Nominee for ECA Assistant Secretary takes the stage during Senate confirmation hearing
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) held a confirmation hearing today for Catherine Dillon, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the Department of State. If confirmed, Ms. Dillon will lead the U.S.’ global efforts to engage individuals through academic, cultural, professional, sports, film, music, and youth exchanges.
Introduced by Representative Virginia Foxx (R, NC-5) as a professional who will always meet the moment to ensure U.S. success on the global stage, Ms. Dillon pledged to lead “this vital component of the U.S.’ foreign policy.” She said she would do so by focusing on four core priorities:
Strategic alignment: Ensuring all exchange programs and initiatives clearly advance America First priorities.
Fiscal stewardship: Applying fiscal scrutiny to all programs to ensure adequate return on investment.
Championing American excellence: Capitalizing on the upcoming FIFA World Cup and LA 2028 Olympics to showcase American innovation, education, and opportunity.
Prioritizing safety and security of exchange participants: Ensuring the health and safety of American participants and ensuring vetting of international participants.
Following her opening statement, several Senators took the opportunity to ask Ms. Dillon about her commitment to following the laws that govern educational and cultural exchange programming and funding. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) asked Ms. Dillon if she would commit to following the letter of the law and ensure programs remain nonpolitical and funded as authorized by Congress, to which she agreed. There was specific mention of the Fulbright Program and American Spaces in questions from Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), to which Ms. Dillon responded by confirming the importance of both programs to U.S. foreign policy, especially in combatting Chinese influence.
Ms. Dillon’s nomination will now be further reviewed by the SFRC, who will then vote on whether to send her nomination to the full Senate for final approval.
The Alliance thanks Ms. Dillon for her willingness to serve in this role and the members of Congress who underscored the vital work of ECA and its continued importance to U.S. foreign policy.
The full hearing recording can be viewed here.
