Shaheen Votes to Confirm Antony Blinken as Secretary of State

**Shaheen is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after voting to confirm Antony Blinken to serve as Secretary of State. During his confirmation hearing last week, Shaheen raised a number of top foreign policy priorities that she believes should be addressed under the Biden administration:

“After four years of the Trump administration, there is urgent work ahead to rebuild our State Department, reaffirm our relationships with allies and restore our reputation around the world. Antony Blinken’s experience, skills and character make him the right person to spearhead these missions and serve as our nation’s top diplomat, which is why I was glad to vote in support of his nomination,” said Shaheen. “As a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will work with Secretary Blinken and the Biden administration to prioritize a number of national security objectives, which includes addressing the serious brain injuries afflicting U.S. public servants, prioritizing gender-conscious policymaking, protecting the rights of women and minorities amid negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban, holding Vladimir Putin to account for his aggression against the U.S. and our allies, and more. There is much work ahead and no time to waste to bolster our national security structures and enhance our foreign policy priorities – I look forward to being a partner to Secretary Blinken in Congress so together we can keep the American people safe and reassert U.S. global leadership.”

Shaheen met with Blinken last month and questioned him on a number of key foreign policy priorities during his confirmation hearing last week, which can be viewed here.