Sen. John Barrasso on Thursday called for confirmation of Mike Pompeo as secretary of State because the CIA director "understands that safety and security at home require a world that is peaceful and stable."
"Mike Pompeo has the intelligence, the integrity, and the experience to serve as America's secretary of State," Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, wrote in an op-ed in The Hill.
"As a former member of Congress, he understands how policy decisions get made — and the key importance of congressional oversight."
Barrasso, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Pompeo last week during his confirmation hearing before the panel.
He said the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria by President Bashar al-Assad and other global threats required President Donald Trump to have "a full national security team on the job to continue a strong foreign policy that puts America first.
"The secretary of State is a vital part of this team.
"Mike knows the issues, he knows the people, and he is the right person for this job," Barrasso continued. "He will be an excellent representative for our nation, and a seasoned veteran to implement President Trump's foreign policy."
Barrasso also cited Pompeo's three terms in the House and his CIA tenure as additional strengths — and said his recent secret meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un ahead of the Trump summit proved he was "already a trusted emissary on the world stage."
The senator slammed Democrats, 15 of whom voted to confirm Pompeo last year as CIA director, for opposing his nomination.
"Senate Democrats, who claim to want diplomacy, seem ready to deny the president his chief diplomat.
"We need to restore America to the position we once held as the most powerful and respected nation on the face of the earth.
"Deliberate Democratic delays serve no point and put Americans at risk," Barrasso concluded. "In Russia, Syria, North Korea, Iran, and other places, America's cunning, aggressive and opportunistic adversaries are watching closely."
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