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Listen: Brownback Appears Before Senate Committee For Ambassadorship Confirmation Hearing

Kansas News Service/File photo

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.

Frank Morris has supervised the reporters in KCUR's newsroom since 1999. In addition to his managerial duties, Morris files regularly with National Public Radio. He’s covered everything from tornadoes to tax law for the network, in stories spanning eight states. His work has won dozens of awards, including four national Public Radio News Directors awards (PRNDIs) and several regional Edward R. Murrow awards. In 2012 he was honored to be named "Journalist of the Year" by the Heart of America Press Club.