Senate united at last

U.S. Senate Republicans and Democrats have at last found common ground — on the foreign policy front. They now share a universal dislike of the Trump administration’s proposed 32 percent cut in the State Department budget and are looking to remove any possibility of the administration lifting sanctions on Russia.

This could be the start of something truly grand.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got a bipartisan beat-down from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as he attempted to defend the indefensible.

Committee chair, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told Tillerson flat out, “I think you know, the budget that’s been presented is not going to be the budget that we’re going to deal with.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called it “radical and reckless when it comes to soft power,” noting there will be little for famine relief and disaster assistance.

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) questioned Tillerson about a school lunch program for girls in some of the world’s poorest countries aimed at saving them from slavery and prostitution.

“You eliminated it,” Durbin said. “Now is that going to make for a better world and a safer world?”

Tillerson defaulted to a lame, “None of these choices are easy.”

That, of course, ignores the fact that State’s budget cuts are wounds intentionally inflicted by the president he serves.

Even funds for embassy security would be reduced — the 2012 murder of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens notwithstanding. And that’s another thing senators of both parties insist will not be allowed to stand.

Senators also presented a united front on the issue of sanctions against Russia, voting 98-2 for a measure that would prohibit the president from unilaterally rolling back those currently in place. The sanctions bill, which would still need House approval, would also impose new restrictions on “corrupt Russian actors.”

Clearly Tillerson wasn’t pleased, saying he wanted flexibility in dealing with the Russians over Syria and Ukraine. (And where have we hear that before!)

The secretary even acknowledged under questioning from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that State was talking to the Russians about possibly returning those “recreational” properties seized as punishment for their interference in the U.S. election.

Is he kidding? Because the Russians have changed their ways since then?

The good news is that Congress is beginning to find its voice after being silent for too long.