[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 201 (Thursday, November 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S8438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              AFGHANISTAN

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, the Biden administration's 
disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan jeopardized our national 
security, empowered our enemies, and put thousands of innocent lives in 
jeopardy. But as the situation devolved, stories emerged of heroic 
efforts to push back the Taliban's advance and save stranded Americans, 
allies, and Afghan partners from the clutches of one of the world's 
most dangerous terror organizations.
  Today, I want to honor a group of unsung heroes who joined this 
effort from the home front. Team Blackburn is blessed to include a 
dedicated and tenacious group of caseworkers and personal staff who 
treat the needs of Tennesseans like those of their own families. During 
those chaotic weeks, these people fielded hundreds of panicked calls 
for help from and on behalf of Tennesseans who were trapped behind 
enemy lines. They used every resource at their disposal, leveraged 
every connection they could think of and worked more than a few 
miracles to bring those Tennesseans closer to home.
  On behalf of the Volunteer State, I thank the following members of my 
staff who went above and beyond on behalf of the common cause of 
freedom: Elizabeth Kelly, Payton Scott, Kayley Russell, Heather 
Hatcher, Josh Knell, Jeri Wheeler, Dana Magneson, Caroline Diaz-
Barriga, Kim Cordell, Mac McCullough, Alexander Gonzalez, Grace Burch, 
Jay Strobino, John Clement, Edward Pritchard, and Emily Manning.

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