Washington—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on President-elect Biden’s nomination of Antony Blinken to be the next Secretary of State:

“With his choice of Tony Blinken to be our next Secretary of State, President-elect Biden is sending a message that he’s serious about reinvigorating American diplomacy, restoring American leadership in the world, and putting American values back at the center of our foreign policy. After four years of mismanagement, the State Department and its personnel desperately need a leader who understands the Department’s mission and respects those who serve there. Tony brings to this role decades of experience and an approach to policy that respects experts, values partners and allies, and understands the importance of our country’s commitments. Beyond that, in the years I’ve known Tony, I’ve come to appreciate that he’s a decent, respectful, dedicated public servant who will make our country proud. He reflects his long-time boss’s best qualities, and the President-elect couldn’t have made a better choice.

“Americans should sleep easier knowing that Tony, along with the rest of the President-elect’s national security team, are answering the call to service and taking on these critical roles. The GSA should stop standing in the way of the transition so that these leaders can be ready to do their jobs on day one.”

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