Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email

       Please enter a valid email address

       Please enter a valid email address

       SIGN UP

       I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

       Thanks for signing up to the

       Inside Washington email

       {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}

       Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged the Senate to move forward with votes on more than 60 diplomatic nominations, including 38 ambassadors, that have been stalled due to objections by individual lawmakers.

       In a letter to all 100 senators and in public comments, Blinken said delays in confirmation votes for these nominees constitute a national security risk. Blinken said 35 of the 38 ambassadorial nominees are career foreign service officers who have served in both Republican and Democratic administrations.

       “Vacant posts have a long-term negative impact on U.S. national security, including our ability to reassure allies and partners, and counter diplomatic efforts by our adversaries,” Blinken wrote in the letter. In particular he pointed to China and Russia as the main beneficiaries of Senate inaction.

       Blinken singled out Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky as the main impediment. Paul has put a blanket hold on all State Department nominees, citing the Biden administration’s refusal to provide him documents related to the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.

       “No one is questioning the qualifications of these career diplomats,” Blinken told reporters. “They’re being blocked from leverage on other unrelated issues. It’s irresponsible, and it’s doing harm to our national security.”

       Recommended Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

       State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said later that Paul was holding qualified career nominees “hostage” for no good reason. “Senator Paul can make legitimate requests at the State Department or others in the administration; what we object to is him holding hostage nominees,” he said.

       The backlog of State Department nominees awaiting Senate confirmation is similar but less pronounced than that facing the Pentagon. One Republican Senator, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, has a blanket hold on all Defense Department nominations and promotions in an attempt to try to change Pentagon's abortion policy.

       Tuberville has already stalled more than 260 nominations of senior military officers and that number could balloon to 650 by the end of the year.

       More about Antony Blinken AP Rand Paul Senate Congress Washington State Department Republican Russia China Kentucky Biden Democratic Covid Pentagon Tommy Tuberville Alabama Defense Department

       1/ 1Blinken urges Congress to act on delayed ambassadorial nominations

       Blinken urges Congress to act on delayed ambassadorial nominations Blinken

       Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

       ？ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

       Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

       Subscribe

       Already subscribed? Log in