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Floor Speech

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Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of a dedicated and well-qualified individual who has been nominated by President Biden to fill an increasingly important role. That person is Elizabeth Bagley, who has been nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil.

Elizabeth Bagley has been involved in public service for decades. Twenty-eight years ago, as a matter of fact, she appeared before the U.S. Senate, then being considered as President Clinton's nominee to be Ambassador to Portugal. She went on to serve in that role from 1994 to 1997, which was a period of growth and positive development in this important bilateral relationship.

For the service in Portugal, she received distinguished awards from the Portuguese Navy and Air Force as well as the Grand Cross of Prince Henry the Navigator, which is the President of Portugal's highest civilian commendation.

She is also the recipient of the Global Democracy Award from the International Women's Democracy Center, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the 2013 Secretary of State's Distinguished Honor Award.

In 2013, she served as Alternative Representative of the United States to the United Nations, and prior to that was the first Special Representative to the Secretary of State for Global Partnerships.

In her years of diplomatic service, she has also worked as a senior adviser to Secretaries Kerry, Clinton, and the late Madeleine Albright.

President Biden has nominated her to an especially critical role, and that is to be our Nation's Ambassador to Brazil--the largest economy in South America, a country that is going through dramatic transitions right now. As a matter of fact, Brazil will be inaugurating its new President at the beginning of January. And I believe--frankly, it has been an embarrassment that we have gone almost 2 years without an Ambassador to Brazil--I believe it is critically important that Ambassador Bagley be in Brasilia, having been presented her credentials in time for the inauguration of the new Brazilian President.

As a matter of fact, in terms of north-south relations, our relations with Brazil are as critical as virtually any nation in the Southern Hemisphere. We have got lots and lots of work to do on this important relationship, and it is important that we move forward.

Originally, I was going to come down and ask UC to both have Elizabeth Bagley discharged from committee and also confirmed now on the floor. Working with my Republican friends, I appreciate the fact that I believe they are going to allow us to move forward on the discharge from committee but not move forward on Ms. Bagley's confirmation as Ambassador. I know there may be some holds on all north-south Ambassadors at this point, but I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. This is a talented, well-suited, appropriately experienced individual. This relationship between the United States and Brazil is absolutely critical now perhaps more than ever, and I hope that we can find some level of accommodation to move past the action we take today and make sure that Elizabeth Bagley is confirmed as our country's Ambassador to Brazil so that she can be in Brasilia by the time the new administration in Brazil comes into power in early January under President Lula.

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