[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 4, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ALGENE SAJERY

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I rise to thank Algene Sajery, a 
senior member of my foreign policy legislative staff, for her 
incredible service to the State of Maryland, our country, and by virtue 
of her foreign policy and national security legislative achievements, 
to the international community. I am incredibly grateful for all that 
we have accomplished during her tenure.
  Algene has served as my senior foreign policy and national security 
advisor since 2012 and concurrently as democratic policy director for 
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2015 through 2018. Over 
the years, Algene has served as my lead staff author and/or negotiator 
of several landmark national security and foreign policy laws, 
including the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act, 
P.L. 114-328; the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, P.L. 
114-191; the African Growth and Opportunity Act and Millennium 
Challenge Act Modernization Act, AGOA and MCA Modernization Act, P.L. 
115-167; the Global Food Security Act, P.L. 114-195; and the Electrify 
Africa Act, P.L. 114-121. These accomplishments demonstrate the wide-
ranging policy areas over which Algene has extensive knowledge. Her 
ability to leverage her knowledge to help negotiate and advance such 
policies into law and her passion for doing so are what set Algene 
apart from most others in this highly competitive field.
  But Algene's accomplishments do not end with advancing landmark human 
rights, transparency, foreign assistance, and international development 
legislation. Algene has also worked tirelessly at my direction on 
several bills related to human rights in conflict zones, including the 
Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act and the Elie Wiesel Genocide and 
Atrocities Prevention Act P.L. 115-441. Algene's efforts have helped 
cement my legacy in these arenas and as Special Representative for 
Anti-Semitism, Racism, Intolerance for the Organization for Security 
and Cooperation in Europe--OSCE--Parliamentary Assembly, to help propel 
my work to create a world where the promise of ``never again'' in 
response to genocide will one day bear truth.
  Our work together has transcended several Presidential 
administrations. We have observed Executive overstep with regard to war 
powers on numerous occasions. We have opened our eyes to the use of 
U.S. manufactured weapons to commit war crimes and repress human rights 
around the world. In response, Algene and I also developed my signature 
arms sales oversight legislation, the Enhancing Human Rights 
Protections in Arms Sales Act of 2019, and numerous bills, resolutions, 
and amendments on authorization of use of military force, conflict 
prevention, peace and reconciliation, and community resiliency 
policies.
  Algene's successful legislative record is testament not only to her 
expertise on foreign policy and national security issues but also to 
her keen negotiating skills, ability to work across the aisle, and 
incomparable political acumen. But Algene's service on my legislative 
staff has gone far and beyond helping me draft and advance legislation. 
One of the most striking qualities of Algene's character and, in my 
opinion, one of the most noteworthy accomplishments as a part of her 
distinct legacy on my team, is her dedication to helping others around 
her.
  Algene is one of only a handful of women of color working on foreign 
policy and national security issues and the first African-American 
woman to serve in a leadership position on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee. Over the years, she has served as a mentor to women of color 
at various stages in their careers, offering advice, support, and 
guidance. Algene has always made time to support those around her 
because she understands the challenges of launching and navigating a 
career in foreign policy and national security, and she genuinely wants 
to propel others towards similarly successful career paths.
  Algene is a highly effective legislative negotiator, strategist, 
coalition builder, and a true trailblazer. Her knowledge and expertise 
are unparalleled, but her passion, creativity, and tenacity truly are 
what have made her an asset to my team and a voice that I will greatly 
miss in my office.
  It has been an honor working with Algene over the years, and I wish 
her nothing but happiness and success as she transitions her career off 
Capitol Hill.

                          ____________________