I would plan to attend daily meetings at the Department of State, and would be responsible for ensuring the agency regularizes attendance at State's bureau staff meetings, increases the frequency of senior management meetings on global and cross-cutting topics of critical policy concern and improves coordination at all levels. On the internal management front, it is expected I would be an integral part of the senior team, monitoring key management and policy issues and helping to ensure proper coordination between the policy and management bureaus and between those bureaus and the rest of the agency. I am also very interested in taking a lead role as monitor and catalyst for the agency's ongoing reinvention and reform efforts. Finally, I would like to communicate to the American public why our foreign aid program is in our national interest and why foreign aid is, to quote Secretary Albright, an indispensable tool of U.S. foreign policy. In closing, I want to reiterate how excited and sobered I am about the opportunities, responsibilities and challenges I would face should I be confirmed as Deputy Administrator.
Foreign assistance is one of the more oft-maligned functions of the federal government.
However, with the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, we have all had an excellent opportunity to reflect on the tremendous progress U.S. leadership has helped foster around the globe. It is clear that our current modest and strategic investment in foreign assistance will help shape the world of the next century. The United States now has the opportunity to work with our development partners to deepen and strengthen broad-based economic growth and democracy, build human capacity and protect health and the environment. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the Congress to achieve these strategic goals with development strategies that are focused efforts, based on the global priorities of the United States of America. Visit our contact page to find the appropriate resource.