John Forbes Kerry

“ So this really is a time for American leadership, a time for fresh thinking, a time to cross party lines that divide and come together in the interest of our nation, a time to find ways to work together to maximize the impact of all America’s resources, including the great resource of this committee and of the United States Senate. ”

“ Today’s world is more complicated than anything we have experienced – from the emergence of China, to the Arab Awakening; inextricably linked economic, health, environmental and demographic issues, proliferation, poverty, pandemic disease, refugees, conflict ongoing in Afghanistan, entire populations and faiths struggling with the demands of modernity, and the accelerating pace of technological innovation invading all of that, shifting power from nation-states to individuals. ”

“ My father’s work under Presidents, both Democratic and Republican, took me and my siblings around the world for a personal journey that brought home the sacrifices and the commitment the men and women of the foreign service make every day on behalf of America. I wish everyone in the country could see and understand first-hand the devotion, loyalty and amazingly hard, and often dangerous work that the diplomats on the front lines do for our nation. Theirs is a service which earns our country an enormous return on investment. ”

“ President Obama and every one of us here knows that American foreign policy is not defined by drones and deployments alone. We cannot allow the extraordinary good that we do to save and change lives to be eclipsed entirely by the role that we have had to play since September 11th, a role that was thrust upon us. ”

“ One discussion that I particularly look forward to beginning with you, my colleagues, and with our country, is about the commitment that we make in our foreign affairs budget – less than one percent of the entire budget of government, at a time that the world is getting smaller and our economy depends on its relationship with every other country in the world, that we face a more global market than at any time in our history. ”

“ It is defined by leadership on life threatening issues like climate change, or fighting to lift up millions of lives by promoting freedom and democracy from Africa to the Americas or speaking out for the prisoners of gulags in North Korea or millions of refugees and displaced persons or victims of human trafficking. It is defined by keeping faith with all that our troops have sacrificed to secure for Afghanistan. America lives up to her values when we give voice to the voiceless. ”

“ It is hard to tell the leadership of a number of countries that they have to deal with the IMF, balance their budget, and create economic order where there is none if we don’t provide it for ourselves. ”

“ I share with the President the conviction it is equally imperative we assert a new role in a world of increasing failed and failing states. Burgeoning populations of young people, hungry for jobs, opportunity, individual rights and freedom are rebelling against years of disenfranchisement and humiliation. ”

“ American foreign policy is also defined by food security and energy security, humanitarian assistance, the fight against disease and the push for development, as much as it is by any single counter terrorism initiative – and it must be. ”

“ And as we talk about war and peace and foreign policy, I want us all to keep in our minds as I think we do the extraordinary men and women in uniform who are on the front lines even as we meet here today, the troops at war who help protect America. ”

“ The world is well aware we face a number of immediate, dangerous challenges, particularly in the Middle East and South and Central Asia. Given our extraordinary interest in non-proliferation, we must resolve the questions surrounding Iran's nuclear program. The President has made it definitive--we will do what we must do to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and I repeat here today: our policy is not containment, it is prevention and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance. ”

“ The developed world can do more to meet the challenge and responsibility of these aspirations. With the help of all the members of this Committee, I am determined to help President Obama meet this moment. It is vital for our nation that we do so. ”

“ My plea is that we can summon across party lines, without partisan diversions, an economic patriotism which recognizes that American strength and prospects abroad, depend on American strength and results at home. ”

“ It is difficult enough to solve some of the problems that we face, but I will tell you it becomes impossible or near impossible if we ourselves replace our credibility and leverage with gridlock and dysfunction. ”