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[Pages S2698-S2699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 604--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE
SENATE SHOULD NOT VOTE ON THE NOMINATION OF MICHAEL PACK TO BE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA UNLESS
AND UNTIL MICHAEL PACK CORRECTS HIS FALSE STATEMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE
ON FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE SENATE AND THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration:
S. Res. 604
Whereas the Constitution of the United States requires, and
the people of the United States expect and deserve, that the
Senate provide advice and consent only to those executive
branch nominees who are fit to hold positions of public trust
in the United States Government;
Whereas Michael Pack is the nominee to be Chief Executive
Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, which
is
[[Page S2699]]
comprised of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio
and TV Marti, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East
Broadcasting Network;
Whereas Michael Pack created and controls both Public Media
Lab, a nonprofit company, and Manifold Productions LLC, a
for-profit company which he owns;
Whereas, since the creation of Public Media Lab, Michael
Pack transferred 100 percent of the tax-exempt grants that
Public Media Lab received to his for-profit company, Manifold
Productions;
Whereas, for several years, in documentation submitted to
the Internal Revenue Service that asked whether Public Media
Lab had provided grants to any entity controlled by an
officer of the nonprofit, Michael Pack responded ``no'' when
the true answer was ``yes'';
Whereas, for several years, in documentation submitted to
the Internal Revenue Service that asked whether Public Media
Lab conducted business with any entity with which it shared
officers or directors, Michael Pack responded ``no'' when the
true answer was ``yes'';
Whereas, in 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate raised the subject of the false statements that
Michael Pack had made to the Internal Revenue Service, Mr.
Pack claimed, in response to a question for the record, that
the false statements were ``an oversight'';
Whereas Michael Pack has refused to correct the false
statements that he made to the Internal Revenue Service; and
Whereas, in early 2020, Michael Pack provided false
information to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate with regard to his taxes; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) should provide advice and consent to executive branch
nominees only if those nominees have been truthful in their
dealings with Congress and the executive branch;
(2) should not vote on any nominee who has made verifiably
false statements to Congress or the executive branch and who
refuses to correct those statements; and
(3) should not vote on the nomination of Michael Pack to be
Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for
Global Media unless and until Michael Pack corrects his false
statements to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Internal Revenue Service.
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