Branstad set to face Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday

DES MOINES - In 23 years as governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad has faced a farm crisis, economic recessions, natural disasters and political emergencies.

On Tuesday, Branstad will face the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of the last steps in his journey from Terrace Hills to Beijing where he will serve as U.S. ambassador to China.

That's when Branstad is scheduled to appear before the 21-member Foreign Relations Committee to answer questions that could range from specific U.S.-China issues to his working relationship with President Donald Trump and beyond. His confirmation could come later in May.

Since being tapped in December by Trump to be ambassador, Branstad has submitted extensive background material, met with members of the Foreign Relations Committee, State Department officials and a number of China experts, press secretary Ben Hammes said last week.

The governor spent Wednesday and Thursday in Washington meeting with members of the Foreign Relations Committee, a fairly routine step for nominees preparing for confirmation hearings, Hammes noted. On a previous trips, Branstad met with senators as well as a number of people who advised him on China issues, foreign policy and diplomacy.

Branstad's longtime secretary, Margaret Hough, estimated the governor submitted hundreds of pages of biographical information, finances and investment data, work history, contributions - including charitable contributions. The material went to the White House, Foreign Relations Committee, State Department and FBI, which then had their own follow-up questions.

In the meantime, Hammes said, it's been business as usual at the governor's Capitol office.

'It's hard to say how much time has gone into that because he hasn't been preparing at the Capitol,” Hammes said, noting that Branstad has been involved in negotiations with the Legislature, which adjourned April 22.

He's now focused on reviewing 70-some bills lawmakers sent him at the end of the session. He has until late May to decide whether to sign or veto them.

Branstad attended a school Grandparents Day program with one of his granddaughters and was back in the office Friday afternoon.

He'll fly to Washington today, return to Des Moines on Wednesday and attend an economic development conference Thursday morning.

Preparations for the governor's confirmation hearings have occurred on evenings and weekends outside of office hours, Hammes said.

The topics Branstad has been studying 'range from North Korea to the South China Sea to currency manipulation,” Hammes said.

'Human rights is not necessarily a topic we talk about a whole lot at the Capitol, but it's an issues they've been talking about in preparations,” he added.

Branstad will be introduced to the Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday by Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. Grassley expects the hearing, which will be livestreamed at https://www.foreign.senate.gov/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, will last a couple of hours.

He anticipates the committee will vote on Branstad's nomination next week with confirmation by the full Senate the following week.

Grassley expects smooth sailing for Branstad but advised him to prepare for 'gotcha” questions, in the event somebody might want to embarrass him.

As far as he knows, Branstad hasn't been conducting any mock hearings, Hammes said. The governor did engage in question-and-answer sessions with people in Washington.

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