Senator Bob Corker on Thursday applauded the Senate’s confirmation of William Hagerty to serve as U.S. ambassador to Japan. The Senate voted 86 to12 in favor of the nomination. In advance of the vote, Senator Corker delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor urging members to vote for Mr. Hagerty’s confirmation.
“I thank my friend and our senior senator, Lamar Alexander, for his eloquent comments about this great nominee, and I also want to thank him again, as I do many times, for the outstanding relationship he developed with Japan that’s borne so much fruit for our citizens and our state and so many states across the southeast. So, thank you so much for that.
“I rise today also to offer my strong support for the nomination of Bill Hagerty to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Japan.
“Bill is one of the most outstanding appointments that President Trump has made, and his confirmation is long overdue.
“The relationship between the United States and Japan speaks for itself, and hosting Prime Minister Abe as one of the first visitors speaks to how the Trump administration and our country feel about Japan.
“As a fellow Tennessean, I have had the privilege of knowing Bill Hagerty and his family on a personal level.
“I have seen him in business and the outstanding things he has done there. I’ve seen him represent our state as commissioner of economic development and cause it to be one of the most heralded states in the country relative to job creation; and much of that had to do with his ability to deal with other governments around the world and cause them to be attracted to our state.
“I also know that he and his wife, Chrissy, actually met in Japan, so this is an exciting time and sort of a homecoming for their family.
“There’s no one more well-suited to fill this important role, and I know that our nation will benefit from Bill’s leadership and experience as he carries the tremendous legacy of U.S. ambassadors to Japan, including the late Howard Baker, another fellow Tennessean.
“I am really, really proud of this nomination and know that Bill will represent the very best of our country during his service in Japan.
“I strongly urge my colleagues to support this confirmation.
“This is long overdue, and I know he will be going to Japan at a time when we truly need an ambassador with his capacity.
“Thank you so much, and I yield the floor.”
Senator Lamar Alexander released the following statement on his vote to confirm Nashvillian Bill Hagerty to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
“Bill Hagerty is headed to Japan not only able to speak the language, but having lived and worked there, and understanding how close ties between Japan and the United States can create bigger paychecks for Americans as well as for the Japanese. The ambassador to Japan is one of the most important positions – there’s a reason why we’ve had such a distinguished list of ambassadors since World War II, including our former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, Jr. from Tennessee. We are fortunate Bill Hagerty will be added to that list.”