Sen. Carper Ready to Work with Secretary Kerry

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety and a 12-year colleague of Sen. Kerry in the Senate, released the following statement after the Senate confirmed John Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State:

“Few Americans are better prepared for the post of Secretary of State than John Kerry. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as a respected leader in the Senate for nearly 30 years, John has worked closely with international leaders in solving the world’s most pressing challenges, not the least being the threat of global climate change. For almost a decade, he and I have been firm partners in stemming the rising tide of global warming, and I welcome his continued commitment to this cause as our country’s top diplomat. John shares my belief that we must go beyond treating the symptoms of climate change, like the sea-level rise which threatens the very existence of my home state of Delaware, by also tackling the underlying causes, including harmful air pollutants like carbon dioxide. I know John stands ready to help lead our nation’s renewed commitment to this critical global challenge. Secretary Clinton leaves big shoes to fill, but John is up to the task. I congratulate him and his family on his confirmation, and I am eager to continue working with him in his new role as Secretary of State.”