Brad Schneider Urges ‘Long Past Due’ State Department Reforms Be Not Done ‘Impulsively Or Haphazardly’

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During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing last week, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) spoke about the need for ‘smart’ U.S. Department of State reforms.

Transcript

00:00Representative Schneider. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the witnesses for your observations

00:05and sharing your insights today. And I also want to thank the many men and women serving our nation

00:12as diplomats, development workers, and in other critical duties around the world, oftentimes in

00:17harm's way, who have dedicated their careers advancing our national interests, protecting our

00:20national security. I want them to know that their service and contributions are both recognized and

00:26appreciated. I frequently say in this forum that American foreign policy is like a three-legged

00:31stool, resting on defense, diplomacy, and development. As former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis

00:37famously said, the less we are investing in diplomacy and development, the more we will

00:43have to spend on bullets for defense. I believe that the fundamental mission that we are talking

00:48about for the Department of State in that effort to protect our nation is to promote U.S. interests

00:54around the world and to help ensure advance our national security. Do you all agree with

00:59that, disagree with that view? Do I nod for agree?

01:05I agree, but having worked with the Secretary, previously General Mattis in Fallujah and some

01:11other places, I would say what's important is the smart use of diplomacy.

01:16Hold that thought. I agree. I think that's the key thing.

01:19Not the volume or the amount, but whether it's smart and it plugs into everything else.

01:25Thank you, Ambassador. And I'll say, and maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I would argue

01:30there's broad agreement on this committee, both Democrats and Republicans, that the State

01:35Department needs smart reform and that many of the changes we're talking about are long past due.

01:42But reform has to support our national interests and protect our national security. Reform done the

01:48wrong way or for the wrong reasons, done impulsively or haphazardly or out of spite and personal vendetta,

01:54is more likely to put our interests at risk and diminish our national security posture.

01:58So my question for the whole panel, does anyone think that what is currently happening at State,

02:03including mass firings of career professionals with years of experience and expertise, and ending the vast

02:09majority of programs formally under USAID, is strengthening U.S. global leadership or making

02:14the United States safer? Ambassador?

02:17I think I'm not ready at this point to judge something that was already begun, but we haven't

02:27seen the end point. We don't know where Secretary Rubio will wind up on reductions of people, of money.

02:37He's going to come before this committee. I think you'll have an opportunity to press

02:40him on that question. But again, there's nothing wrong with cutting things. The Clinton administration

02:47eliminated almost half a million. I agree. It's the smart. I'm going to focus on the smart.

02:50Ambassador Hale. So I'm going to fall back on my, it's got to be smart excuse to evade the question.

02:57Ambassador Hale. I strongly support reform and cutting.

03:03Ambassador Hale. I think there's a lot that can be pruned back. I agree. Obviously,

03:08I don't know who would disagree in this context anyway about it being done in an intelligent way

03:14and thoughtful way. I also share though, there's a level of frustration, because we've all seen this

03:18over many decades, that when new teams come into a White House and want to change and reduce government,

03:25government, they get beaten back. They get swallowed by crises and bureaucratic resistance. So I don't

03:33share. I wouldn't go about it the way it's being done. But I understand a little bit the impulse to be

03:38dramatic.

03:38Ambassador Hale. But I think that's why it's so important for this committee, with our authority

03:43under Article One, to take the initiative. Ambassador Hale. I agree.

03:46Ambassador Hale. I do not see how what's happened so far is advancing our national interest. And I think

03:52how and what you cut is critical.

03:55Ambassador Hale. So in my last minute, let me ask some rapid fire questions. But would countries like

04:01China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea see the elimination or downgrade of the Bureau of Democracy,

04:05Human Rights, and Labor as a smart move to the advantage of the United States, or as a move

04:10benefiting their own national agendas? And just a yes or no answer.

04:13Ambassador Hale. Absolutely the latter.

04:16Well, I don't see it being downgraded. I mean,

04:19Ambassador Hale. Okay.

04:22I don't think that's on the top list of things the Chinese are worried about.

04:27I ask the same question, would the same country see the elimination or downgrade of the office to

04:33monitor and combat trafficking in persons as a smart move to the advantage of the United States,

04:37or as a move benefiting their own national agendas?

04:42It benefits our adversaries.

04:43Okay. Would Russia see the elimination or downgrade of U.S. programs that document war crimes and support

04:49civil societies in Eastern Europe as a smart move to the advantage of the United States,

04:53or a move benefiting their agendas? Ambassador Jeffries.

04:57Again, that's not one of the things that will move the dial on Russia's reaction to us.

05:03But does it benefit us or benefit them?

05:06Does it benefit us or benefit them to downgrade programs to document war crimes and support civil

05:11society? I have a lot of problems with how we define war crimes and how that's used.

05:16All right. And I'm over time, but I'll give the last two quick answers. Yes or no?

05:21Uh, I think we should be doing it, but I don't think it's changes Russian behavior.

05:25I think it does have an impact. And the Office of Global Criminal Justice

05:31has helped real-time accountability occur in Ukraine with convictions of Russians for war crimes.

05:37Thank you. Uh, so Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with you on this committee to try to find

05:41smart, smart reform that moves us forward, that protects our interests, keeps Americans safe around

05:46the world, and here at home. I yield back. We will look forward to seeing your amendments, Mr. Schneider.

05:50Uh, Representative Biggs.

06:03You're-

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