A resolution 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.

III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. RES. 567 Commending career professionals at the Department of State for their exten- sive efforts to repatriate United States citizens and legal permanent residents during the COVID–19 pandemic. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 7, 2020 Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. RISCH, Mr. KAINE, Mr. COONS, Mrs. SHA- HEEN, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. CRUZ, and Mr. LEAHY) submitted the fol- lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Rela- tions JUNE 3, 2020 Reported by Mr. RISCH, without amendment JUNE 11, 2020 Considered and agreed to RESOLUTION 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. Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic has caused an unprece- dented disruption in global commerce and travel; Whereas foreign governments around the world have limited and restricted commercial travel arriving and departing VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR567.ATS SR567 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 SRES 567 ATS 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 Depart- ment of State to help so many Americans seeking repatri- ation 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 liv- ing abroad, the Department of State created a Repatri- ation 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 terri- tories 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 Ameri- cans 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR567.ATS SR567 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 SRES 567 ATS 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 di- agnosed with COVID–19, including 5 who died from the illness: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) commends the tremendous work done by 2 Department of State career professionals— 3 (A) to address the extraordinary challenges 4 related to the COVID–19 pandemic; and 5 (B) to bring home more than 78,000 6 American citizens during a time of crisis; 7 (2) thanks Department of State career profes- 8 sionals who volunteered to work at all hours to meet 9 the Department’s highest priority, which was helping 10 fellow citizens in a time of dire need and stress; 11 (3) commends the Repatriation Task Force for 12 their efforts to facilitate the repatriation of United 13 States citizens and lawful permanent residents; 14 (4) thanks the employees at United States em- 15 bassies and consulates throughout the world, par- 16 ticularly career consular officers, for their work to 17 identify flights and execute the departure procedure 18 of thousands of individuals, despite difficult oper- 19 ating conditions on the ground; 20 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR567.ATS SR567 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 SRES 567 ATS (5) thanks the United States Transportation 1 Command for its assistance in securing flights for 2 United States citizens and legal permanent resi- 3 dents; 4 (6) recognizes the efforts made by partners 5 overseas to help United States embassies and con- 6 sulates secure the flights and ground transportation 7 need to allow these Americans to return home; 8 (7) expresses its condolences to the families, 9 friends, and colleagues of those Department of State 10 personnel who died as a result of COVID–19; and 11 (8) urges the employees of the Department of 12 State to continue the important work of bringing 13 home United States citizens and legal permanent 14 residents who remain stranded in foreign countries. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR567.ATS SR567 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS