WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of former Exxon-Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State:

“Now that Mr. Tillerson has been confirmed, I hope he will speak out forcefully on some of the issues raised during his confirmation hearing, such as why protecting human rights is in America's interest. I also hope he will heed the advice of our career diplomats and development workers, who can provide badly needed expertise as Mr. Tillerson takes on this massive responsibility, and will respect their right to express their views when they diverge from his own. Additionally, given serious concerns over the Administration's rough start on the global stage—from the dangerous order on immigration and refugees to a diplomatic crisis with Mexico—plus the President's numerous foreign conflicts and Mr. Tillerson's own close ties to Russia, I hope to see him before the Foreign Affairs Committee in the near future. Our Members need the opportunity to hear from him directly on many issues.”

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