THE FOLKS BACK HOME DON'T UNDERSTAND IT
AND NEITHER DO I. THIS IS NOT JUST THE PRESIDENT'S TEAM. THIS
IS OUR TEAM. THIS IS AMERICA'S TEAM WORKING ON TRADE, ON
SECURITY, MOVING OUR ECONOMY AND MOVING ALL OF US FORWARD. WE
NEED AN AMBASSADOR IN MEXICO CITY. ROBERTA JACOBSON IS MORE
QUALIFIED TO SERVE THAN ANYBODY THAT HAS BEEN PUT UP IN MANY,
MANY, MANY YEARS. AND SO I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO -- I
KNOW WE HAVE AN OBJECTION NOW BUT I WOULD URGE THEM TO SORT
THIS OUT AND BRING IT TO THE FLOOR. AND I WOULD ASK THE
LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY. AND I THANK YOU, AND I YIELD
