Press Release
Congressman Cuellar Applauds Senate’s Confirmation of Roberta Jacobson as Ambassador to MexicoExperienced career diplomat with bipartisan support will ably forge new bonds between U.S., our southern neighbor
WASHINGTON, DC,
April 29, 2016
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Riley Brands
(202-226-0507)
Today Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) commended the U.S. Senate on confirming Roberta Jacobson to be the new United States ambassador to Mexico. Jacobson, a career diplomat who currently serves as the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, has worked in public service since 1988, when she worked on the staff of the National Security Council during President George H. W. Bush’s administration. Since then, she has worked in various positions at the State Department under both Democratic and Republican administrations, including as director of the State Department’s Office of Mexican Affairs under President George W. Bush, and has helped lead key diplomatic discussions.
Jacobson was nominated by President Barack Obama in July 2015 and received approval by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in November. Since then, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Congressman Cuellar had supported her confirmation, but it was stalled as a result of objections to her work to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba under the Obama administration. “I am pleased that Roberta Jacobson has been confirmed as ambassador to Mexico,” Congressman Cuellar said. “First, I would like to thank Sen. Cornyn for his leadership on this issue and for working so hard to move Ms. Jacobson’s nomination forward. As the member of Congress who represents the largest inland port in the country in Laredo, I have a vested interest in seeing a strong ambassador in this crucial post. Ms. Jacobson has several decades of experience in this country’s foreign service and has extensive experience in Mexico, both in her current role as assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs and in her previous role as director of the Office of Mexican Affairs. I have personal experience with Ms. Jacobson, having worked with her on the Merida Initative between the U.S., Mexico and Central America to fight organized crime. “The position of ambassador to Mexico is crucial to the United States,” Congressman Cuellar continued. “The U.S. and Mexico share a 2,000-mile border, and Mexico is the United States’ third-largest trading partner overall and second-largest export market, with nearly $240 billion worth of U.S. exports going to Mexico. With nearly 80 percent of Mexico’s exports going to the United States, there is a strong and important commercial relationship between the two countries. But the relationship has a human element, too. More than 1 million Americans live in Mexico, and about 20 million American tourists visit Mexico each year. Ms. Jacobson understands these issues and can ensure that we maintain a strong relationship with our southern neighbor.” |