Sen. Biden Issues Statement on Resignation of John Bolton As United Nations Ambassador

Sen. Biden Issues Statement on Resignation of John Bolton As United Nations Ambassador

U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement in response to the White House's announcement of John Bolton's resignation as UN Ambassador:

"John Bolton deserves our gratitude for his many years of public service. We've disagreed on many things but I have never doubted his intellect, hard work or dedication to our country.

"It is unfortunate that the White House continues its false claim that consideration of Mr. Bolton's nomination was blocked by Senate Democrats. In fact, Mr. Bolton did not have the votes to secure the recommendation of the Foreign Relations Committee under Republican leadership. Last year, Mr. Bolton did not receive a vote in the full Senate, not because of opposition to him, but because the Administration refused to provide the Senate with documents directly relevant to his nomination. These included National Security Agency intercepts Mr. Bolton asked to see in order to learn the identity of American citizens referenced in the intercepts.

"The President now has an opportunity to nominate an ambassador who can garner strong bipartisan and international support and effectively represent the interests of the United States at the United Nations at a time of extraordinary international challenge. If the President nominates such a person, I look forward to scheduling hearings promptly in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."

http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=266242&&