It’s official – former U.S. Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo. 7th District, is headed to Iceland.
The U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination Monday on a strict party line vote of 46-43. During his confirmation hearing in February, Long said he would work hard to maintain good relations between the United States and Iceland.
“The United States and Iceland share a long history of friendship and cooperation rooted in our shared economic security, cultural, and human connections,” Long told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Our diplomatic relationship dates back to 1941, as you know, when the United States assumed responsibility for Iceland’s defense during World War II.”
Last January, Long joked that Iceland would become the 52nd U.S. state and that he might be appointed governor. The remark did not sit well with some citizens. He acknowledged that was a mistake during his Senate confirmation hearing.
“It was like a three-way (conversation). Somebody said something, somebody else said something, and yes, I did add the part about the 52nd state, which was totally inappropriate. But it was not something that I said as a pronouncement that was serious,” he said.
Long later apologized for the comment in an interview with Alaska-based Arctic Today.
“I just hope that the people in Iceland will give me a second chance to make a first impression,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for them. They have a beautiful country — 700,000 Americans go there every year. I hope I can get that up to a million by the time my term’s up.”
Long served as southwest Missouri’s congressman for 12 years before making an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2022. He briefly served as IRS Commissioner before he was removed from that job by President Trump and nominated to be Iceland’s ambassador. Long is also an auctioneer and a former radio talk show host.
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