Op-Ed: Ben Carson: It's time for the Senate to confirm President Trump's Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
In a dangerous world, President Donald Trump deserves to have his nominees immediately confirmed. D.C. rhetoric is full of hyperboles; however, it is no exaggeration to say that the stalling of President Trump’s nominees by Senate Democrats is a matter of life and death — especially for people of faith.
At this point in the Biden administration, the U.S. Senate had approved 49 nominees by unanimous consent or through voice vote. Yet, Democrats have not approved a single nominee for President Trump — zero through voice vote or unanimous consent.
Many of President Trump’s nominees possess the experience and qualifications to immediately engage in areas and places where the need is urgent. One such example is Mark Walker, President Trump’s nominee for Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
Mark Walker, a former minister and member of Congress, served as chairman of the largest caucus in Congress, served as ranking member on an intelligence and counterterrorism subcommittee, and was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve in U.S. House leadership.
The Ambassador-at-Large of International Religious Freedom was created during the Clinton administration by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. It was then reinforced in 2016 by the Frank Wolf Act — a bill co-authored by then-Sen. Marco Rubio — making clear that the Ambassador at Large is the “principal advisor” to the Secretary of State and the President of the United States on matters of international religious freedom. This position reports directly to the Secretary of State.
Congress created this senior position for good reason. In June, over 200 Nigerian Christians were killed in a single attack as part of a systematic slaughter driven by Islamist ideology that has left tens of thousands killed or kidnapped in recent years. In July, hundreds of unarmed Druze, as well as at least one Christian pastor and his extended family, were murdered in cold blood in Syria as extremist forces were allowed to run rampant through the area. Last week, ISIS slaughtered more Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Globally, billions of people still live in countries with severe government restrictions on the practice of faith, including in some places the death penalty for the simple act of choosing to follow Jesus.
The Ambassador-at-Large is the focal point for U.S. action to address these kinds of targeted killings of people of faith, and is responsible for “coordinating international religious freedom policies across all programs, projects, and activities of the United States.” Without an Ambassador, President Trump and Secretary Rubio are missing the most critical tool in their toolbox for fighting persecution around the world.
Walker is familiar with these issues, having organized international mission trips and served in refugee camps. As Senate Democrats sit on their hands, people of faith, including Druze, Kurds, Uyghurs, Jews and Christians, are being persecuted, imprisoned, raped, sold into sex slavery, and even burned alive. We need him advocating for religious minorities throughout the world who are facing almost indescribable atrocities.
Please join me in urging our Senators to expedite the confirmation process for President Trump's 100+ nominees waiting to engage. The world is on fire, and our duly elected President needs his team at full capacity to make the greatest difference.
Dr. Ben Carson is a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, author, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the first Trump administration, and founder of the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI) fighting for faith, liberty, community, and life.