Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback takes questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today during his long-awaited confirmation hearing to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
President Trump nominated Brownback to the post, basically promoting religious tolerance, as part of U.S. foreign policy.
Listen to the hearing live
Brownback has a history with that: As a U.S. senator he was active in fighting against persecution of Christians in Darfur and other places. Brownback will likely face questions about his commitment to protecting religious beliefs outside of Judeo/Christian tradition.
Brownback may also encounter questions about a secretive trip to Israel he took a month ago. The trip was arranged and attended by an Overland Park businesswoman and lobbyist. Brownback’s wife and daughter went along.
The state commerce department describes it as a normal trade mission, but the governor’s press office only acknowledged the $32,000 trip after the Hutchinson News filed a Freedom of Information Act Request seeking details about it.