WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday questioned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) hearing on the administration’s FY 2019 budget request. Murphy, a member of both the SFRC and the Appropriations Committee, pressed Secretary Pompeo on drastic proposed cuts for governance programs in the Balkans and on worsening civilian deaths in Yemen. At a hearing last month, Murphy pressed then-CIA Director Pompeo on the constitutionality of military action in Syria and prosecutorial independence of the Special Counsel investigation. 

“There is no evidence that we have had any success in changing the trajectory of civilian deaths on the ground – in fact, it’s the exact opposite. April was the worst month for civilian deaths inside Yemen. Since we had the debate on the Senate floor, a private residence in Sana’a was bombed, killing twenty. A residence in Hodeidah was bombed, killing twelve [including] seven kids. A gas station in Hajjah, killing twenty-four. A commuter bus in Taiz, killing twenty. The civilian death count is getting worse, not better,” Murphy said. 

“I think that’s a hard case to be made given the reality of the conflict on the ground in Yemen, that our involvement has made things better for the Yemeni people,” he added.

A transcript of Murphy’s exchange with Secretary Pompeo is below: 

MURPHY:  I want to talk to you about the consequences of some of these cuts. We regularly read reports of Russian money and influence flowing into the Balkans at rates that, frankly, we did not see before the Trump administration. They see an opportunity as we withdraw from the Balkans to essentially set up a new front, a new hybrid scenario like we’ve seen in Ukraine. They’re buying up media companies, they’re securing contracts for oil and gas, they’re bribing government officials, they’re funding biker gangs, martial arts clubs, all sorts of pseudo-militias. It really looks a lot like the lead up to what happened in eastern Ukraine. But this budget they you’re presenting to us calls for governance funding cuts of 91% in Albania, 75% cuts in Macedonia, 69% in Serbia, 67% in Bosnia – I mean, these are catastrophic withdrawals of funding and another signal, a very clear signal, to the Russians that ‘we’re out. And you should fill the void.’ So my question is why? Why are you proposing these big funding cuts to governance programs in the Balkans?

POMPEO: Are you talking about the budget numbers? The budget numbers that were sent out for 2019? Is that where the dataset comes from?

MURPHY: Yes.

POMPEO: Well, we have a two-year agreement on what we’re gonna spend and I am confident that the Russians can see that we are not, in fact, doing what you describe. We’re active. I’ve had, I promise, per capita, more than it’s fair share of time in my first three weeks spent on this set of issues. They’re very important and I know them well. They’re not just State Department issues, there are others involved too. But I agree with you. The threat there of the Russians continuing to move aggressively is very real and we have an obligation to counter.

MURPHY: But how can you do that when you’re cutting funding programs …

POMPEO: We’re not going to, Senator. We’re going to have the resources we need.

MURPHY: But why propose it? 

POMPEO: FY 2020. I wasn’t around. I can only speak to what I’m gonna endeavor to do. I’m gonna try and make sure we have every dollar we need to deliver – not only on that mission in the Balkans, but each of our missions around the world. 

MURPHY: I appreciate your verbal commitment to the region. I think if we don’t pay some attention to it now, we’re going to be really sorry.

POMPEO: I completely agree.

MURPHY: Let me bring you back to Yemen. You’ve had a couple questions on Yemen, let me maybe ask the questions that Senator Paul might not have gotten to. There is no evidence that we have had any success in changing the trajectory of civilian deaths on the ground – in fact, it’s the exact opposite. April was the worst month for civilian deaths inside Yemen. Since we had the debate on the Senate floor, a private residence in Sana’a was bombed, killing twenty. A residence in Hodeidah was bombed, killing twelve [including] seven kids. A gas station in Hajjah, killing twenty-four. A commuter bus in Taiz, killing twenty. The civilian death count is getting worse, not better. And so, what evidence can you provide to the committee that we are having success in our efforts to try to make sure that civilians are not the casualties of a bombing campaign that we continue to assist the Saudis and the Emiratis in.

POMPEO: I don’t know the data the same way you did. I’ll take it at face value. There’s a lot of work to do, there’s no doubt about that. We still have risks. We have humanitarian risks, too, that remain. You talked about the civilian deaths, there’s still real risks of outbreaks of disease. Those are all very real. I’ve met with the new envoy there. It’s a long, hard negotiation road that’s in front of him. I am hopeful that some of the things that have transpired that he’s been able to do with all the parties, both the Hadi government, the Saudis [and] Emiratis, will yield a political outcome that will stop this death. Which, at the end of the day, is the only way that really gets fixed. 

MURPHY: But, with all due respect, there is no political process in place. In fact, very much the opposite. We had a hearing with your acting Assistant Secretary for the region, Mr. Satterfield, in which we asked about the planned assault in Hodeidah. The coalition has been wanting for a long time to march on Hodeidah, the United States has pressed the coalition to refrain from taking that course because 80% of the humanitarian relief supplies come through Hodeidah. Mr. Satterfield said in front of this committee:  “we would not view such an action as consistent with our own policy upon which our support is based.”  Suggesting that we might pull our support if they go for Hodeidah. They’re going for Hodeidah. They are marching on Hodeidah as we speak. They are planning to launch an assault. So, why were we not successful in convincing them to refrain from an assault on Hodeidah and will we contemplate pulling our support if they continue with a military campaign that will turn a nightmare into a cataclysm, from a humanitarian perspective.

POMPEO: So we’ve made clear our view on that. I think, Ambassador Satterfield, it sounds like he adequately communicated that to you. Our primary objective there – well, there’s multiple – but we certainly are concerned about what the humanitarian outcomes are of such a thing. And we’ve articulated that to them as well. 

MURPHY: But why continue to be part of this coalition if we have no effect on the most important decisions that are being made by the coalition. 

POMPEO: You assume a status quo absent our involvement that might not be the case. Right? It’s the case that our involvement may well, however bad things are today, it could be that our involvement has made them less worse than they would be. That’s bad grammar, but the truth. You have to concede there have been many cases where our involvement has absolutely improved the lives, reduced the humanitarian catastrophe that was taking place. There are absolutely places where our involvement has made a material difference. So, as bad as it is, it is our judgment today that it is still worth engaging. 

MURPHY: I think that’s a hard case to be made given the reality of the conflict on the ground in Yemen, that our involvement has made things better for the Yemeni people. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

###