Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 (H.R. 2410) that provides funding for the State Department and the Peace Corps as well as oversight for new programs. As the the companion bill works its way through the Senate and the two versions get reconciled and signed by the President, we can expect to see press reports about how the State Department is doing under the new leadership of Secretary Clinton. This report in USA Today lauds Clinton’s low-key style and notes that she is working to increase the State Department budget to support the new emphasis on diplomacy that President Obama promised during his presidential campaign and to overhaul the U.S. foreign aid program. Even if her public role is not as prominent as her predecessor, the report notes that Clinton is a powerful advocate behind the scenes for diplomacy and the use of U.S. power (both hard and soft) and that she is one of the closest and most trusted advisors to the President. She is in the news today after having surgery to heal her broken elbow, wishing her a speedy recovery.
Photo: Associated Press
