[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 214 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7570-S7571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Tribute to Cory Gardner

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to honor my good friend 
and my colleague Senator Cory Gardner. Cory and I were friends in the 
House of Representatives. Our friendship deepened in the Senate, 
especially after he took the reins as chair and I as the ranking member 
of the Subcommittee on East Asia of the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee in the 115th Congress.
  We were unlikely partners in a lot of ways. He is a conservative 
Republican and I am a liberal Democrat. I know that Tom Brady is the 
best quarterback ever. He just might say that it is John Elway.
  But like me, Cory is a pragmatist, and we did find common ground. In 
fact, we were a two-man legislative wrecking crew, with several credits 
to our names.
  Gardner-Markey collaborated on such hits as the Asia Reassurance 
Initiative Act, ARIA, sweeping Asia-focused legislation to reorient our 
Indo-Pacific strategy around alliances, common values, and mutual 
security; the Cambodia Democracy Act, to stand up for civil society the 
rights of a political opposition; the Taiwan International 
Participation Act of 2018, to signal both our commitment to the island 
nation and our displeasure with China's efforts to shut it out of 
international organizations; and the Leverage to Enhance Effective 
Diplomacy Act, to build the conditions for a future North Korea that no 
longer threatens its neighbors and the world with nuclear weapons.
  With Cory as chair and myself as ranking member, we convened 
hearings, drafted broad legislation, hosted

[[Page S7571]]

foreign leaders. As the foreign policy gravitational pull rightly moved 
to the Indo-Pacific in recent years, Cory brought the top policymakers, 
human rights defenders, and government witnesses to the fourth floor of 
the Dirksen Senate Office Building--not exactly the Diplomatic Room of 
the White House.
  In the 115th Congress, we held 11 hearings. It was a constant beat of 
meetings and hearings that Cory would be leading. I was always honored 
to be partnered with him in organizing those efforts.
  Cory grew up on a farm, so it is no wonder that he is a workhorse. 
Each time he gaveled in a hearing, he was professional, prepared, good-
humored. And he, on more than a few occasions, allowed particularly 
verbose Senators to blow past their allotted time.
  Nowhere did I enjoy our work together more than in the drafting and 
the ultimate passage of the landmark Asia Reassurance Initiative Act. 
Our bill, which is now the law of the land, adopts a long-term U.S. 
strategy for the most consequential region in the world, the Indo-
Pacific. It was a credit to our foreign policy staffs--led by Igor in 
Cory's staff and Zack in mine--that we were able to get it past the 
finish line.
  A fully resourced ARIA will ensure that the United States will remain 
a Pacific power. Investments through ARIA offer a critical 
counterweight to China by helping our partners in the region build 
defenses and defend democracy and the rule of law.
  But Cory understood passage of a law alone does not equate to the 
implementation of policy. When ARIA was signed into law, he and I 
convened a series of hearings to ensure the Departments of Defense and 
State and the USAID were putting resources to the challenge.
  The Asia-Pacific is home to 60 percent of the world's population. 
This fact and the wide geographic scope of the region means that we 
need to respond nimbly to the latest international crisis of the day.
  When North Korea policy vacillated between ``fire and fury'' and 
detente, he used the subcommittee to provide critical oversight.
  When China and Hong Kong authorities turned to batons and tear gas in 
a futile attempt to end democratic protests, he hosted one of the 
architects of the student-powered Umbrella Movement, Nathan Law.
  When just this past year, some wished to shake down our Japanese and 
South Korean allies, we partnered on two resolutions, which reaffirmed 
our ironclad relationships to both allies.
  In his farewell address, Cory said that the pillars of the Senate 
Chamber are principles shared by all Americans. They are immutable. 
Cory, it was a pleasure to work with you these past years to also 
strengthen the pillars of U.S. foreign policy, standing up for human 
rights, our allies, and the rule of law around the world.
  I hope that this son of Yuma, CO, is not finished with public service 
yet. I am grateful for what we accomplished together on the Asia 
Subcommittee and even more grateful for our friendship.
  My best to Jaime and your wonderful family and to you, my friend.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.