Having the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee clear Mike Waltz in a bipartisan vote to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was an important hurdle. But time is short —the full Senate must act quickly to confirm him before the U.N. General Assembly convenes on Sept. 10.

The U.N. has a lot on its plate in Ukraine, Iran, Gaza and elsewhere. Not having the ambassadorship filled at this crucial juncture undermines America’s ability to address these problems effectively.

The Senate is famous for moving slowly, but there’s no excuse in this case. Waltz was nominated back on May 1. He ably handled his confirmation hearing and received the backing of the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). There is little doubt that he has the votes for confirmation.

In a dangerous world, with many of the 193 U.N. members antagonistic to U.S. policy, we need an ambassador who has deep experience, a firm hand, a talent for blunt talk, and the full support of the president, who has praised Waltz as a public servant who has “worked hard to put our nation’s interests first.”

Waltz may be the best-prepared U.N. ambassador’s in history, combining military, foreign policy, political and communications experience. As a Green Beret, he served in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. He is now a

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