Commentary: Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall voted against a procedural motion to advance the nomination of Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson. In voting against the motion, Udall said that the Senate should halt proceedings on Tillerson until Tillerson has clarified whether he supports the president’s executive order banning refugees and immigrants to the U.S. from several majority-Muslim nations. Udall previously joined Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in opposing Tillerson’s confirmation.
“The president’s anti-refugee, anti-Muslim executive order runs contrary to everything we stand for as a nation, and it threatens our national security by denying aid to well-vetted refugees, including those who have assisted our armed forces. This discriminatory measure and its chaotic implementation has no doubt already severely undermined our standing abroad. It has sent a message to desperate refugees and Muslims that we are abandoning our nation’s most deeply-held values of freedom and opportunity for all who aspire to a better life for themselves and their families. What’s more, the order serves as an energizing recruiting tool to the most extreme and hateful enemies of the United States, and it will make our nation less safe.
“The Senate should not move forward with Mr. Tillerson’s nomination – to be the top representative of the United States’ interests abroad – until he can answer whether he supports this incredibly destructive and backwards policy, and its negative impacts on our world standing. And if Mr. Tillerson does support this order, it will be yet another piece of evidence that he is not the right person to serve as Secretary of State. As I have said, Republicans who object to President Trump’s order need to back their words with action and halt proceedings on Mr. Tillerson’s nomination until these concerns are addressed."
In addition to voting against the motion to advance Tillerson’s nomination, Udall has joined Senate Democrats on a number of measures to condemn and fight President Trump’s hateful immigration executive order. On the steps of the Supreme Court tonight, Udall will stand with refugees, immigrants, and House and Senate Democrats for a press event and vigil to oppose the anti-muslim, anti-immigrant order. Udall co-sponsored a measure to rescind the executive order, and he signed a letter to the president expressing deep outrage at the policy, which runs counter to America’s values.