Washington, D.C. – US Senator Bob Menendez, senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on his final vote on the Senate Floor against the nomination of Rex Tillerson to serve as Secretary of State:

“New Jerseyans, and the American people, deserve to have the utmost confidence that members of the Trump administration will promote the national security interests of all Americans. I respect Mr. Tillerson’s experience and his willingness to serve our country, but he was simply not able to clearly outline a worldview that aligns with U.S. traditions of promoting a foreign policy rooted in the core values of: championing democracy; upholding the rule of law; and protecting human rights.

“While I greeted Mr. Tillerson’s nomination with an open mind, he was not entirely forthcoming in his response to my questions about both his personal and ExxonMobil’s lobbying against sanctions, and his admission to not having even discussed our nation’s Russia policy with President Trump left me deeply troubled.

“Although I did not cast my vote in support of Mr. Tillerson, as a member of the Foreign Relations committee, I will actively seek ways to engage with him on pressing foreign policy issues during his tenure. The State Department will continue to have an ally in me as they work to advance American interests abroad and protect the norms and necessities that so much of our modern diplomatic and security efforts depend upon.”

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