Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the subcommittee that oversees foreign assistance, today had the opportunity to question Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton during her confirmation hearing before the committee. Following his round of questioning, he released the following statement in support of her nomination:

"Since 9/11, the United States has lost stature in the world. As a result, our ability to gather our international partners to fight terrorism, resist dictators and combat global warming has been dramatically weakened. Hillary Clinton is a woman of remarkable intellect, experience and judgment on matters involving our nation's leadership role in the global community. She is exactly the person we need to lead the diplomatic effort it will take to return the United States to its place as a beacon of freedom and democracy. If we can restore our credibility and authority internationally, we can create greater security at home, and Hillary Clinton can help us achieve that.

"As the chairman of the subcommittee that oversees our foreign assistance programs and international climate change agreements, I look forward to working closely with Hillary Clinton to ensure that our assistance programs are fully effective and that the United States is fully committed to a post-2012 climate change protocol. I have high hopes for the State Department on these issues."

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