Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), seated center left, presides over the U.S. Senate Tuesday and votes to confirm Antony Blinken as Secretary of State. Screenshot/LADP

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement Tuesday after voting to confirm Antony Blinken as Secretary of State:

“From combating COVID-19 abroad to restoring America’s global leadership, our next Secretary of State faces numerous foreign policy challenges. We need a leader capable of repairing our alliances while holding our adversaries accountable to advance American interests and keep us safe at home. 

“Few diplomats have the expertise of Antony Blinken. His experience spans two administrations and two decades in senior foreign policy roles, and he has strong support from both sides of the aisle. I look forward to working with him to bring integrity and cooperation back to U.S. foreign policy.”