U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed his concerns during a full committee hearing on modernization and management aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges. The witnesses included The Honorable Richard R. Verma, deputy secretary of management and resources at the State Department.
Senator Risch questioned the effectiveness of the department’s current operations, stating, “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Verma, one of the primary roles of the deputy secretary for management and resources is to keep track and keep the Department moving forward while staying on track. From here, it does not appear things are going well.”
The senator further expressed his disappointment over what he perceives as a lack of progress in implementing key reforms within the department. He criticized what he saw as an undue focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals at the expense of operational efficiency.
In addition to these issues, Senator Risch raised concerns about micromanagement from Washington limiting the effectiveness of diplomats in Kyiv and criticized what he described as an “orchestrated effort” to obscure facts from Congress regarding allegations against Rob Malley.
He also voiced his opposition to what he sees as unqualified individuals being rewarded with promotions and ambassadorial nominations within the department.
Concluding his remarks, Senator Risch emphasized that despite these criticisms, he recognizes that there are more than 75,000 State Department employees who are hardworking individuals dedicated to supporting their country.
