[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 212 (Wednesday, December 8, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MR. SOHUM PAWAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 8, 2021

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member 
of our team that worked to evacuate vulnerable Afghans during the fall 
of Kabul, Mr. Sohum Pawar.
  Originally from East Hanover, New Jersey, for many years, Mr. Pawar 
has worn many hats--scientist, engineer, and policy researcher. Since 
graduating with honors from little-known schools such as Harvard 
University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's worked on 
cybersecurity, climate, and energy policy at the White House, assisted 
negotiators at the U.S. Department of State working on UN climate 
talks, and written speeches for the administrator of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
  Beyond public service, he's also worked as a cyber threat 
intelligence analyst, assessed clean energy startups for a climate-
focused venture capital fund, and developed policy and strategy for an 
advanced nuclear reactor startup. He also has experience in journalism, 
conducting research for David Sanger, the prominent national journalist 
for the New York Times and his bestselling book chronicling the rise of 
cyber warfare.
  The knowledge and experience Mr. Pawar acquired in all of these 
ventures were heavily relied upon when he joined our cobbled-together 
effort working to evacuate vulnerable Afghans from Kabul. For several 
sleepless nights, he was part of our tiger team--responsible for 
gathering the required information for the group of Afghans, verifying 
the authenticity of documents, and supporting evacuees with letters of 
support of our own.
  Our mission depended on a broad cross-section of skills and traits, 
from perseverance to grit. Very few people could have handled the flood 
of information that our office received during those frantic days, and 
even fewer as quickly and efficiently as Sohum did. We needed Pawar's 
to succeed, and it is thanks to him that we did.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Sohum Pawar for his willingness to 
go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan 
allies from Kabul. For his meticulous record keeping, for his 
flexibility and perseverance, and for his dogged pursuit of any lead 
that would benefit the mission, I submit these words--may they stand as 
a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

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