Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Wednesday, joined members of the Senate in voting to confirm Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State.
“Following a fair and exhaustive review in our committee, I am confident Rex Tillerson has the ability to be the effective leader the State Department needs,” said Senator Corker. “Mr. Tillerson led a global enterprise with 75,000 employees, possesses deep relationships around the world, and understands the critical role of U.S. leadership. He has expressed a commitment to defend American values and to restore U.S. credibility by strengthening old alliances and building new ones. I look forward to our committee forging a strong relationship with Secretary Tillerson and the department as we work together to protect our nation and advance our core national interests.”
Senator Lamar Alexander said, “As CEO of one of the world’s largest corporations operating in about 50 countries, Rex Tillerson has developed an understanding of other countries and cultures. As Secretary of State, that understanding will benefit Mr. Tillerson as he works to strengthen our partnerships with allies and deal with threats from those who would harm our nation. I am glad the Senate confirmed his nomination today.”
Former President George W. Bush; former Vice President Dick Cheney; former secretaries of state James A. Baker and Condoleezza Rice; former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; and former Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) have endorsed Mr. Tillerson’s nomination.