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Kelly Ayotte possible presidential campaign, 2016/Foreign affairs
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 Kelly Ayotte |
U.S. Senator (2011-2017) Former Attorney General of New Hampshire (2004-2009) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Iran nuclear deal
- On April 2, 2015, Kelly Ayotte released the following statement on the Iran nuclear deal: "While I will closely review this framework, the devil is in the details. Given Iran's history of failing to comply with UN resolutions and continued deceit regarding its nuclear program, any final agreement must include unlimited, unannounced, and completely unfettered nuclear inspections throughout Iran. I remain deeply concerned that based on the parameters announced today, Iran could retain a one-year breakout period that leaves it in a position to sprint toward a bomb should it choose to do so. This framework also appears to leave Iran with a significant enrichment capability, which could prompt a response from Arab nations with respect to their own nuclear programs. In addition, these parameters fail to address Iran's regional terrorism, including its destabilizing actions in Yemen. Given these serious concerns and in light of the enormous security implications of any final agreement, I believe it is imperative that the full details of any final agreement be released publicly and that the president first allow the people's elected representatives in Congress - rather than the UN - to review any final agreement before any sanctions are lifted by the administration. There is strong bipartisan support for the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which I'm cosponsoring, and I will continue to work across the aisle to exercise robust oversight over any final agreement with Iran."[1]
Military preparedness and budget
- Kelly Ayotte has served on the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services since 2011.
| “WMUR Clip on Ayotte Provision in VA Bill,” June 2014. |
- In 2014, Ayotte, whose husband is a former A-10 pilot, opposed the Air Force’s proposal to retire the A-10.[2]
- Ayotte rejected military base closures in May 2014. She said, "The readiness mark does not authorize another round [of closures]. I know that the chair and I are on the exact same page on this. …Now is not the time to spend millions of upfront dollars on another BRAC round, especially as DOD has been forced to ground combat aircraft, cancel ship deployments and furlough workers."[3]
- Ayotte voted for H.R.3230 - the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. According to The Concord Monitor, "Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen fought for a key provision that allows veterans who live in a state without a 'full-service' VA medical facility to access care at private providers." After the legislation passed, Ayotte said, "Veterans have not had what many of us have taken for granted: the ability to choose our own health care provider. It’s about choice for our veterans, respect for our veterans to decide what is best for them."[4]
- Ayotte vowed to fight military pension cuts passed as part of a December 2013 budget deal. She said, "All you have to do is introduce legislation repealing this and putting a pay-for in. I know that within the trillions we’re going to spend in next decade that we can find $6 billion, rather than taking it out of the backs of the men and women in uniform."[5]
- Sens. Ayotte, Jon Kyl and Bob Corker wrote an op-ed in 2012 urging members of Congress to fund the 2010 New START treaty, which would refurbish “aging nuclear weapons" and build “a critical plutonium handling facility.”[6]
National security
- Kelly Ayotte has served on the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs since 2013.
- Ayotte opposed Barack Obama’s plan to release Guantánamo Bay detainees. In December 2014, she said, "The need for this detention facility has actually become more apparent. Now is not the time to be closing the facility at Guantánamo."[7]
- During the 2014 midterm elections, Ayotte expressed concern about Obama’s handling of ISIS. She said, "I’m very concerned about…his resolve in that regard and I think that’s something that we have to stay focused on. We need to ensure that this isn’t just surrounding what we’re doing now. He has made clear this is going to take a sustained effort and he has to be prepared to have the resolve to engage in that sustained effort to destroy ISIS."[8]
- In a September 2014 letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Ayotte wrote, "Dismantling ISIS' financial foundation is critical to our ability to protect our homeland and ultimately defeat ISIS." She asked Lew to detail his plans to cut off funding from ISIS.[9]
- In August 2014, Ayotte criticized Obama’s handling of ISIS. She said, "As ISIS — a well-armed, funded, and organized force — seeks to develop terrorist cells outside of the Middle East, it is also expanding and solidifying its control of an enormous safe haven in the heart of the Middle East that can be used to train terrorists and launch attacks against our homeland and our allies. Yet, this administration's approach in Iraq dangerously fails to acknowledge this reality."[10]
- In 2013, Ayotte voted against the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.[11]
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International relations
| "Ayotte Calls For Suspension of US Aid to Egypt," August 19, 2013. |
- Kelly Ayotte sponsored the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, which "Expresses the sense of Congress that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner." The act became law on December 19, 2014.[12]
- In July 2014, Ayotte supported arming the Ukrainian military. She said, "The administration needs to provide the military and the lethal support that the Ukrainian military has asked [for] so that they can defend themselves against Russian aggression."[13]
- Ayotte drafted legislation in April 2014 to impose sanctions on Russia. She said, "The administration should not delay any longer in imposing immediate and severe sanctions on Russia's banking and financial sector. We must act now — before it's too late. …The legislation I'm crafting would impose immediate additional sanctions on the Russian economy, with even harsher sanctions — such as on Russia's energy sector — if Putin takes further aggressive actions against Ukraine. My proposal would also authorize provisions to provide critical support to the Ukrainian military."[14]
Epidemic control
| "Ayotte Q&A at Hearing on Preparedness For Public Health Threats in Wake of Ebola Response," November 19, 2014. |
- In response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic, Kelly Ayotte wrote the following on her website: "The administration must work with our international partners to immediately ramp up efforts to stop this outbreak at its source in West Africa. We also must ensure our health care professionals are well-prepared and properly trained to identify, isolate, and treat Ebola cases. In addition, I believe that travel between the U.S. and affected countries should be restricted to only cases in which travel is absolutely necessary, such as to assist with the Ebola response."[15]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Kelly + Ayotte + Foreign + Affairs
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Ayotte.Senate.gov, "Ayotte Statement on Iran Deal Framework," accessed April 19, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “Lawmakers push back at plans to end A-10,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, “Senators reject military base closures,” accessed January 14, 2015
- ↑ Concord Monitor, “Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Kelly Ayotte tout VA reform package at event in Merrimack,” accessed January 16, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “Senators vow to stop military pension cuts,” accessed January 14, 2015
- ↑ Politico, “Restore commitment to nuclear modernization,” accessed January 21, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “GOP senators blast Obama’s release of Gitmo prisoners,” accessed January 14, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “Ayotte questions Obama's commitment to ISIS fight,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, “Ayotte presses Treasury on cutting off ISIS funds,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, “Ayotte to Obama: ISIS threat demands a strategy,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "PN 48 - Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency - Voting Record," accessed September 25, 2013
- ↑ congress.gov, “S.2673 - United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014,” accessed January 14, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “Senate GOP trio: Obama should arm Ukraine,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, “Ayotte: 'We must act now' on more Russian sanctions,” accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ senate.gov, “Update on Ebola Response & More News,” accessed January 14, 2015
