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Floor Speech
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Mr. LEE. diplomats serve a singular purpose: to advocate for and protect U.S. interests all over the world.
The Constitution makes abundantly clear that the security of the American homeland and commerce with friendly nations are fundamental core interests of the United States of America. The promotion of woke cultural imperialism is never in the core interest of the United States.
The constant crusade of career diplomats to evangelize woke ideology on behalf of the United States often works decidedly against our interests and actively undermines the reputation and leverage of our Nation.
Like many Biden-Harris nominees, Mr. Kostelancik has proven unable to set aside his personal partisanship while representing U.S. interests abroad.
His past performance as Charge d'Affaires in Hungary should disqualify him from being trusted with a diplomatic mantle again. Mr. Kostelancik openly meddled in Hungarian politics. He attacked press freedom and engaged in blatant social activism, which the Hungarian Government viewed as undue interference in Hungary's internal politics.
Mr. Kostelancik damaged our relationship with a reliable and important ally for the sake of partisan ideological advocacy abroad, all when he was essentially a placeholder until the Trump administration could nominate an ambassador.
Now the Biden-Harris administration wants to make him the permanent man in charge of the U.S. Government's interests in Albania. The Biden- Harris administration had every opportunity to submit a new nominee for this position when Mr. Kostelancik's nomination was returned to the President at the end of last year, but rather than submit a nominee with a more favorable reputation, a less controversial background, and a demonstrated track record of focus on core U.S. interests, President Biden is doubling down and promoting Mr. Kostelancik.
Cultural imperialism continues to dominate, to distract, and destroy the reputation and effectiveness of our diplomatic corps.
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