Washington, DC – Congressman Ron Klein, (FL-22) a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today praised the foreign policy team nominated by President-Elect Barack Obama. This morning, President-Elect Obama announced his nomination of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY),  Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Marine Gen. James L. Jones, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and Susan Rice for Cabinet-level positions. 

“The team President-Elect Obama has assembled will bring extraordinary intelligence and wide-ranging experience to the monumental task of rebuilding American alliances and keeping our country safe in these dangerous times,” Klein said. “It is critical that we restore America’s standing as a moral leader in the world, and that we once again work hand-in-hand with our democratic allies around the world to defend our common values and interests wherever they are threatened. This team has the experience and knowledge to do just that.

“As we tragically saw with the attacks in Mumbai, the world will not wait for a new President to find his footing. President-Elect Obama must, and will, be ready to hit the ground running, and the team he has chosen is ready to lead right away. I am pleased to see President-Elect Obama take a comprehensive approach to national security by introducing a cohesive team which includes the Attorney General, U.N. Ambassador and others.

“President-Elect Obama’s team is also remarkable for its diversity. The President-Elect has reached across the lines of gender, race and political party affiliation to select the best and the brightest, and his team has a diverse background that includes executive experience, military service and academia.

“I commend the President-Elect on his decisions and congratulate the nominees on their selection. I look forward to working with each of them as we tackle the tremendous foreign policy challenges our country faces in the coming months and years.”