FOXNews.com: It's Kerry's Turn: Nominee to Testify

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It's Kerry's Turn: Nominee to Testify Jan 24th 2013, 13:35 WASHINGTON –  A day after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a fiery defense of the administration's handling of the Libya attack aftermath, the man tapped to replace her will face questioning at his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill.  Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is likely to encounter a friendly audience. He's appearing before the committee he chairs -- of all the nominees President Obama has selected for his second term, Kerry is among the least controversial.  Still, Kerry is applying for one of the toughest jobs in Washington, with a portfolio that is becoming increasingly complex. As Clinton cautioned on Wednesday, the country's diplomatic work is vital to national security, particularly as Islamic extremism spreads in volatile North Africa. The mood on Capitol Hill remains tense, after Clinton sparred for the better part of eight hours Wednesday with Republican lawmakers over the Libya terror attack.  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who had tough words for Clinton on Wednesday, joked about Kerry's hearing and the tough tactics that won't be employed. McCain and Kerry are friends who have worked closely on national security issues. They're also decorated Vietnam War veterans and former presidential candidates who know the sharp sting of defeat.  "We will look forward to interrogating him at his hearing -- mercilessly," McCain said to laughter. "We will bring back, for the only time, waterboarding to get the truth."  The hearing is the first of three for Obama's national security nominees.  Former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, nominated for defense secretary, will face tough questions about his past statements on Israel, Iran, nuclear weapons and defense spending at his confirmation hearing next Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. John Brennan, the president's choice for CIA director, will be quizzed about White House national security leaks and the use of unmanned drones at his hearing next month.  The job of the nation's top diplomat would be the realization of a dream for Kerry, whom Obama passed over in 2008 when he chose Clinton. When Joe Biden became vice president, Kerry replaced the former Delaware senator as chairman of the committee. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, the incoming chairman, will preside at Kerry's hearing.  Obama nominated Kerry after Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, removed her name from consideration following criticism from Republicans over her initial comments about the attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.  Kerry, 69, is the son of a diplomat and has served as Obama's unofficial envoy, using his skills of persuasion with leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Although a rough hearing is unlikely, Kerry will be pressed about the civil war in Syria and other hot spots, foreign aid and the Keystone XL oil pipeline, about which he'll have a major say.  More than half the Senate has urged quick approval of the pipeline, increasing the pressure on Obama to move forward on the project despite concerns from environmentalists.  "We urge you to choose jobs, economic development and American energy security," wrote 53 senators, who added that the pipeline "has gone through the most exhaustive environmental scrutiny of any pipeline" in U.S. history.  The $7 billion project would carry tar sands oil from Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.  The Obama administration has twice thwarted the 1,700-mile pipeline, which Calgary-based TransCanada first proposed in late 2008. The State Department delayed the project in late 2011 after environmental groups and others raised concerns about a proposed route through environmentally sensitive land in Nebraska.  The State Department said this week it does not expect to complete a review of the project before the end of March. The State Department has jurisdiction over the pipeline because it crosses a U.S. border.  In the past, Kerry has played a major role on climate change legislation and has warned of the environmental dangers.  In advance of his hearing, Kerry said he plans to divest holdings in dozens of companies in his family's vast financial portfolio to avoid conflicts of interest if he is confirmed.  He notified the State Department earlier this month that within 90 days of his confirmation he would move to sell off holdings in three trusts benefiting him and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry. In the Jan. 8 letter to the department's Office of the Legal Adviser, Kerry said he would not take part in any decisions that could affect the companies he has holdings in until those investments are sold off.  Kerry is the wealthiest man in the Senate, worth more than $184 million, according to a 2011 Senate disclosure.  The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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