Dear Mr. Simpson:
Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to the President's nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense. I appreciate hearing your views on this matter, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
I strongly believe that a president is entitled to his cabinet selections unless there is something in an individual's record or background that is disqualifying, which I do not believe to be the case with Senator Hagel. I worked closely with Senator Hagel when he was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and I believe that he is more than qualified to implement the Administration's policies in Afghanistan and around the world, as well as to manage the Department of Defense in an era of reduced spending.
Once again, thank you for writing. While we disagree on this issue, I hope that you will continue to keep me informed about issues of importance to you. Should you have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841, or visit my website at www.feinstein.senate.gov. Best regards.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
I believe you're doing the right thing by contacting even if you know the canned answers you'll get, I do the same thing here in Washington state.