,,iii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #dec ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #ab1 #bjai,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,honoring the ,employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 and for other purposes4 ,whereas more than #ha1jjj people serve as employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 including locally employed staff1 protecting and advancing national security1 freedom1 democracy1 development1 and free markets1 for the benefit of the people of the ,united ,states and the international community2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development together represent the ,united ,states in maintaining diplomatic relations in over #bej posts in #ahj countries around the world1 including in many inhospitable and dangerous regions2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development promote ,american values and interests at home and abroad through their work and actions1 promoting the safety and freedom of all ,americans2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development are a central component of our defense against international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development work to preserve peace and freedom and promote economic prosperity and mutual understanding around the world2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development daily work to reduce poverty1 end hunger and malnutrition1 fight disease1 combat international crime and illegal drugs1 and address environmental degradation2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development daily work to promote economic development1 commercial enterprises1 economic prosperity1 and ,united ,states job and trade promotion2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development daily work to promote ,american ideals and values1 human rights1 freedom1 gender equality1 and democracy2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development daily work to provide emergency and humanitarian assistance aid to respond to crises around the globe2 ,whereas there are almost #ej1jjj local employees at posts that aid and support the work of the ,united ,states and the ,department of ,state around the world2 ,whereas at least #bej ,united ,states citizen employees1 as well as family members1 and many more locally employed staff1 of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their ,nation2 ,whereas employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development personify the virtues of patriotism1 sacrifice1 service1 and duty2 ,whereas the families of employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development make important and significant sacrifices for the ,united ,states2 ,whereas multiple career ,foreign ,service and civil service employees of the ,department of ,state upheld their oaths to defend the ,constitution1 uphold the law1 and provide testimony in response to lawful subpoenas from congressional oversight hearings1 risking their careers and personal safety for service to their nation2 ,whereas these courageous employees of the ,department of ,state1 individuals who have served the ,nation with distinction and represent our ,nation's finest1 include ,ambassador ,marie ,yovanovitch1 a distinguished career public servant who dedicated #cc years of her life as a ,foreign ,service ,officer2 ,ambassador ,william ,taylor1 a diplomat who started his #ej-year public service as a ,west ,point cadet and served in every ,administration since #aihe2 ,george ,kent a career foreign service officer with multiple postings throughout the ,department since #aiib2 ,jennifer ,williams1 a #ac-year veteran of the ,foreign ,service who has served overseas in ,beirut and ,jamaica1 managed the ,united ,states ,government's humanitarian assistance program for ,syrian refugees from #bjaa to #bjad1 and1 most recently1 has served as the ,vice ,president's assistant on ,european and ,russian affairs since ,april #bjai2 ,ambassador ,david ,hale1 who has served around the world for more than three decades with the ,department1 including as ,ambassador to ,pakistan1 ,lebanon and ,jordan1 and in his current role as ,under ,secretary of ,state for ,political ,affairs2 ,david ,holmes1 who joined the foreign service in #bjjb and was awarded the ,william ,rivkin award for ,constructive ,dissent in #bjad2 ,peter ,michael ,mc,kinley1 whose career in the foreign service spanned more than #ce years and included service as ambassador to ,peru1 ,colombia1 ,afghanistan1 and ,brazil1 and ,senior ,adviser to ,secretary ,mike ,pompeo2 ,philip ,reeker1 a #bg-year veteran of the foreign service1 including as acting assistant secretary of the ,bureau of ,european and ,eurasian ,affairs2 ,catherine ,m4 ,croft1 who has served as a special advisor for ,ukraine in the ,state ,department and on the ,national ,security ,council staff2 and ,christopher ,anderson1 a foreign service officer since #bjje1 who served at the ,united ,states ,embassy in ,kyiv from #bjad to #bjag and as the special adviser for ,ukraine negotiations from ,august #bjag to ,july #bjai2 and ,whereas the ,department of ,state has represented to ,congress that no employee has faced any adverse action by the ,department for testimony before ,congress and committed that the ,department will not discipline any ,department employee for appearing before ,congress in response to a subpoena3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 honors the employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development2 7#b7 calls on the people of the ,united ,states to reflect on the service and sacrifice of employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 wherever they serve1 past1 present1 and future2 7#c7 thanks the local employees for their aid and support in the mission of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development2 7#d7 expresses the deep appreciation of a grateful ,nation to the employees of the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development who each and every day courageously and publicly stand up for their country and defend the ,constitution1 including those who have provided testimony to ,congress in response to lawful subpoenas2 7#e7 urges the ,department to fully and faithfully implement all its stated commitment to assist employees called to testify before ,congress with the cost of legal fees2 and 7#f7 calls on the ,department to ensure that no personnel will face any retaliatory action1 adverse personnel action1 or other negative consequence for testifying or providing requested information to ,congress1 and emphasizes that any reprisal for testifying before ,congress would be a violation of law4