,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #efg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #g1  
#bjbj,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,risch1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mrs4 
,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,cardin1  
,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mr4 ,rubio1
 ,mr4 ,romney1 and ,mr4 ,cruz7 submitted
 the following resolution2 which was    
referred to the ,committee on ,foreign  
,relations  ,,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-#ai pandemic4  ,whereas the     
,,covid-#ai pandemic has caused an      
unprecedented disruption in global      
commerce and travel2 ,whereas foreign   
governments around the world have       
limited and restricted commercial travel
 arriving and departing from their      
countries to mitigate the spread of     
,,covid-#ai by closing airports1        
seaports1 and borders2 ,whereas the     

,,covid-#ai 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 ,states2 ,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 time2      
,whereas1 on ,march #ai1 #bjbj1 in      
response to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic and
 the mounting repatriation demand from  
,united ,states citizens and legal      
permanent residents living abroad1 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 efforts2 ,whereas   
career professionals at the ,department 
of ,state1 with exemplary contributions 
from the members of the ,department's   
,repatriation ,task ,force and embassy  

and consulate staff around the world1 in
 partnership with commercial airlines   
and the ,united ,states ,transportation 
,command1 brought home more than #gh1jjj
 ,americans on #hcc flights originating 
from #abh countries and territories     
during an #ah-week period2 ,whereas     
,department of ,state officers1 their   
family members1 and locally engaged     
staff faced personal risk1 long hours1  
and rapidly changing local circumstances
 to assist ,americans needing           
transportation to the ,united ,states2  
,whereas ,department of ,state officers 
and contract employees across the       
,united ,states have worked to ensure   
that vital visa and passport services   
remain operational1 including for tasks 
critical to the support of our national 
security1 health care systems1 and food 
supply chains2 and ,whereas at least    
#dej ,department of ,state personnel    
were diagnosed with ,,covid-#ai1        
including #e who died from the illness3 
,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the        

,senate-- 7#a7 commends the tremendous  
work done by ,department of ,state      
career professionals-- 7,a7 to address  
the extraordinary challenges related to 
the ,,covid-#ai pandemic2 and  7,b7 to  
bring home more than #gh1jjj ,american  
citizens during a time of crisis2  7#b7 
thanks ,department of ,state career     
professionals who volunteered to work at
 all hours to meet the ,department's    
highest priority1 which was helping     
fellow citizens in a time of dire need  
and stress2  7#c7 commends the          
,repatriation ,task ,force for their    
efforts to facilitate the repatriation  
of ,united ,states citizens and lawful  
permanent residents2  7#d7 thanks the   
employees at ,united ,states embassies  
and consulates throughout the world1    
particularly career consular officers1  
for their work to identify flights and  
execute the departure procedure of      
thousands of individuals1 despite       
difficult operating conditions on the   
ground2  7#e7 thanks the ,united ,states

 ,transportation ,command for its       
assistance in securing flights for      
,united ,states citizens and legal      
permanent residents2  7#f7 recognizes   
the efforts made by partners overseas to
 help ,united ,states embassies and     
consulates secure the flights and ground
 transportation needed to allow these   
,americans to return home2  7#g7        
expresses its condolences to the        
families1 friends1 and colleagues of    
those ,department of ,state personnel   
who died as a result of ,,covid-#ai2 and
  7#h7 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
 countries4