May 7, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 86 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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SENATE RESOLUTION 567--COMMENDING CAREER PROFESSIONALS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR THEIR EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE UNITED STATES CITIZENS AND LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS DURING THE COVID-19...; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 86
(Senate - May 07, 2020)
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[Pages S2328-S2329] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SENATE RESOLUTION 567--COMMENDING CAREER PROFESSIONALS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR THEIR EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE UNITED STATES CITIZENS AND LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Booker, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Romney, and Mr. Cruz) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: S. Res. 567 Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption in global commerce and travel; Whereas foreign governments around the world have limited and restricted commercial travel arriving and departing from their countries to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by closing airports, seaports, and borders; Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions abroad left tens of thousands of United States citizens and legal permanent residents overseas without a direct way to return to the United States; Whereas it was an extraordinary challenge for the Department of State to help so many Americans seeking repatriation from around the world at the same time; Whereas on March 19, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mounting repatriation demand from United States citizens and legal permanent residents living abroad, the Department of State created a Repatriation Task Force to facilitate the repatriation of these Americans and to notify Congress and any Americans needing repatriation assistance of these efforts; Whereas career professionals at the Department of State, with exemplary contributions from the members of the Department's Repatriation Task Force and embassy and consulate staff around the world, in partnership with commercial airlines and the United States Transportation Command, brought home more than 78,000 Americans on 833 flights originating from 128 countries and territories during an 18-week period; Whereas Department of State officers, their family members, and locally engaged staff faced personal risk, long hours, and rapidly changing local circumstances to assist Americans needing transportation to the United States; Whereas Department of State officers and contract employees across the United States have worked to ensure that vital visa and passport services remain operational, including for tasks critical to the support of our national security, health care systems, and food supply chains; and Whereas at least 450 Department of State personnel were diagnosed with COVID-19, including 5 who died from the illness: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) commends the tremendous work done by Department of State career professionals-- (A) to address the extraordinary challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and (B) to bring home more than 78,000 American citizens during a time of crisis; (2) thanks Department of State career professionals who volunteered to work at all hours to meet the Department's highest priority, which was helping fellow citizens in a time of dire need and stress; (3) commends the Repatriation Task Force for their efforts to facilitate the repatriation of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents; (4) thanks the employees at United States embassies and consulates throughout the world, particularly career consular officers, for their work to identify flights and execute the departure procedure of thousands of individuals, despite difficult operating conditions on the ground; [[Page S2329]] (5) thanks the United States Transportation Command for its assistance in securing flights for United States citizens and legal permanent residents; (6) recognizes the efforts made by partners overseas to help United States embassies and consulates secure the flights and ground transportation need to allow these Americans to return home; (7) expresses its condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those Department of State personnel who died as a result of COVID-19; and (8) urges the employees of the Department of State to continue the important work of bringing home United States citizens and legal permanent residents who remain stranded in foreign countries. Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce a resolution with Senator Risch, as well as other colleagues, to thank countless State Department career officials for their extensive efforts to bring home over 78,000 United States citizens and legal permanent residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption in global travel, leaving tens of thousands of United States citizens and legal permanent residents stranded overseas with no direct way to return to the United States. While we will have ample opportunity in the future to examine and better understand the decisions made by senior leadership at the Department of State at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis that could have allowed the United States to more effectively respond to this pandemic, including to identify and mitigate repatriation challenges, I will note that once the Department recognized the enormity of the repatriation crisis, it's career professionals sprung into action and, characteristically, rose to meet the challenge and serve their nation with distinction. Staying true to the Department's most fundamental mission, to protect U.S. citizens abroad, State Department officers, family members, and local employees faced great personal risk and long hours to assist U.S. citizens during a time of dire need and stress. For that, my colleagues and I are tremendously grateful. We commend the extraordinary work done by the Repatriation Task Force, embassy and consulate staff around the world, and the United States Transportation Command. Their efforts resulted in the repatriation of over 78,000 Americans on 833 flights originating from 128 countries and territories in just an 18-week period. I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ian Brownlee and Deputy Assistant Secretary Hugo Yon for their exemplary leadership of and contribution to the Repatriation Task Force, as well as to Wendy Kennedy for her work with the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Furthermore, I would like to thank Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie Chung, Deputy Assistant Secretary Kevin O'Reilly, Consul General Dana Deree (Honduras), Consul General William Bent (El Salvador), Consul General John Barrett (Recife), Deputy Chief of Mission Denison Offutt (Lima), Director for Central America Affairs Marta Youth, and Country Consular Coordinator Alexander Delorey (Quito) for their leadership in facilitating the repatriation of thousands of Americans citizens from countries in the Western hemisphere. I recognize that in calling out these individuals who were especially helpful to me and to my office that I run the risk of not naming the tens, if not hundreds of others who worked just as hard and contributed just as much; they have my thanks as well. I, along with my colleagues, are profoundly grateful to the Department of State personnel who have worked tirelessly these past few months, who have served the United States above and beyond the call of duty, and who have helped their fellow citizen in a time of dire need. I urge the Department to continue its good work and to remain ready to bring home American citizens and legal permanent residents as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. ____________________
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