{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/cardin-updates-colleagues-on-tillerson-hearing-issues", "Cardin Updates Colleagues on Tillerson Hearing Issues", "2016-12-22", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Benjamin Cardin", "C000141", "www.cardin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2016\n\t\t\t Cardin Updates Colleagues on Tillerson Hearing Issues \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote to his Democratic Committee colleagues Thursday updating them on his communications with Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) regarding Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson\u2019s hearing date, financial disclosure and ethics agreement documents, and tax returns:\r\n\u00a0\r\nDecember 22, 2016 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nDear Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Members,\r\nI have heard from a number of you regarding the nomination of Mr. Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, so I wanted to give you an update on where Senator Corker and I are in the process.\u00a0\r\nSenator Corker and I have talked about the nomination several times.\u00a0 I am pleased to report that we expect to receive standard financial disclosure forms and ethics compliance information later this week.\u00a0 Once received, staff will immediately review the documents submitted and advise us whether the information is complete and in compliance with committee practice.\u00a0\r\nI have not yet received 3 years\u2019 worth of the nominee\u2019s tax returns, which I have formally requested the Presidential Transition Team make available for review.\u00a0 Senator Corker and I have a disagreement about the need to review the nominee\u2019s tax returns.\u00a0 I think it is an important part of vetting this candidate because he has never made public disclosures of this type, as he has worked at ExxonMobil for his entire career and has never been in public service.\u00a0 Mr. Tillerson was actively engaged with many foreign governments that could become relevant if confirmed as Secretary of State.\u00a0 The Senate has a responsibility to review all relevant documents during the confirmation process.\r\nOur standard questionnaire for all nominees appearing before our Committee, which has been used by the Committee for years, very clearly contemplates a request of this kind being made.\u00a0 In his response to the tax return question in the questionnaire, the nominee promised to provide such information.\u00a0 After receiving the financial information from Mr. Tillerson later this week, I will be in touch with Chairman Corker in an effort to resolve my request to review Mr. Tillerson\u2019s tax returns.\u00a0\r\nUntil all of these materials are received and staff has had a chance to review them, it will be difficult to lock in a nomination hearing time for the Committee to consider the nominee.\u00a0 It is our responsibility to expedite the consideration of key cabinet nominees so that the new President can have key advisers in place as soon as possible.\u00a0 Chairman Corker intends to schedule Mr. Tillerson\u2019s nomination hearing during the second week of January\u2014a date I will support if all necessary and relevant information has been timely made available to our committee, and the nominee has made himself available for pre-hearing meetings with SFRC Senators.\u00a0\r\nI have also talked with Senator Corker about the need for adequate time for a hearing, and I am pleased that Chairman Corker is prepared to reserve a second day for hearings so that each Member has ample opportunity to ask about issues he or she wishes to raise with the nominee.\u00a0\r\nSincerely,\r\nBenjamin L. Cardin\r\nRanking Member\r\n\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/cardin-updates-colleagues-on-tillerson-hearing-issues"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3015998993068933, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}