Senate Foreign Relations Chairman appears to slam Paul over block on State Department nominees

[Eugene]

Source: The Hill

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman appears to slam Paul over block on State Department nominees

BY TARA SUTER - 07/20/23 10:02 PM ET

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement Thursday seemingly criticizing Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) blocking of votes on diplomatic nominees.

Chairman Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J) called out his fellow Republican committee members for “needless obstruction” in the statement, but specifically highlighted the “blatant refusal by one member” against the progression of “well-qualified nominees.”

Paul’s vote-blocking tactic is an attempt to gain information from President Biden’s administration on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have made numerous offers to provide access to documents in the Committee’s possession and accommodate requests for information, but these attempts have been met with continued obstruction and further, more unreasonable demands,” Menendez said in the statement. “I refuse to let this Committee’s work be disrupted by such antics.

-snip-

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4109284-senate-foreign-relations-chairman-appears-to-slam-paul-over-block-on-state-department-nominees/