▶ 0:24:25Chair Risch: The united states senate foreign relations committee will come to order. Today, we have the nominations hearing with five nominees here before us. We have ordinarily -- what I would do is make an opening statement and yield to the ranking member, but we have two introductions and I know senator lummis has more things to do. We will let you do the introductions and then move to a statement. From the nominees.
▶ 0:24:55Chair Risch: Senator lummis, let's start with you.
▶ 0:24:57Sen. Lummis: Thank you, Mr. chairman. It is an honor to be with this distinguished panel of senators and an honor to be at the table with this distinguished man and -- men and gentle women who are willing to serve our country in the capacity of the ambassadors. Thanks so much for allowing me to introduce my friend, the honorable Dr. david brat, a nominee to serve as U.S.
▶ 0:25:28Sen. Lummis: Ambassador to the commonwealth of australia. Dr. brat served virginia's seventh district in the U.S. house of are presented of's for two terms, from 2014 to 2018. -- house of representatives for two terms. That is where we got to know each other. It was a wonderful experience. I can tell you firsthand that he is a man of extraordinary intellect, deep conviction, and unshakable integrity.
▶ 0:25:57Sen. Lummis: David's path to public service is one that few could replicate. He has a foundation in theology. You have a masters degree in theology from princeton, correct? Princeton seminary. A phd in economics. You could probably be ambassador to somewhere who spoke hebrew or greek or latin. You are going to an american speaking -- I mean in english I've been speaking country.
▶ 0:26:24Sen. Lummis: He has a phd in economics and years spent in the classroom as a professor teaching economics and ethics, not as separate disciplines, but is deeply connected ones. Dave brings a rare depth of experience to everything he does.
▶ 0:26:41Sen. Lummis: His background across academia, finance, and public service has shaped his belief that economic questions are fundamentally moral questions, and that principled faith-grounded thinking leads to better outcomes for people and nations alike. He brought that same conviction to congress.
▶ 0:27:02Sen. Lummis: Dave entered public service because he believed our country needs voices willing to speak hard truths about fiscal responsibility, the foundations that made america great, and the importance of ethics in government. He was never one to shy away from a difficult vote. Those who served with him will tell you that when dave makes a promise, he keeps it.
▶ 0:27:27Sen. Lummis: That is a rare quality in any arena, and it is exactly the quality you want representing the united states abroad. Today, dave serves in senior leadership at liberty university, where he continues to champion the idea of good economics and good values are inseparable.
▶ 0:27:46Sen. Lummis: In his current role, he oversees business relations on a global scale, traveling internationally, cultivating relationships with current and former world leaders, and bringing top executives in national and international figures together for meaningful dialogue. That will serve both of our countries well when you take up residence in australia.
▶ 0:28:10Sen. Lummis: Dave lives by example and believes that a clear conception of ethical living, grounded in faith, produces better leaders, better citizens, and a better world. He has carried that worldview through every chapter of his career, and I have no doubt he will carry it with the same passion and integrity to canberra. His rare combination of economic expertise, global relationship building and principled leadership will serve america well.
▶ 0:28:41Sen. Lummis: Australia is one of our trusted and enduring allies. The relationship between our two nations is built on shared values, shared sacrifice, of which they are very profound, by the way, and a shared vision for a free and prosperous indo pacific. Dave brat -- economist, educator, man of faith, and my former colleague -- is precisely the kind of ambassador who will strengthen that bond.
▶ 0:29:10Sen. Lummis: I am very proud to introduce him to this committee, and honored to call him my friend. Thank you, Mr. chairman. I yield back.
▶ 0:29:18Chair Risch: Thank you, senator lummis. We appreciate that. We know you have another commitment. You are welcome to stay or go about your business as you are required to do. We appreciate that. Senator curtis?
▶ 0:29:31Sen. Curtis: Thank you, Mr. chairman and ranking member. So pleased today. I can't tell you how pleased I was when on april 13, president trump nominated michelle steel to serve as ambassador to the republic of korea.
▶ 0:29:49Sen. Curtis: Michelle and I had the pleasure of serving together in the house, and I will share her bio with you, but before I do that, I will tell you if character matters to you, if hard work matters to you, if competency matters to you, if dedication matters to you, this is the right person for that position in south korea.
▶ 0:30:12Sen. Curtis: Michelle parks deal is one of the first american -- korean american women elected to the house of representatives, where she served two terms representing california. While in congress, she fought for california families and small businesses, served on the influential house ways and means committee, and worked on the committee on transportation and infrastructure, education, and labor, focusing on issues from tax reform to U.S.-china policy.
▶ 0:30:39Sen. Curtis: After flea north korea during the korean war, her parents met and built a life in south korea before moving to japan, where michelle studied at the japan women's university. Her father encouraged her at a young age to move to the united states, motivated by the challenges from other faiths as a small business owner navigating tax laws and state regulations. Ms.
▶ 0:30:58Sen. Curtis: Steel ran for a seat on the state board, the nation's only elected tax board, where she represented over 9 million constituents. She later served as chairwoman of the orange county board of supervisors. Her long record of achievement in elected positions and extensive service as a public service leader at a local and national level is coupled with her overseas experience, and that all makes for well qualified to serve as ambassador to the republic of korea.
▶ 0:31:27Sen. Curtis: She earned a bachelors in science and business administration -- masters in science, business administration from pepperdine university. All that said, although she is trilingual, including fluency in korean and japanese, I did discover one small imperfection during our trip to taiwan. She does not speak mandarin.
▶ 0:31:51Sen. Curtis: People there naturally assumed that if they wanted to talk to me, the caucasian guy, they first needed to go through michelle. They would begin speaking to her in mandarin, only to look surprised when a white guy turned out to be the translator. I am so proud to introduce and support Ms. steel, and I hope you find her equally as qualified as I do. Thank you.
▶ 0:32:15Chair Risch: Thank you so much, senator curtis. We sincerely appreciate that. I have a few remarks to make and then we will hear from the ranking member and each of you. First of all, I want to thank all of you for being here, for being willing to serve, and especially we would like to thank your families. We know that with these things, the families are as much a part of the service as you are. They sacrifice as much as you do.
▶ 0:32:43Chair Risch: In many instances, more than you do. We really appreciate the families. Let's start, Ms. steel. In many ways, south korea has been a model ally for the united states, as you know better than most. Our economic insecurity relationship with korea is incredibly important. The president of korea has made commitments to deepen relations with the united states and with japan.
▶ 0:33:12Chair Risch: We also need to up our cooperation in shipbuilding, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and nuclear energy, critical sectors to ensure the U.S. and our partners remain at the forefront of tech competition. Today, I would like to hear from you on your priorities for implementing our trade and investment framework with korea. And your views on how we can address the regional threats from china and north korea.
▶ 0:33:42Chair Risch: Mr. kavoukjian, as you know, norway is a key U.S. ally in europe and the high north. It is a border with russia, and the long arctic coast makes it a key partner in countering chinese and russia malign activities in the north atlantic. Norway is also building an energy mix independent from russian interference.
▶ 0:34:09Chair Risch: We need to work together to advance this goal and protect critical infrastructure. I look forward to hearing how you would work with norway to advance these key priorities. Mr. wendt, the U.S. partnership with albania has benefited from significant growth in recent years, and now more than ever. Albania is an important nato ally helping provide stability in the western balkans and standing up to russian influence. It is very important for the U.S.
▶ 0:34:36Chair Risch: To continue its support of albania's implementation of government and economic reforms they have undertaken, which will in turn increase opportunities for greater cooperation. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these issues. Mr. dahl, I do not envy the task before you.
▶ 0:34:53Chair Risch: The legal advisor is integral to the planning and execution of our most complex and consequential foreign policy decisions, whether it is the military, economic, or gray's zone threats posed by china and russia, complex international treaty negotiations, or protecting our most precious resource, american citizens abroad. You will be uniquely poised to inform the president and secretary on extremely consequential issues. This job will certainly keep your hands full.
▶ 0:35:23Chair Risch: If confirmed, I trust you will work with this committee to ensure our national security is protected. Finally, Mr. brat, australia is one of our most important partners in countering china's influence in the indo pacific. If confirmed, you will oversee a historic transformation of our alliance with australia as we step up our diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation.
▶ 0:35:47Chair Risch: In this role, I hope you will also push to fully implement the new investment screening and foreign influence laws to counter malign chinese influence, and assist them as they seek to counter the rise of anti-semitism that we have seen in australia and around the world. Thank you again to the nominees and the families. With that, over to the ranking member.
▶ 0:36:13Sen. Shaheen: Thank you and welcome. Thank you for your willingness to think about continuing to serve this country, and welcome to all your family and supporters who are here this morning. Last year, at our nomination hearing for the legal advisor to the state department, Mr. dahl, I asked him whether he would commit to following the law, and he actually struggled to answer. It was a yes or no question but he could not give me a yes answer.
▶ 0:36:43Sen. Shaheen: Over the last year, that attitude toward the law, including refusing to spend funds that congress has appropriated, has had real consequences. We have seen the termination of global health programs, and now we are seeing an ebola outbreak in africa that has real implications for countries around the world. We have seen family-planning commodities have been left to expire in warehouses instead of reaching women and families who need them.
▶ 0:37:13Sen. Shaheen: Foreign assistance cuts have weakened our ability to stand with ukraine against russia. And none of that makes us safer or more secure. Mr. dahl, if confirmed as the state department's next legal advisor, I hope you will ensure that the administration follows the law, because as we know, the law is not optional. Mr. brat, you have been nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to australia. Like the chairman, I think australia is a vital ally.
▶ 0:37:44Sen. Shaheen: It is going to be critical to the U.S. ambassador to help encourage that. It is critical for minerals, for countering chinese coercion in the indo pacific. The administration's prolonged review of aucus has crated uncertainty at a critical time in the region.
▶ 0:38:10Sen. Shaheen: It took more than a year for the administration to nominate someone to this post, and I'm glad they finally have. I'm delighted because it is delays like that that we can american credibility with our allies. Mr. -- is it ka-voo-key-an?
▶ 0:38:32Mr. Kavoukjian: Ka-vook-john. But I am not fussy.
▶ 0:38:43Sen. Shaheen: Are you of armenian descent?
▶ 0:38:45Mr. Kavoukjian: Yes, I am armenian on my father's side and norwegian on my mother's side.
▶ 0:38:54Sen. Shaheen: We are delighted you are going to have a chance to go back and see norway firsthand. When our embassy in oslo was targeted in a terrorist attack in march, we had no U.S. ambassador on the ground. Just as key posts across the middle east remain vacant following iran's recent retaliatory attacks, it is critical that we have ambassadors in U.S. posts around the world.
▶ 0:39:21Sen. Shaheen: Norway is on the front lines of growing russian activity and sabotage efforts in the baltics, in the north sea, and in the arctic. If confirmed, I hope you will work closely with our norwegian allies to strengthen nato's presence in the arctic to counter russian aggression. The united states needs to show up and lead in moments like these. Mr. wendt, you have been nominated to serve as ambassador to albania.
▶ 0:39:47Sen. Shaheen: Again, as the chairman said, albania is one of our closest partners in the western balkans, and a nato ally, and it has really stood with us in so many ways. It has also stood with ukraine and supported sanctions on russia. If confirmed, you will be the first U.S. ambassador to albania in three years, and a consequential moment for the region. Diplomatic leadership matters. Ms. steel, you have been nominated to serve as ambassador to south korea.
▶ 0:40:18Sen. Shaheen: Senator curtis talked about your trip with him to taiwan, that he and I and senator rosen from this committee recently traveled there with a bipartisan delegation. Across asia, we heard the same message repeatedly. They want to see the united states stand by its allies. That is why I was troubled when I heard the president suggest that arms sales to taiwan might actually be an open item to negotiate with china.
▶ 0:40:49Sen. Shaheen: I think taiwan's security is not a bargaining chip. It is central to deterrence and the indo pacific. And allies like south korea are watching closely to see whether american commitments remain firm. That matters not only for our security alliances, before our economic partnerships as well. If confirmed, I hope you will work to strengthen our alliance with soul and reinforce deterrence in the region.
▶ 0:41:15Sen. Shaheen: Let me conclude by highlighting that last week, more than 250 foreign service officers were separated from the department of state. These are professionals with deep expertise, in whom the united states has invested time and resources.
▶ 0:41:33Sen. Shaheen: I am very distressed that we are hollowing out america's diplomatic corps, and at a time when america's leadership needs to remain strong in the world, with growing threats around the world that could move us in the wrong direction. So again, I appreciate all of you being here this morning, your willingness to be nominated and considered for these critical posts. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:42:02Chair Risch: Thank you, senator shaheen. We will hear from the nominees. We would like you to keep it for about five minutes. If you have more lengthy remarks, we are more than happy to have those included in the record. So give us all you want. Just keep your remarks to about five minutes. We appreciate it. Mr. brat, we will start with you.
▶ 0:42:26Sen. Shaheen: Do you want to turn on your microphone?
▶ 0:42:27Ms. Steel: -- Dr. brat: thank you very much. Distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. It is an honor to be nominated as united states ambassador to the commonwealth of australia. President trump and secretary rubio have called upon diplomats to be champions for the american people above all else.
▶ 0:42:53Ms. Steel: If confirmed as ambassador, I will ensure american interests and american citizens always come first. First, I want to thank president trump for the incredible honor of representing him and the united states in australia. Second, I want to thank secretary rubio for the incredible team sitting all around us that has shaped -- that he has shaped that state, and for the crucial support I have received all the way through this process. It has been remarkable.
▶ 0:43:22Ms. Steel: Finally, I want to thank my loving wife laura for her strength and courage as we face another great journey together. I also want to say a personal hello to australia on this big day. I love everything about your country. I am a tennis fanatic. I follow your pros, the open, and of course, the game of prime minister albanese. I'm looking forward to sports diplomacy across the board.
▶ 0:43:48Ms. Steel: I love the australian people I have met in life and I appreciate their decency, wit, and sense of humor above all. As aristotle said, true friends must pursue similar and this similar goals, and we do. We share the same values of life, liberty, and happiness.
▶ 0:44:07Ms. Steel: The united states lost 160,000 of those who gave their sacrifice and the great pacific boers of world war ii to gain a maritime foothold, ensure free navigation for the next generations. Australia has been with us every step of the way. With loyal friendship and with courage. If confirmed, I am excited to build great friendships with you in person. Few countries are as integral to U.S.
▶ 0:44:35Ms. Steel: Interests as australia, as evidenced by the broad bipartisan support for the alliance, a long-standing treat I -- treaty ally, five eyes member, or partnership with australia makes america safer, stronger, and more prosperous, in the words of secretary rubio. A relationship with australia under this administration is deepening, but during the president's meeting with prime minister albanese, our leaders charted a course to take the alliance to new highs.
▶ 0:45:06Ms. Steel: Building on that historic summit, I see opportunities to advance her priorities in three key areas, which the committee has already suggested this morning -- critical minerals and commercial diplomacy, and defense cooperation, and partnership in the indo pacific region. On the first priority, the critical minerals framework, it lays a solid foundation for security of important supply chains.
▶ 0:45:32Ms. Steel: If confirmed, I would focus our team on fully executing this foundational agreement. Australia remains a promising market for U.S. companies. Building on administration success in securing access for U.S. beef, I would work to ensure a level playing field for all U.S. companies. I would also be a steadfast champion of australian investment into the united states, partnering with australia's superannuation funds to execute on plans to invest in the U.S.
▶ 0:46:03Ms. Steel: I would also strengthen defense cooperation, including working with congress for further streamlined defense trade controls amid china's unprecedented military buildup. The U.S.-australia alliance is an essential pillar of regional stability and deterrence. As the president has instructed, I would ensure the mission moves full steam ahead, including aucus and other priorities.
▶ 0:46:34Ms. Steel: Working with australia to build out critical infrastructure, support private sector investment and deliver security assistance, we can bolster the resilience of our regional partners to help to fight against malign influence of our adversaries. The united states is a pacific nation, and our partnership with australia maintains our edge in this vast strategic region. Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
▶ 0:46:59Chair Risch: Mr. wendt, the floor is yours.
▶ 0:47:04Mr. Wendt: Chairman, ranking member, and members of the committee, I'm honored and grateful to president trump for the trust placed in me with this nomination for the position of U.S. ambassador to albania. For over 34 years, I served the united states of america as an active duty soldier. I spent four and a half years in the infantry and 30 years as a green beret. That tenure included being assigned to the U.S.
▶ 0:47:31Mr. Wendt: State department for two years while leading an eight country coalition as U.S. security coordinator for israel and the palestinian authority. In that position, I operated daily as a part of the U.S. embassy in jerusalem, while reporting directly to the U.S. secretary of state.
▶ 0:47:51Mr. Wendt: Since retiring from uniformed service, I have been blessed to teach command and leadership at my graduate school alma mater, the naval core graduate school in monterey, california. Today, my wife is overseas in okinawa, japan, with our U.S. air force captain son in law and with our daughter and our granddaughter, to help care for another newly-arrived granddaughter. Our son, a U.S.
▶ 0:48:21Mr. Wendt: Army first lieutenant serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd airborne division, is sitting behind me. He and his wife are serving the country while stationed at fort brat, north carolina. We are a family that loves the united states of america, and we are thankful for the opportunity to serve such a remarkable country.
▶ 0:48:43Mr. Wendt: As the commander for nato's special operations forces, albanian special operations troopers were part of my command, and I worked with them on the ground in albania. In afghanistan, I served as the deputy commander of a regional command that included albanian troopers.
▶ 0:49:00Mr. Wendt: I found that the albanian special forces troopers exemplify the warrior spirit of the albanian hero standardbearer, and the albanian people themselves are a proud, hard-working, and hospitable people. If confirmed, my top priorities will be to protect U.S. citizens and advance american interests.
▶ 0:49:24Mr. Wendt: If confirmed, at post, we will utilize four lines of operation as we assess our way forward to further develop the embassy's country plan. The first line will explore ways to make america safer, supporting albania as they continued their fight against corruption, as well as transnational organized crime and drug trafficking linked with latin american drug cartels. This will help make america and albania safer.
▶ 0:49:55Mr. Wendt: Second, we will work to make america more secure. These actions will also benefit albanian security. I will work diligently to support albania's progress toward the hague 2025 nato summit agreement to thoughtfully increased defense spending to 5% of gdp by 2035, while supporting increased U.S.
▶ 0:50:15Mr. Wendt: And albanian cyber security capabilities, and investigating mutually beneficial initiatives across multiple military domains. Third will be our focus on making america more prosperous. These efforts will simultaneously benefit albanian prosperity as albanian ai, energy, infrastructure, mining, and other sectors grow. U.S.
▶ 0:50:43Mr. Wendt: Businesses and investments should face a level contractual and legal playing field. Fourth will be our focus on the post itself, including a key line of effort which will seek to utilize both standard and creative ways to care for the most valuable part of the post -- it's people, both publicly and in professional careers, and with information we are willing to offer privately and
▶ 0:51:14Mr. Wendt: Personally. In conclusion, if confirmed, I look forward to collaborating with the members of this committee and our partners in albania to achieve these important goals and I welcome any questions you may have.
▶ 0:51:27Chair Risch: We will now turn to Ms. steel.
▶ 0:51:32Ms. Steel: Chairman, ranking member, and honorable members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. It is the owner of a lifetime to be president trump's nominee for U.S. ambassador to the republic of korea. I am deeply grateful to president trump and secretary rubio for their trust in me to serve the american people.
▶ 0:51:58Ms. Steel: I want to thank my family -- my husband of 45 years, sean, my daughter's cheyenne and siobhan, and their husbands, one of whom has been deployed since march. This is his second deployment as a navy lieutenant commander. Johnny still stays in london with my fourth grandchild. My sister and my brother-in-law, and my three adorable grandchildren, who are sitting in the back.
▶ 0:52:31Ms. Steel: Today, I am reminded of a korean saying. [speaking korean] after hardship comes joy. Like so many korean americans, our story began in hardship. My parents fled north korea during the korean war. They started a family in south korea, a place made safe and free because more than 36,000 americans gave their lives in defense of freedom.
▶ 0:52:58Ms. Steel: While we were living in japan, my father encouraged me to study in the united states, which he saw as a beacon of hope, freedom, and prosperity. He was right. English is my third language, and only in a country like ours could someone like me serve their community in congress.
▶ 0:53:21Ms. Steel: During my two terms in congress, I worked to strengthen our national security, preserve economic prosperity, protect american workers and businesses, and advance human rights. If confirmed, I will continue that commitment by strengthening our alliance with the republic of korea.
▶ 0:53:45Ms. Steel: For more than seven decades, the alliance between the united states and the republic of korea has served as the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in northeast asia. Our combined defense posture, anchored by the 28,500 members of U.S.
▶ 0:54:07Ms. Steel: Forces korea, and reinforced by america's extended nuclear deterrence, remains ironclad. It is the bedrock of our alliance. President trump opened a historic new chapter in our alliance with his 2025 state visit to pyeongchang.
▶ 0:54:35Ms. Steel: The fact sheet outlined the once in a generation upgrade to our security cooperation. As part of this modernization, soul -- seoul has pledged to expand its defense spending and to bolster our shared deterrence posture. Our governments cooperate closely to respond to the dprk's unlawful weapons programs.
▶ 0:55:02Ms. Steel: Its expanding cybercrime operations, and its deepening military cooperation with russia. We are strengthening a vital trilateral partnership alongside japan to defend the free and open indo pacific. South korea is one of america's most important trading partners, and a critical investor in rebuilding american industry.
▶ 0:55:30Ms. Steel: In 2025, we welcomed the strategic trade and investment deal in which south korea committed to invest $350 billion in U.S. strategy industries and reduce barriers to U.S. exports. American companies operating in korea deserve the same market access that korean companies enjoyed in the united states.
▶ 0:55:58Ms. Steel: The united states and republic of korea share one of the world's strongest alliances, and I look forward to supporting the next phase of our great alliance. I look forward to your questions. Thank you.
▶ 0:56:12Chair Risch: Thank you, Ms. steel. Let's go to Mr. kavoukjian.
▶ 0:56:18Mr. Kavoukjian: Chairman, ranking member, and members of the committee, I am honored to appear before you as a nominee for the united states ambassador of the kingdom of norway. I am deeply grateful to president trump for the trustee has placed in me with this nomination. If confirmed, I pledge to serve the american people with diligence, fortitude, and integrity in this important post.
▶ 0:56:45Mr. Kavoukjian: I also want to thank my family, my former colleagues in the cia, my partners at my professional home for the last 40 years, the nominations team at the state department, some of whom are here today, and senator tom cotton. I appreciate all of their support throughout this process. Thanks as well to my late parents, who made patriotism a core value in her home, and finally, a special thanks to my wife. I would not be in this position without her.
▶ 0:57:14Mr. Kavoukjian: She will be our best asset in oslo if I am confirmed. This nomination is especially meaningful to me, as my mother was born in norway, in a house my great-grandfather built that still stands. My norwegian-born uncle served in the oss during world war ii, working with the norwegian resistance. I was raised in minnesota, home to more americans of norwegian ancestry than any other state, and a center of norwegian american culture.
▶ 0:57:44Mr. Kavoukjian: I was, believe it or not, a competitive ski jumper in my youth. I am hopeful that this background will help me build strong relationships with our norwegian allies. It also means that if confirmed, our family will have gone from a rustic island farm house north of the arctic circle to the ambassador to oslo in one generation. It is a quintessential american story, with some nordic nuance.
▶ 0:58:09Mr. Kavoukjian: If confirmed as ambassador, my top priorities will be two, 1, 8 and protect U.S. citizens in norway, including our embassy staff. Two, advance american security interests by building on our long tradition of military and intelligence cooperation with norway. Three, further strengthen our economic ties to norway, especially in the area of critical roles, to diversify the global supply chain.
▶ 0:58:36Mr. Kavoukjian: And build closer cultural connections between the american and norwegian people, so the bond of trust we have forged over the last 200 years continues into the next generation. As a founding member of nato and the eyes and ears of the alliance in the arctic, norway understands its commitment to our shared security. It is now the first country in the history of the alliance to spend more per capita on defense than the united states.
▶ 0:59:02Mr. Kavoukjian: Many of its upgraded systems are purchased from the united states. Norway's strategic location, military capabilities, and experience operating in extreme cold weather make it an indispensable security partner. If confirmed, I will work to further strengthen cooperation with norway on defense issues come up with special attention to russian and chinese activities in the arctic that are opposed to our interests. National security is inextricably linked to economic strength.
▶ 0:59:30Mr. Kavoukjian: I will therefore work to increase business ties and trade between our two countries, especially in critical areas like rare earth elements. Norway's recent joining of the pack silica initiative is an important step in ensuring U.S. access to these resources. Norway also has a thriving energy sector that plays a vital role in global energy, supplying 30% of europe's oil and national -- natural gas.
▶ 0:59:56Mr. Kavoukjian: Norway has the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, $2 trillion, roughly half of which is invested in the U.S. I would welcome the opportunity to encourage more direct investment by norwegian companies in the united states to create american jobs and to reduce trade barriers so american firms can compete fairly in the norwegian market. Finally, if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to promote cross-cultural initiatives that bring the norwegian and american people closer together.
▶ 1:00:26Mr. Kavoukjian: Norwegian immigrants have made enormous contributions to the united states, especially in the upper midwest. Roughly 5 million americans -- 5 billion americans have norwegian ancestry. We must work to ensure the bond between our great people's remains strong. If confirmed, I will seek to arrange for a minnesota vikings football game to be played in oslo.
▶ 1:00:51Mr. Kavoukjian: Nothing can be more effective in inspiring americans to visit their ancestral homeland and form ties with their norwegian cousins. I want to conclude with a quote from our former secretary of state, george schultz, on the most important lesson he learned from his many years on the world stage. Trust is the coin of the realm. When trust was in the room, good things happened. Everything else is details. Our relationship with norway is built on a foundation of trust.
▶ 1:01:19Mr. Kavoukjian: That trust comes from a long history of working together, shared values, shared interests and candor. If confirmed, I will continue that tradition of trust. With that foundation, I am confident that good things will happen. Thank you for your consideration. I welcome any questions you may have.
▶ 1:01:37Chair Risch: We will move now to Mr. dahl.
▶ 1:01:40Mr. Dahl: Chairman, ranking member, and distinguish numbers of the committee, it is the privilege of a lifetime to appear as the president's nominee to be the legal advisor to the department of state. I want to thank president trump and secretary rubio for their confidence in me. I also want to thank my wife, who has been so supportive and is here today, my wife jessica, along with our children, elias, vivian, and london.
▶ 1:02:09Mr. Dahl: My twin brother is here along with my parents, and my mother and father-in-law are also here. I am deeply indebted to the sacrifices and support they have shown. I also want to thank the team at the department who helped me prepare for this opportunity. The prospect of working with such superb and dedicated people is a key facet of why this position is so desirable. Years ago, I came to washington, D.C. from kansas, where my wife and I were raised, wanting to pursue a career in government.
▶ 1:02:39Mr. Dahl: Interested in international relations in early september of 2000 one, I submitted an application for a national security scholarship to study turkish in istanbul, which entailed an obligation to work for the government thereafter. Little did any of us know how the events of that month would reshape our lives. I was eventually granted the chance to pursue a masters in arabic and modern middle eastern studies, and subsequently filled a role at the treasury attaché's office at the U.S. embassy in baghdad.
▶ 1:03:10Mr. Dahl: I later returned to treasury in D.C. and worked on the interagency group focused on afghanistan, before heading to law school. I share these experiences because they formed my impressions of the fundamental role of the rule of law. Credible institutions ensure pathways to stable and prosperous coexistence. In short, they highlighted the centrality of communal trust to the success of any public endeavor.
▶ 1:03:38Mr. Dahl: A thriving society rests on predictable legal norms, and when it acts as a single community and externally, it must do so with conviction and credibility. The legal advisor's office is core to those principles and accomplishes its functions across an array of complex and intersecting legal regimes. Paramount of course is the delivery of accurate and objective legal advice to the secretary and to the department more broadly.
▶ 1:04:06Mr. Dahl: It has a particularly distinct role, moreover, in advising on and articulating the meaning of international law. That law is not just a set of rules, but a framework for communicating our principles, expectations, and aspirations to the global community. The department and grants to the legal advisor in supporting the secretary a legal mouthpiece for conveying our values abroad and engaging in dialogue about those values.
▶ 1:04:36Mr. Dahl: My legal career spanning both government and private practice informs how I understand the obligations of the legal advisor's office and the wide array of talents and skills that the office possesses. I have spent years advising clients on a variety of crisis management, international negotiations, litigation, governance, and operational strategy issues.
▶ 1:05:00Mr. Dahl: That experience also provides signals on how the office can continue to engage effectively with the various communities of interest -- with congress, across the executive branch, with the american public, and with the world community. I am incredibly grateful to be considered by this committee, and if confirmed, would be deeply honored to serve. For now, I recognize we have much to discuss, and I look forward to that engagement.
▶ 1:05:25Chair Risch: Thank you. We will now proceed to a round of questions, five minutes for each member. I am going to start with myself. Ms. steel, I think most everybody on this committee has gone to korea and stood on the dnc -- dmz and looked one direction and then the other direction.
▶ 1:05:48Chair Risch: You can't help but think about what happened there on the korean peninsula after world war ii, as the world was readjusting itself to a new world order and people were deciding what kind of government they were going to have. On the one side, you've got this autocracy that is an incredibly closed society with no rule of law and an incredibly difficult standard of living. A communist country.
▶ 1:06:18Chair Risch: On the other side, you have a robust democracy, and people have a high standard of living. And obviously it is a capitalist, free market system. You look at those two and you think, how could any human being stand here and look at this and not easily see which way is better? To me, that is just staggering.
▶ 1:06:46Chair Risch: Here, you had a really monolithic population of people who occupied the peninsula -- all one country. All one race, one group of people. And yet one went one way, and one went the other. Half of them live a horrible life right now, and the other really live a life that is not much different than here in america as I have found around south korea.
▶ 1:07:10Chair Risch: In any event, the thing that struck me is, over the years, each country had a reunification department, if you will. And now, that is gone. Each of them have disbanded that. It seems like you cannot pick up the paper every day or turn on the tv or the internet and not see that north korea is challenging more and more south korea.
▶ 1:07:38Chair Risch: It is not a pretty picture and it really is not very encouraging for the future. I would like to hear your thoughts on that.
▶ 1:07:45Ms. Steel: As I said on the opening statement that my parents fled from north korea, from communism -- they lost everything there. They came down to south korea and they rebuilt. And then my father became a diplomat and went to japan, and then we came to the united states. We all know how many people suffer in north korea.
▶ 1:08:10Ms. Steel: That is why we need a very strong alliance between the united states and japan and south korea. It is not just protecting south korea. It is protecting all the indo pacific region. That is why we have to have a strong alliance between the united states and the united states being there, and our relationship is really ironclad, and we have a very, very strong relationship.
▶ 1:08:40Ms. Steel: It is not just military wise, but economy side, the same thing. Because of the U.S. help, the korean economy grew top in the world, top six. So I am very proud that if confirmed, I would love to be in south korea. We are going to work better. We are going to work together. We are going to have a stronger relationship between south korea and the united states.
▶ 1:09:05Chair Risch: Well said. Thank you so much. Mr. brat, the aukus agreement has really reinvigorated the relationship between the united states and australia, and I'm sure you followed that. A lot of us have been involved in that from the beginning and are very enthusiastic about it. Following that, of course, we got the new critical minerals agreement, which I'm sure you are aware of.
▶ 1:09:35Chair Risch: That is something that is really necessary for us, for the free world, really. And again, that has helped reinvigorate our relationship. I know australia has got some -- we think we have a china problem here. They have a real china problem there. Your thoughts?
▶ 1:09:55Dr. Brat: Thank you, chairman. Let me start off with the rare mineral piece. I'm not a chemist, but I'm trying to get up to speed on all that. I talked to heads of national security. They put it in terms that I had not yet heard. If you look at the economic value of the rare earth minerals, it does not really show up. But what is so important about the rare earths, the minerals, and their processing, is they are vital to every aspect of our economy.
▶ 1:10:25Dr. Brat: Not just the f-35's. Not just the submarine engines. Your lawnmower engine, right on down the line. And the impact of if we get into an adversarial position on that with some of the countries around the world right now, that can have -- the loss of that trading of rare earth minerals can have a significant gdp effect that goes beyond a few percent.
▶ 1:10:51Dr. Brat: I think it is important to convey that to the american people, as you said, the importance of that, and convey how important australia is to us. They are mining experts. The processing experts, the refining experts -- they have engineers. We need to get that skill base going over here and invest beyond stem into that kind of engineering and processing rare earths, where china has 90% of the processing around the world. So I am going to work on that.
▶ 1:11:21Dr. Brat: Probably one of my main priorities with the mission and the embassy. And then on aukus, as you just laid out, and I see my senator kaine walking in the room. I know this is vital in his work. That is huge. That is not just a submarine deal. Three submarines over a decade and three more down in adelaide, built with the u.k., and interoperability and all this kind of thing.
▶ 1:11:49Dr. Brat: Nuclear power, conventional arms is important in that respect. Australia has already put over $2 billion into industrial production on aukus, and that does not even include the subs yet. The key to that piece is it is a model for multilateral coordination with the u.k. As we pipit to the pacific. We have the u.k.
▶ 1:12:15Dr. Brat: With australia, with the united states, with interoperability with the marines, more forces on the way. We have to work that out with australia. But that framework is much more than just industrial economics. It is security for the south pacific.
▶ 1:12:41Dr. Brat: Right now, we are having maritime challenges across the board throughout the islands, all the way through the marianas, through south korea, the philippines. And so I look forward to working with this committee on those issues.
▶ 1:12:57Chair Risch: I think you have a good understanding of this, particularly your focus on the critical minerals. I was surprised when australians told us you have 53 of the 55 we are looking for there, and they have processing figured out. Senator shaheen?
▶ 1:13:15Sen. Shaheen: As I said in my opening remarks, your predecessor, when he came before the committee, could not commit to following the law. I appreciate your opening statement and your adherence to the law. But I feel compelled to ask you this question. Do you commit to following the law if you are confirmed for this post?
▶ 1:13:43Mr. Dahl: Absolutely, senator. We take an oath to the constitution to follow and advise on the loft.
▶ 1:13:53Sen. Shaheen: Last year, the administration let $5 billion in foreign aid and international organization funding expire without congressional approval. The chair of the senate appropriations committee, of which I am a member, who is a member of the majority party, called that a clear violation of the law. Do you agree that funds appropriated by congress should c1
▶ 1:14:25Mr. Dahl: I recognize the various components of the corporations bills. I don't know what the internal discussions work for the illegal analysis that was done on these issues.
▶ 1:14:42Mr. Dahl: I know in the process of these bills there will be recognition for mandatory spending classes by reference and additional analysis that I will be working with the team to address. >> you make me a little nervous. I hear that as hedging.
▶ 1:15:14Mr. Dahl: Do you commit to do that and to share with the committee those views because I also serve on the armed services committee and it has been my thing to get legal opinions for actions through the military.
▶ 1:15:38Mr. Kavoukjian: I would continue to do so if confirmed.
▶ 1:15:45Sen. Shaheen: In 2024 you said if you were still in congress you would impose additional support for ukraine. If confirmed you will be heading to one of our most important post in the endo pacific. Australia is a major donor of equipment and training to ukraine. Including the perl program despite not being in europe tornado.
▶ 1:16:13Sen. Shaheen: Would you work to confirm australia's dollars contributed towards the program go towards the intended goal of providing ukraine with weapons and not be used for something else?
▶ 1:16:25Mr. Brat: They are a sovereign country. They have been one of our best partners for 100 years. I will be working underneath the president of united states if confirmed. I will get security clearances that might help educate me beyond what I know now.
▶ 1:16:46Sen. Shaheen: As I said I am a big fan of a partnership the united states has had with albania. I find prime minister rama to be very interesting. One of the things I have encouraged is as a tall man yourself you will stand eye to eye with prime minister rama. Prime minister rama has what he's called the tall man's caucus.
▶ 1:17:15Sen. Shaheen: I'm delighted you will be able to join him and I think you should share that with him if you are approved. One of the things I think we should continue to do is support albania's efforts to reform which are part of its e.u. Membership ambitions. They created the special structure against corruption and organized crime. I assume that is how they pronounce it.
▶ 1:17:47Sen. Shaheen: It has been very successful in tackling transnational criminal organizations. It's a great example of what U.S. foreign assistance has been able to support to safeguard albania's democracy and investments in the country. Could you talk a little bit about from your perspective what role you think that corruption could play?
▶ 1:18:18Mr. Wendt: Thank you. I will make a point if confirmed the discussion of the tall man's caucus over him albania. It is from everything I read my previous business in albania I did not interact with them. I was interacting with military.
▶ 1:18:43Mr. Wendt: The spoc from everything I read has been a very valuable organization. It has been a political, independent. The prosecutors that go in undergo very careful vetting to include being polygraph.
▶ 1:19:10Mr. Wendt: They are overseen by the international monitoring organization of europeans and americans. They have their own investigative body. They are the national bureau of investigation. They have their own special prosecutor's office in their own special courts. They are solidified in article 148 of the albanian constitution.
▶ 1:19:36Mr. Wendt: If confirmed, I could certainly commit to pushing forward in supporting their continued apolitical and independent operations. The transnational criminal organizations also that they are working against have been in valuable.
▶ 1:19:57Mr. Wendt: Everything I have read about them, their information sharing with the department of justice, the fbi, it has been seamless. It has resulted in the U.S. in prosecutions against criminal elements in the united states.
▶ 1:20:26Mr. Wendt: Also, fairly recently a multi ton interdiction coming out of paraguay. I think their work in these areas are critical as long as they made -- remain apolitical and independent. That effect on U.S.
▶ 1:20:51Mr. Wendt: Business opportunities with contract law enforcement will aid in security and tenders transparency. They will level the playing field.
▶ 1:21:09Sen. Shaheen: Thank you very much you.
▶ 1:21:11Sen. Daines: I'm struck by height -- how high qualified this panel is today. Thank you for stepping back in the arena to serve our country. I want to start with my norwegian ski jumper. Your mother as well as my mother was in erickson.
▶ 1:21:40Sen. Daines: Norway was one of the original members of nato. It has a very clear eyed vision of the threats it possesses. Norway has been a most important partner for the united states. I would U.S. ambassador prioritize norway in the posturing towards russia?
▶ 1:22:06Sen. Daines: >> I have given a lot of thought as to how I would signal my priorities if I were confirmed. I think it's important the next ambassador hits the ground running. Again, this would be if I were confirmed. That plan is as follows.
▶ 1:22:31Sen. Daines: The first thing I would do -- meeting the king would be one of the great honors of my life. I would then plan again following all the necessary protocols to immediately get on a plane and fly to the russian border.
▶ 1:22:56Sen. Daines: The top level norwegian military officials to hold meetings with them and hold meetings about the russian and chinese activities on the border. The threats that they are perceiving there as well as in the greater arctic. I think that will send a very clear signal as to what my priorities are. Think it is important that we do that.
▶ 1:23:26Sen. Daines: Thank you, you sent a very strong message out of the gates. You are not only tall but you are 30 years as a green beret. I think you are certainly sending the right guy over there to stand tall for america in albania. You have an incredible amount of experience working in embassies around the world including direct experience with the albanian military.
▶ 1:23:54Sen. Daines: How do you believe this will enable you to have conversations in advance?
▶ 1:24:02Gen. Wendt: Thank you. When I arrive at an organization that I'm going to lead, what I have done as a U.S. accor coordinator and also taking command of all nato special operations, the first thing I like to do is listen.
▶ 1:24:28Gen. Wendt: Some of the worst leaders I have ever found, those that show up on day one and say this is how it will be. The assessment, the second line as I mentioned making america stronger in ways that are mutually beneficial.
▶ 1:24:58Gen. Wendt: A key piece to this, they have guts. They are good men.
▶ 1:25:17Gen. Wendt: Making sure that they are properly equipped and they meet nato's capability targets, the method of 2%.
▶ 1:25:33Gen. Wendt: Of course they have signed up now for the 5%, 2% on oils gdp 5% of this at a cost for defense and 1.5 infrastructure.
▶ 1:25:51Gen. Wendt: I'm confident that there will be a plethora of ways that we will be able to find that our beneficial for our nato alliance with them and strengthening them will go across the military domains that meet current nato capability targets and also infrastructures.
▶ 1:26:21Gen. Wendt: For military and for civilian growth. It is one of the key ports there . Currently if it had in the future a secure cargo facility it is co-located and won't be effective until 2030.
▶ 1:26:47Gen. Wendt: From there military items could absolutely flow. That would be beneficial by the way for U.S. businesses that could help in those infrastructure improvements.
▶ 1:27:08Gen. Wendt: I think a key piece on the question is to after going in, getting on the ground, I have learned around the world that I really don't know a lot unless I personally see what is happening on the ground.
▶ 1:27:27Thanks Sen. Daines: I know I've over time. Congratulations on your new grandchild as well. >> thank you very much. There has been to a growing list of disturbing examples in the balkan region with the political allies of the president seeking to use their proximity to power in order to get rich.
▶ 1:27:53Thanks Sen. Daines: There is the example of the trump hotel proposed to be built in belgrade which fell apart amidst a massive corruption probe regarding permits they were not supposed to be given. There was an example of trump ally michael flynn and trump's election lawyer having won approval to build the energy pipeline worth millions of dollars in the region.
▶ 1:28:22Thanks Sen. Daines: Despite them having zero experience in energy infrastructure. In albania at some of the president's making millions off of advising the opposition. In albania, this is a country that has made a lot of progress on corruption.
▶ 1:28:42Thanks Sen. Daines: I do worry our diplomats in the region are being asked to facilitate these contracts that are not in the best interest of the united states but are putting money into the pockets of trump himself, his family, and his friends.
▶ 1:29:03Thanks Sen. Daines: I just want a personal commitment from you that you will not be in the business of trying to facilitate business that is not in the best interest of the united states. Your commitment, albania is a great friend but a country that needs to make progress.
▶ 1:29:31Thanks Sen. Daines: Our embassy needs to be fighting corruption not helping to enable it.
▶ 1:29:34Gen. Wendt: Thank you for your question. I am not familiar with family investments in albania. If there's any questions I would direct you to them. I know my job as the U.S. ambassador it is to facilitate U.S. businesses.
▶ 1:30:02Gen. Wendt: If they are conducting business, they are all U.S. businesses without preferential or derogatory treatment. The rule of law is followed.
▶ 1:30:19Gen. Wendt: This the second piece the senator mentioned about corruption, I agree the organization that is there, the special organization against corruption and organized crime I believe has been very effective. We will understand really what is happening and not happening.
▶ 1:30:48Sen. Murphy: The phrase you use make sure the playing field is level is most important. It looks like if you are a friend of the president you get an advantage. Of course the details for you to stand up to the U.S. interest. Not just those that have connection to the president.
▶ 1:31:13Gen. Wendt: I could commit that to you. I will ensure across the board to be advocating for U.S. businesses.
▶ 1:31:25Sen. Murphy: Give us a broad sense of how you think about the kind of hostilities that would require the administration to come to congress for consent. Let me give you a real world example.
▶ 1:31:49Sen. Murphy: Does a conventional ground war like the wars in iraq and afghanistan, do they require congressional authorization?
▶ 1:32:08Mr. Dahl: The significance which we take the discussion. Defining hostilities has been something the executive branch in conversation with the legislature has been examining for 50 years since the war powers resolution was passed, there's a myriad of opinions that look at different facts and
▶ 1:32:38Mr. Dahl: Circumstances, my obligation is to check -- take an objective analysis with other agencies in assessing what they mean.
▶ 1:32:53Sen. Murphy: Maybe try to answer my direct question. I hope it's an easy one. For conventional war would you agree that those wars required authorization that the president did not have the ability to engage in this without congress?
▶ 1:33:16Mr. Dahl: You have to look at the facts and circumstances regarding every single event you are discussing. If called upon to analyze these issues I would be taking them fact by fact.
▶ 1:33:32Sen. Murphy: I'm over my time. Thank you.
▶ 1:33:36Sen. Ricketts: Thank you to all of our candidates and families for continuing to serve the united states. They will step up in some of our nations. Thank you for what you are doing. You talk about your experience freeing -- fleeing north korea. One of my friends who have since passed away was a corporal.
▶ 1:34:05Sen. Ricketts: He would be so proud of looking at those satellite maps you see at night where you could see above the 38th parallel it is all black and blue and all the other korean cities that are vibrant. It would always make you feel good. He had been a part of that conflict.
▶ 1:34:31Sen. Ricketts: Looking at the chairman's point about how much south korea has done versus what is happening in the north, it is the linchpin of our endo pacific alliance. The relationship with republicans. It exemplifies exactly what we do. That's why this is very important.
▶ 1:35:02Sen. Ricketts: Under president trump the partnership was involved. I think you mentioned that as well. The investment deal was historically poor. They pledged to relate the nontariff barriers and discrimination against U.S. firms.
▶ 1:35:25Sen. Ricketts: The national trade estimate tells a little bit of a different story there. They continue to do the services . South korea's recent decision to admit the quota. The U.S. provides 80% of soybean imports. We cannot celebrate new deals while old barriers remain or new ones are being created.
▶ 1:35:55Sen. Ricketts: American farmers and companies deserve the full benefit on agreements that we signed. Will you commit to ensuring the full implementation of increasing trade and investment deal?
▶ 1:36:08Ms. Steel: I want to say thank you to all of those korean veterans that have been serving in the korean war. If they were not there I was never born because my father and my mother came from different regions of north korea to south. That is the way they met. I am here and I am so grateful for that.
▶ 1:36:38Ms. Steel: There is a $350 billion coming in the united states. We have the most important things right there between south korea and the united states. We are advancing that alliance of military capabilities important. The second thing is trade.
▶ 1:37:05Ms. Steel: The trade issue that if confirmed I will sit down with the korean government and put whoever is in control of these trade issues it is not really clear about the $350 billion I want to see exactly where that is coming from.
▶ 1:37:33Ms. Steel: On the free trade agreement between south korea and the united states right now, the surplus in south korea over $50 billion. I always think free-trade is always win-win and we could renegotiate. How we will export more to south korea.
▶ 1:38:00Sen. Ricketts: Ai has the potential to revolutionize many industries. The semi conductor supply chains are critical to winning this race. Our current export controls have seen some success but there are still loopholes that are dangerous and remain. While some foreign companies have dual use tools we need to permanently close these loopholes.
▶ 1:38:30Sen. Ricketts: We introduce the act to help do this. We have added and senators, sheeting, thanks. It levels the playing field for U.S. technology. We must not have the coercion with all partners in the endo pacific.
▶ 1:38:49Sen. Ricketts: When you commit to ensuring we prioritize calabro's nation on these technologies -- calabro's -- >> I would love to do that. If I get confirmed.
▶ 1:39:09Sen. Ricketts: We will work on that.
▶ 1:39:14Sen. Kaine: I will start with my virginian colleague. He and I served together in the virginia delegation. You made a controversial decision earlier in his career. I asked him to serve on the governor's board.
▶ 1:39:35Sen. Kaine: Of course he agreed to serve the commonwealth later when he was running for office as a republican the fact that he agreed to serve at the request of a democratic governor got him in a little hot water. You did a good job for the commonwealth. I just want to say this I came back from australia and heard what you said.
▶ 1:40:04Sen. Kaine: Just a few thoughts, it is really powerful. The australians whether it is the government or the opposition . There was a report at the pentagon questioning this and also questioning us. Are the australians investing enough in the infrastructure, what I saw is yes you will reach your own conclusion.
▶ 1:40:40Sen. Kaine: The american businesses to do work. The australian side about this, if all the work is done by american firms, what about our great innovative defense. I hope you will not only engage americans for what the joint venture opportunities, let them know they are welcome to help this relationship be all that it could be.
▶ 1:41:16Mr. Brat: I'm staying quiet and if confirmed I will go all in on the business side. The president and secretary rubio a couple weeks ago sent a message to the ambassadors on top of everything else. That is the way free markets work. There are good friends. I have a very positive feeling about the australian people.
▶ 1:41:48Mr. Brat: We need to step up and show that we are all in and with respect to all of that, they said I work for the president. I'm full speed ahead. I have been amazed with the nature of the work.
▶ 1:42:15Sen. Kaine: Everything we do in office is bipartisan. Representative steil I want to congratulate you for your nomination. You and I were cosponsors that passed and were meaningful to me. It is much more meaningful to you, the national registry, you were the lead sponsor on the house side. We got included in the nda.
▶ 1:42:46Sen. Kaine: What could we do to help families that were divided to at least start to have information that would enable them to communicate one to another. Since you were the sponsor I know should you be confirmed you will make that a priority the relationship. I think you would be the person to make that a priority. I have one minute left. I want to direct questions.
▶ 1:43:20Sen. Kaine: You get advice to clients and you have worked in government for a while. Being is communicative and transparent as you could be, it is an important aspect of your work.
▶ 1:43:40Mr. Dahl: These are a dialogue between the branches.
▶ 1:43:48Sen. Kaine: I know you have a chain of command and they have opinions about these things. Here's a thing for my colleagues. Wars are always accompanied by a legal opinion. I have been here for nearly 14 years. Any time they have been engaged in hostilities, there is a legal opinion. The senate gets to look at it.
▶ 1:44:22Sen. Kaine: We are at day 82 in this war against iran. The administration is refusing to let us look at this. They are asking for one point $5 trillion in defense budget this year. They will review the legal. I can't ask you about it.
▶ 1:44:50Sen. Kaine: When a lawyer tells me we have a legal justification, sorry, we are not going to let you look at it. It doesn't even have to be a particularly suspicious mind to say it has never happened before, why can't we see the legal opinion? Is there something questionable?
▶ 1:45:16Sen. Kaine: I appreciate you saying you recognize the communication dialogue transparency is important. I would say to my colleagues whatever we say about the war, this committee, the members that have jurisdictions. We have had a bipartisan request . I hope we might follow up with the eventually getting that support. Thank you.
▶ 1:45:49Sen. Van Hollen: Good to see you. Congratulations to all of you on your nominations. A question for you. You would agree that if confirmed you have a duty to provide the secretary of state and the administration with your best legal advice.
▶ 1:46:12Mr. Dahl: Always.
▶ 1:46:16Sen. Van Hollen: I want to ask you some questions based on legal principles. I want to start with the issue of blockades. There is a supreme court decision from 1862 that lays the foundation on this question. I'm voting from the opinion, the proclamation made by president lincoln. It is official and conclusive evidence to the port that a state of war exists.
▶ 1:46:50Sen. Van Hollen: This may be an old opinion. It is current and good law in my view. Do you know anything that would dispute the finding in the supreme court decision that a blockade if you were blockading with someone you were at war with them? >> when you review old precedent it is important to look at the facts and circumstances related to how they are used now and use over time.
▶ 1:47:21Sen. Van Hollen: When you are analyzing and giving advice on the basis of those precedent, the words matter a lot. This word has been used much in the public debate. It has many different means to many different parties. As part of the analysis that you would be doing, you have to get down to the exact meaning, what the context was, how it was defined.
▶ 1:47:48Sen. Van Hollen: When you say this word you mean the word blockade?
▶ 1:47:51Mr. Dahl: Yes.
▶ 1:47:54Sen. Van Hollen: Let's look at more up to date legal opinions from the united states government. I'm looking at an opinion from january, 1960. Reading here a blockade is a belligerent act which is a matter of international law is ordinarily justified only in the state of war. There is no other opinion that I am aware of from the U.S.
▶ 1:48:24Sen. Van Hollen: Government that contests that finding. A simple question, do you think that statement is legally correct? With all due respect I'm not asking about facts. I know you have to apply the facts, this is the statement.
▶ 1:48:48Sen. Van Hollen: It says a blockade is a belligerent act that is a matter of international law ordinarily justified only at the state of war legal or de facto exists. Do you believe in the statement?
▶ 1:49:00Mr. Dahl: Respectfully when a lawyer is advising on these types of questions it is always more than a simple yes or no.
▶ 1:49:11Sen. Van Hollen: I find it really surprising that you can't answer a simple question that has been the basis of supreme court decisions and U.S. law. Do you dispute the fact that there is a U.S. blockade in iran right now?
▶ 1:49:30Mr. Dahl: I see that it has been described that way. I don't have the facts and circumstances about how the naval assets are spread across the nation. Certainly in the context of an international armed conflict, the international laws a distinct body from the domestic law. Sometimes words are used between those two.
▶ 1:49:58Sen. Van Hollen: What I was reading from the opinion in the early supreme court case was U.S. law. In case you have any doubt that we have a blockades that we read from you from secretary hegseth statement, he goes on to say which is why our ironclad blockade remains in full effect as well.
▶ 1:50:23Sen. Van Hollen: President trump quote the blockade's genius, it is 100% foolproof. Are you really doubting that we have a blockade in effect in iran?
▶ 1:50:35Mr. Dahl: The issue is when you are using those terms in the context of international and domestic law there are implications. For example you just discussed with senator merkley the war powers resolution which uses different terms around war and conflict and when you use the word blockade it has implications in international law and domestic law.
▶ 1:51:04Mr. Dahl: Agreeing to simple frames of that concept is not acceptable for a lawyer.
▶ 1:51:08Sen. Van Hollen: So the president of the united states and secretary of defense are just engaged in simple framing. If a foreign power blockaded the united states would you consider that an act of war or would you have to look at all the facts?
▶ 1:51:30Sen. Van Hollen: Let me describe the blockade. 100% full proof. If they improved -- imposed a 100% blockade you have any doubt we would consider that an act of war?
▶ 1:51:46Mr. Dahl: The question about an act of war, declaration of war, the congressional branch has a say in that. Sitting here right now speaking in terms of hypotheticals is just too complicated.
▶ 1:52:04Sen. Van Hollen: This is not a hypothetical. As the secretary of defense and president of united states have said we have a 100% blockade. We also know that international law says that if you have a blockade it is an act of war. I understand why you and the administration are ducking this issue.
▶ 1:52:32Sen. Van Hollen: You want to call the war powers and pretend this is over while we have a blockade while the U.S. legal opinion means we are engaged in hostilities. You are failing of course to comply with the war powers. Thank you. I have no further questions.
▶ 1:52:57Sen. Shaheen: I have two final points. The first is for you. I was pleased to hear you say we really want to see where the $350 billion is coming from. When we were in seal -- soul earlier this year.
▶ 1:53:18Sen. Shaheen: There was no transparency around how the money was going to be sent, the administration has not been transparent around its investment agreements either with south korea or with japan. I think this lack of transparency really raises a lot of questions. I appreciate that you are interested in seeing what those dollars, where they are coming from and what they will be used for.
▶ 1:53:46Sen. Shaheen: Will you commit to sharing that information with this committee?
▶ 1:53:50Ms. Steel: Yes I do.
▶ 1:53:55Sen. Shaheen: I appreciated your thoughtful approach to what you would do to send a message to russia about the commitment united states has and the concern that we have about russia's actions and the high north and their other nefarious activities around the world. Thank you for that commitment. >> thank you. I'm waiting for senator hagerty.
▶ 1:54:35Sen. Shaheen: Let me follow up. If you are confirmed, one of the issues that has been a real concern in the baltic region has been russia's sabotage. We have legislation that has gone out of this committee that would address response to the activities we are seeing from
▶ 1:55:05Sen. Shaheen: Russia and china from other adversaries that disrupt our cables. If you are confirmed, what particular areas of russia's hybrid war efforts do you think would be important to prioritize in norway?
▶ 1:55:24Mr. Kavoukjian: I am familiar with that legislation, it is great to see bipartisan agreement on this issue. The big priority is the cables as you pointed out. We have open source right now. We get classified briefings.
▶ 1:55:56Mr. Kavoukjian: From open source information there is so much public activity we need to monitor with our region allies. All of these malign activities that we are seeing. Every day you see it on the news about some action. It is not just using the shadow fleets for sanctions and conducting intelligence. The oil pipeline locations.
▶ 1:56:30Mr. Kavoukjian: Russians are challenging norwegian sovereignty. That is a very important one that needs to be addressed. We are seeing military parades. We are not supposed to have any military activity whatsoever. We are seeing just the last week or so we saw the chinese national arrested.
▶ 1:56:57Mr. Kavoukjian: She was building a 22 ton satellite receiver that she said was for weather data. These are the types of activities going on. I hope this trip I plan to take will not only give me information on what is going on but allow me to see it firsthand .
▶ 1:57:21Mr. Kavoukjian: You travel like that with top officials, we will build a bond early on so we can work together.
▶ 1:57:29Sen. Hagerty: Thank you and congratulations to all of you here today. It is an honor to be nominated. First I'd like to start off with you, you and I have had the opportunity to meet to talk about how important the relationship is. I'd like to delve into you without a little bit further.
▶ 1:57:59Sen. Hagerty: It is no surprise I view this relationship as a key alliance. It is one of the countries that shares a deep economic partnership with america but a long-standing relationship with us. My daughters are looking forward to going to the bts concert in your home state. It is a cultural component that gets deeper and deeper.
▶ 1:58:26Sen. Hagerty: One of the key areas that is a great example is a project happening in my home state, korea zinc. It's a project I want to make sure you are aware of. Korea zinc is making multibillion dollar in my home state of tennessee.
▶ 1:58:44Sen. Hagerty: I would like you to be my partner if you will to make certain that you get fully up to speed on the project, making sure this is a prop -- top priority.
▶ 1:59:11Ms. Steel: If I get confirmed I will support.
▶ 1:59:18Sen. Hagerty: For us with the south korean government it is disturbing to me given the relationship that some of our technology companies they seem to be discriminating against. Many of us know the situation, it is also an issue with some of the large technology companies.
▶ 1:59:41Sen. Hagerty: I appreciate your attention to make certain they are not treated in any way differently, for example, chinese companies.
▶ 1:59:52Ms. Steel: Last year they actually set the agreement on that, they made it very clear U.S. companies cannot discriminate more will they have unnecessary barriers. If I get confirmed I will follow up with that clearly.
▶ 2:00:19Ms. Steel: Companies in the united states, I think they are in south korea and has to get equal treatment.
▶ 2:00:31Sen. Hagerty: Of confirmed you will be carrying the full weight of your voice. I would like to turn to you and talk with you about your vision for a very important relationship. It has also been -- it will contribute to our joint national security but also be a force multiplier for us in the endo pacific.
▶ 2:00:59Sen. Hagerty: I'd like to hear about how you like to support if you are confirmed.
▶ 2:01:05Mr. Brat: I gave remarks full speed ahead, bipartisan support, trilateral nations, bringing the u.k. And europe with our national security strategy. $2 billion already put in by australia just for industrial development. Prior to a submarine development. Three subs by the end of the decade.
▶ 2:01:38Mr. Brat: Interoperability, 20 500 marines we have up north already. Adding 2000 more. Just to get what you just said about the economics, pillar two is australia has a comparative advantage in quantum computing. They do cyber work and they are big on artificial intelligence.
▶ 2:02:04Sen. Hagerty: Had also encourage it is a great opportunity to bring in other allies like south korea and I would encourage you to do that. I will come to you to talk about norway in just a moment. President trump has emphasized the fact that our european allies need to take greater responsibility and contribute more to our collective security.
▶ 2:02:32Sen. Hagerty: How china continues to seek to expand its developments in the arctic region, norway has emerged as a capable committed nato ally the united states needs. Your background in intelligence experience, personal ties in norway, all of those speak well to strengthening our relations with an important nato ally.
▶ 2:02:55Sen. Hagerty: I would like to hear your thoughts on how you would particularly approach norway in your role partnering with us in strategic areas like the arctic and high north regions.
▶ 2:03:09Mr. Kavoukjian: I commented on that earlier as well. One of the first things I'm going to do when I get to norway is travel personally with the top level norwegian officials and see firsthand.
▶ 2:03:27Mr. Kavoukjian: I agree with you that monitoring and countering malign russian chinese influence in the arctic region is critical for the united states. That will be a top priority for me.
▶ 2:03:45Sen. Hagerty: It is evolving as we speak and I appreciate your close attention. Thank you for your time.
▶ 2:03:51Chair Risch: Thank you.
▶ 2:03:55Sen. Shaheen: I just wanted to thank miss steel. I know my staff asked you about the first global international competition held in south korea. You pledged to support that effort. This is an international robotics competition that has about 100 and 80 countries that participate from all over. It began in new hampshire.
▶ 2:04:25Sen. Shaheen: It does great work. Thank you. I'm certainly committed.
▶ 2:04:32Chair Risch: I will join in that. Thank you to all of you. We appreciate your participation . I think the comments that have been made here, we don't always see this quality all in one place. We appreciate that. The record will remain open until the close of business tomorrow, may 21. We thank the committee.
▶ 2:05:04Chair Risch: This hitting -- hearing is now adjourned.