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“TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR WILLIAM J. BURNS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S6191 on Nov. 20, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR WILLIAM J. BURNS
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today I honor a truly remarkable diplomat and legendary statesman. After 33 years of service to our Nation, Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns is retiring from the U.S. Department of State. Having served under 10 Secretaries and twice postponing his retirement, Ambassador Burns has had an enormous impact on the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy and I would like to recognize his many years of distinguished service and thank him for his tireless efforts.
Ambassador Burns joined the Foreign Service in 1982 and, within a year of joining, he had already made a name for himself as someone willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. Over the course of his 33 years in the Foreign Service, he has served in countless posts, including as Ambassador to Jordan, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Ambassador to Russia, and Under Secretary for Political Affairs. Since 2011, he has served as Deputy Secretary of State, holding the rare distinction of being only the second career diplomat to rise to the position.
It is a testament to both his character and unique skills that nearly every person who has had the pleasure of meeting Ambassador Burns has a story to tell about it. He has deftly steered our foreign policy through countless challenges over the past three decades and handled with skill sensitive diplomatic missions that few were willing and capable of taking on. That he has one of the most distinguished tenures as a career Foreign Service officer in memory is made all the more remarkable by his modesty and humility.
Ambassador Burns embodies the mission of the Department of State at its finest. He has been a mentor for generations of Department of State personnel and is an inspiration to all public servants, myself included. America is stronger and the world a better place thanks to his service. And while the Department of State will feel his absence, I am relieved to know that he will continue to play an important and constructive role in global affairs through his new position as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. I thank him for his willingness to serve our country and I wish him and his family the best as they embark on a new journey.
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