WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that she was "thrilled" to be back to work after her month-long absence due to illness.
"I am thrilled to be back. And I am also incredibly grateful for this fabulous team that I have here at the State Department who never missed a beat for the time that I was away," Clinton said at a ceremony to honor the retiring U.S. ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney.
In her first public appearance since returning to office on Monday, Clinton vowed to do everything she can to "resolve and finish up wherever possible and then to have a very smooth, seamless transition" to her successor, Democratic Senator John Kerry.
When asked if she was entering "retirement," Clinton responded: "I don't know if that is a word I would use, but certainly stepping off the very fast track for a little while."
Clinton took a month-long sick leave primarily because of hospitalization for a brain blood clot.
Republican Senator Bob Corker said Tuesday that Clinton was likely to testify before Congress over the deadly attack on the U. S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya on Jan. 22.
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