Departure of Secretary of State
REX TILLERSON 
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Washington D.C. ____
Today,
Representative Paul Cook (CA-08), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee’s Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere,
issued the
following statement on the departure of Rex Tillerson from his role as Secretary
of State:
Chairman Cook: “I commend Secretary Tillerson
for his service to our nation as Secretary of State. As Chairman of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I’m
particularly thankful for the time he spent working to strengthen our
relationship with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In February 2018, Secretary Tillerson made an important trip to the region
where he advocated for maintaining democratic institutions, combating
corruption, and applying pressure to restore democracy and freedom in
Venezuela. I’m honored to have worked with him and look forward to working with
my former House colleague and future Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to
continue increasing U.S. engagement with our partners in the region.”
Representative
Paul Cook is a member of the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Natural
Resources Committees, Cook served as an infantry officer and retired after 26
years as a Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. During his time in combat, he was
awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.