[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6052433,"mediaKeyId","3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097","parentId",3396928,"title","Senate Foreign Relations Committee Advances Five Nominations to the Floor","audioSeconds",609,"startMs",1295000,"endMs",1904000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097&start=1295&end=1904","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097/thumbnail_1295000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6052433/Senate-Foreign-Relations-Committee-Advances-Five-Nominations-to-the-Floor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052433-72cb4c5dabd411c8afa0167230f4141f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920417&Signature=m86G1MU8FR8SuS1SJX37co-ybMe95~--~pMdKQGXz3WlKmgwSKk~ayNaB6hJs20gs9j1V67-Z1qx2~RllUUdGbcLhOAg08sF9VHt7nDJB1FcR1gFAA~fb4Fa2DWHGLmZwCTZAzVaIwDmyMCM8ui7O14OsRZ-zW~5ka2sBPAQ4riUA9sdAf9td7nePHJGCsRnXSsCdFliJb2m1ui7z6B7RMTTMfVqF2hB6St63RF-GHF1ecRlbw37EAZqCY66rJidNdSycf2E7ptyGh1YBAi4a7oD5u-Pws0IEr~W~vaYJL48HxTGFXe728eQ2t3BeATD-D-BkAPiAyT1wv3S4J8rjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","WASHINGTON — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on a slate of presidential nominees during its business meeting and advanced five nominees to the Senate floor by affirmative recommendation before proceeding to televised confirmation hearings.

Committee members moved and seconded the motions to send the nominations to the floor, and the clerk recorded the roll calls for each nominee. The five nominations advanced included Caleb Orr for Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs; Kenneth Howery to be ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark; Clista Gingrich to be ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and Liechtenstein; Summer Farkas to be ambassador to Malta; and Leonardo Vizzuto to be the U.S. representative to the Organization of American States.

Clerk roll calls produced affirmative recommendations for each nominee and the committee then transitioned to hearings for Joel Rayburn, Michael DeSombre and Michael Pratt. Several senators offered brief remarks when advancing nominees; for example, Sen. Shaheen said she would support Caleb Orr while seeking clarity on his eventual responsibilities given Department of State reorganization plans.

Discussion vs. decision: These were formal committee actions to move nominations to the Senate floor for consideration; the committee's votes were recorded by the clerk. The hearing portion of the meeting followed the business votes.

Ending: The committee completed its business and proceeded with the confirmation hearing for the three nominees scheduled for that session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Nomination Hearing: May 15th, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to send five presidential nominees to the Senate floor by affirmative recommendation; the committee then proceeded to hearings with three additional nominees.","taxTitle","Foreign Relations: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1994,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052438,"Nominee Michael DeSombre Underscores China Challenge, Economic Diplomacy and Hong Kong Concerns",2533,2950000,5483000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097&start=2950&end=5483","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097/thumbnail_2950000.jpg","/articles/6052438/Nominee-Michael-DeSombre-Underscores-China-Challenge-Economic-Diplomacy-and-Hong-Kong-Concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052438-a600a63bc9e55c92de9e35183fc2b6c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920417&Signature=O0zdpBARWuweU8f48TPOKab2P0I3eT~b~zIFwZhuTwuwRhWvcOhaPgpZwF-UGcGVMIp-9TyRhJhNEuqmmhG2P~GY4axkqY-lxcHvMvW1J1uYJ0Ui8-C6fOaXIU9V7bOyM8Xza8LYrDWHrfp3avbS~ObNCRRJ8N~5vjVNTsGOQRwpuapolnJmiB5-4pLb5BpHEu2BjAP70WiydH8TR0-qy9KNi9l849~RnbjDWZhmLHrFbZuxoZhvTm2UMbwoZsLtIJEXxRJcr4S0kIFXK8qXcCOmWwTH~PnInQ0lglnB3HwOEMzNI4oQj0rSishMpNA273srD1AeENn-Cad0tGVAKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Michael DeSombre, President Trump's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told senators that countering the People’s Republic of China's influence is a top priority, and outlined plans to use commercial diplomacy, interagency cooperation and strengthened alliances to do so.

DeSombre, who served as U.S. ambassador to Thailand and has extensive private‑sector experience in Asia, emphasized working with allies in the Indo‑Pacific to \"enhance deterrence and counter malign activities by our adversaries,\" and said he would prioritize steps to expand U.S. economic ties across the region.

He described \"deal team\" approaches he used in Thailand — interagency groups focused on sectors such as health care, infrastructure and aerospace — as a model to increase U.S. commercial presence and encourage investments that reinforce security ties. \"My plan is to roll out those sorts of initiatives across all of EAP and really make sure that we use commercial diplomacy to try to strengthen relationships,\" he said.

Senators questioned DeSombre about China’s coercion and influence operations, Hong Kong, cyber‑crime scams that defraud U.S. citizens and the value of programs that counter disinformation. DeSombre said he would work with allies to press Beijing to deliver verifiable commitments and noted concern about Hong Kong’s erosion of autonomy. He acknowledged the case of media owner Jimmy Lai and said President Trump has called for Lai’s release.

On AUKUS — the trilateral security partnership among Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. — DeSombre called the arrangement \"very important\" to the Indo‑Pacific strategy and said pillar‑one (conventionally armed nuclear‑powered submarines) and pillar‑two (defense technology cooperation) offer opportunities to strengthen deterrence.

DeSombre also cited domestic law‑enforcement cooperation, International Law Enforcement Academy training and use of tools such as USTDA (U.S. Trade and Development Agency) as part of a broader toolkit to combat regional threats including cyber scams that have cost U.S. citizens billions.

Discussion vs. decision: DeSombre framed answers as commitments to support administration priorities if confirmed; senators requested follow‑up and urged sustained resources for public‑diplomacy tools to counter PRC misinformation.

Ending: DeSombre pledged regular engagement with overseas missions and the committee to align diplomatic, economic and security policy in one of the world’s most consequential regions.","Michael DeSombre, nominated for Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, outlined priorities including countering Chinese influence, bolstering economic ties and commercial diplomacy, and addressing Hong Kong abuses; senators raised AUKUS, cyber scams and public diplomacy gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052443,"Nominee for Political‑Military Affairs Emphasizes Foreign Military Sales Reform, ITAR Fixes and Support for Taiwan",1474,2679000,4153000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097&start=2679&end=4153","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097/thumbnail_2679000.jpg","/articles/6052443/Nominee-for-PoliticalMilitary-Affairs-Emphasizes-Foreign-Military-Sales-Reform-ITAR-Fixes-and-Support-for-Taiwan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052443-a095eeca1d918a9d4a2a83b16efc9131/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920417&Signature=lnywthtpCo1tlfALokE40wXMUhLBnoB6TxIDjf~aMTFZRSGdTAMIn~VNfxjeYrh8dMf4BaZYNnQBczufVQGT9ScDJ26Q~z7NkuLQca1NlVgBI15TuPvJjXEeqCQNJbCLcN6VYOe9GRK0MimtjmyIoi7wwXisOhSh1713c09Prti-VBvdgVgLO12FFeIq1cFxVpNFwQB3h4TfLVrCWBMpT-w3gz9LRQytbDoBlmT9If~Bsy-3fYwFUr0A8cIx5U0WJkHA4vfh2aosYOAx-9HP-NJUPpBqk4wph5EJZ3P~3cpYQIVJw2MyAtGfoAvKe8eVZr0DElGTSIEe-bZ68Ulm4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Michael Pratt, the White House nominee to lead the State Department's Bureau of Political‑Military Affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he will prioritize reforming foreign military sales (FMS) processes, reducing International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) delays and improving coordination with Congress and industry to get equipment to U.S. partners more quickly.

Pratt said improving the efficiency of U.S. foreign military sales and streamlining regulatory processes are \"top priorities.\" \"There is a lot of work to be done, to make [ITAR] more efficient and more effective,\" he told the committee, and said he had been directed by the deputy secretary to take on ITAR as a principal agenda item.

Senators repeatedly pointed to multi‑year delivery delays for approved sales to Taiwan and other allies and urged both regulatory reform and stronger engagement with the U.S. defense industrial base. Pratt said he would take a comprehensive review of how to help Taiwan clear a backlog of deliveries and said he was supportive of legislative ideas to shorten congressional notification timelines for Taiwan, referencing the \"Porcupine Act\" concept raised in committee discussion.

Humanitarian and legal safeguards were also discussed. Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked Pratt whether he supported continued implementation of the State Department's Civilian Harm Incidents Response Guidance (CHIRG); Pratt replied he would \"support all applicable law\" and the president's 2018 conventional arms transfer policy and pledged to work with the committee on the congressional review process for arms sales.

Why it matters: Allies such as Taiwan face rising security threats and rely on timely deliveries of defensive systems. Senators from both parties said reforming ITAR and the FMS pipeline is vital to deter potential aggression and to preserve U.S. competitiveness in the defense industrial base.

Discussion vs. decision: Pratt framed his answers as commitments to work with Congress and implement administration directives if confirmed. The committee did not vote on policy changes during the hearing.

Ending: Pratt said he would lead with \"transparency, engagement and a clear sense of purpose\" to align diplomatic and defense priorities, and he pledged to review regulatory barriers that slow transfers of approved equipment.","Michael Pratt, President Trump's nominee for Assistant Secretary for Political‑Military Affairs, told senators he will work to streamline foreign military sales, address ITAR delays and cooperate with Congress on arms transfer reviews; senators pressed him on speeding deliveries to Taiwan and on CHERG commitments.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052448,"Senate Hearings Spotlight Syria Sanctions Lift, Repatriation of Detainees and Opportunity in Lebanon",2095,1820000,3915000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097&start=1820&end=3915","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097/thumbnail_1820000.jpg","/articles/6052448/Senate-Hearings-Spotlight-Syria-Sanctions-Lift-Repatriation-of-Detainees-and-Opportunity-in-Lebanon","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052448-00c1d39e12106385b79db2aae655361e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920417&Signature=MCrHD3mJZOdv5ukhM1q71pL8d8quTFuZ4A-FnB1~fo9dsGMtOosuCEpzhHRCscIUZJ~AGGGNa8hb07PZh9OI7oNdWQzqExd8ChQYwvbrHbiEDfgLZVc7UUjVxIFYjw9LEfNOmzxp96ssYYctGsULQvNuu2gdMgb1bMb7pSCND3ALqkR482rlv8-iqeiMkVTEdw1rX9ok-tQZpbQBfohzzGDUSnPe0FOmKJlfy7s2EuVWs-FwAA~z4dsBZ2DZISV13f4Llp~bGnz4GcSW69GT3Pvb8fF~0TpJt1OIOUgyGCtaniK0T1H7zQAYKTjv0CPdH0yXQOfCPAJkt4a3nq8l3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Senate Foreign Relations Committee members pressed Joel Rayburn, the president's nominee for assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, on the administration's recent decision to lift sanctions on Syria and on how the United States should handle repatriation of foreign nationals held in northeast Syrian camps and support for Lebanon.

Rayburn described the president's move as offering \"a golden opportunity\" for Syrians to rebuild and for the region to reduce the influence of Iran and its proxies, but he stressed that the administration has \"expectations\" for Syrian authorities and that restoration of sanctions is possible if those expectations are not met.

Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen opened the hearing by calling the fall of the Assad regime \"one of the most consequential\" developments in the Middle East and said the United States should capitalize on reforms and reductions in Iranian-backed influence. Several senators asked Rayburn how the United States would ensure Syria meets conditions tied to normalization, including limiting Iran-backed militias, cooperating on chemical weapons, and addressing terrorism concerns.

\"He's giving them a chance to turn the page,\" Rayburn said of the president's decision, but he added that the path forward includes expectations such as normalizing relations with Israel, expelling foreign fighters, assisting in counter‑ISIS efforts, and accepting responsibility for detention centers in northeast Syria.

Senators also raised concerns about repatriating foreign nationals held in camps described as potential security risks if left unaddressed. Rayburn said the United States should press third countries to accept repatriation and pursue deradicalization \"thoughtfully,\" emphasizing diplomatic effort to secure returns and rehabilitation.

On Lebanon, senators asked how the United States can support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to stabilize the south of the country and counter Hezbollah. Rayburn said the new Lebanese government and LAF face a \"golden opportunity\" to clear spaces previously used by Iranian proxies and that U.S. diplomacy should help empower Lebanese authorities to implement ceasefire agreements and stabilize the Israel–Lebanon border.

Discussion vs. decision: Rayburn repeatedly framed responses as implementing the president's policy if confirmed and highlighted conditions the administration expects Syria and Lebanon to meet. No new sanctions policy was enacted by the committee; senators sought commitments that snapback mechanisms or other safeguards remain available.

Ending: Senators from both parties said they will continue to monitor implementation to ensure humanitarian needs are met and that any lift of sanctions is reversible if Damascus does not meet the stated expectations.","Nominee Joel Rayburn and senators debated the administration's recent decision to lift Syria sanctions, expectations for the Syrian authorities, risks including possible resurgence of violence, and opportunities to bolster the Lebanese Armed Forces to counter Hezbollah.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052451,"Nominee Joel Rayburn Backs 'Maximum Pressure' on Iran, Urges Stringent Verification",6618,1104000,7722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097&start=1104&end=7722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396928-ca0572bbd8ba01591826fa65c7026097/thumbnail_1104000.jpg","/articles/6052451/Nominee-Joel-Rayburn-Backs-Maximum-Pressure-on-Iran-Urges-Stringent-Verification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052451-f98c9608c52302e0610d3ae6eac27ec6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920417&Signature=Vfa5ylhh-39YcV-dMdOx~YOvWWYjfYIBAQztSPj66Me1LsQHr4QNkeSM4iAWabruFQRMTQCBWJ1lqfOkK2vIqRds0F-MkvWmQRQtDJdi29jg0YywIC3vkAojFdIQeMOO6Gjer1xgitc1uPlUTjD~FLLnw-Q3IvL3wWFiVUgdg7x0cd-mu1JhErXQAyf6cWCdHloct0OJnDTGoPaFYBzRw7plsVAprO-Kl5ky7lxzhU~1yOJU80TBtCU06wghoBbWIHWmlyQ4GIl20EMWTqjnUPH9GKmf6Fin9AePCaFZBl6EYj~XJcmygjV36cXMuXewFCKcfOHJoh9QFKrx1J~OKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Joel Rayburn, the president's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he supports reimposing a \"maximum pressure\" campaign on Iran and said any agreement must prevent Tehran from maintaining an indigenous enrichment program.

Rayburn said, if confirmed, he would implement President Trump's policy to \"bring a maximum pressure approach back on the Iranian regime, particularly on its revenue streams driven by its oil exports,\" and described enforcement steps used during the previous administration to disrupt Iran's oil trade.

The exchange came during a broad committee discussion of U.S. policy toward Iran and nuclear nonproliferation. \"You have to build out an enforcement apparatus,\" Rayburn said, listing measures including disrupting a \"ghost fleet\" of tankers, exposing beneficial ownership of front companies, engaging allied insurance sectors and flagging states, and isolating Iran politically with coalition pressure. \"When you do all those things, you can make a real dent in their oil exports,\" he said.

Why it matters: Senators on both sides said Iran's nuclear capabilities and regional proxies pose an urgent security risk. Several committee members, including Sens. Jim Risch and Ted Cruz, pressed Rayburn to endorse what they described as the administration's red line: complete dismantlement of Iran's enrichment program and stringent verification. Rayburn said he agrees with the president and administration envoys that Iran does not need domestic enrichment to operate civilian nuclear power and that robust verification is essential.

Rayburn emphasized that other countries run civilian nuclear programs without indigenous enrichment, buying fuel from third parties. He added that Iran's prior deception under earlier agreements means any future deal would require \"very stringent controls\" and oversight. \"The Iranians have not operated in good faith, even under the terms of the previous JCPOA,\" he said.

Committee members described tactics they expect to be revived as part of maximum pressure: targeted sanctions on entities enabling Iranian oil sales, maritime interdiction and cooperation with international partners. Sen. Risch said enforcement in the first Trump administration had reduced Iranian oil exports to the low hundreds of thousands of barrels per day and argued the U.S. should \"dust off that apparatus and crank it up a little bit.\" Rayburn replied that those enforcement mechanisms could be reconstituted.

The hearing also touched on related threats: ballistic-missile and unmanned aerial vehicle proliferation, Iran's backing of militant proxies across the Middle East, and the risk that loosening controls would allow Iranian enrichment to be used toward weapons production.

Discussion vs. decision: Rayburn repeatedly noted he is not yet in office and framed his answers as commitments to carry out the president's policy if confirmed. Senators pressed him on technical verification tools and the scope of what a future deal should include; Rayburn's responses stressed enforcement, oversight and multilateral diplomacy.

Ending: Rayburn concluded that a combination of diplomatic pressure, enforcement mechanisms and allied cooperation offers the best path to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to limit its regional destabilizing activities. The committee's record will remain open for questions for the nominees.","During his Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, nominee Joel Rayburn endorsed a return to a maximum-pressure campaign on Iran and said Tehran must not be allowed to retain an indigenous uranium-enrichment capability; senators debated enforcement tools and verification.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Advances Five Nominations to the Floor

Nominee Michael DeSombre Underscores China Challenge, Economic Diplomacy and Hong Kong Concerns

Nominee for Political‑Military Affairs Emphasizes Foreign Military Sales Reform, ITAR Fixes and Support for Taiwan

Senate Hearings Spotlight Syria Sanctions Lift, Repatriation of Detainees and Opportunity in Lebanon

Nominee Joel Rayburn Backs 'Maximum Pressure' on Iran, Urges Stringent Verification