The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING MR. KEITH E. WEST
______
HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member of our team that worked to receive vulnerable Afghans as they arrived in Albania, Mr. Keith West.
Service is ingrained in Mr. West's DNA--after college, he joined the Peace Corps, first as a volunteer in Cabo Verde teaching literature and English as a second language, and then as a recruiter tasked with inspiring the next generation to follow in his footsteps. Since commissioning as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State, he's served in our embassies in Uruguay and Nepal while also working on food security for refugees.
In his current role as the Human Rights Officer at our Embassy in Tirana, Mr. West was tapped to serve as the Afghan Relocation Lead, coordinating the arrival of our group of Afghan refugees. During that critical time, he was able to leverage the immense generosity and hospitality of the Albanian people in order to save Afghan scientists, journalists, activists, former government officials and their loved ones. No small feat--he successfully brought in multiple planes from multiple places all chartered by different non-government organizations.
As so many have noted, the approximately 2,200 Afghans who landed in Albania are more than evacuees--they are human lives who escape danger to life and limb. Thanks to the tireless work by Mr. West on behalf of these men, women, and children in need, they now have the possibility of looking to the future with hope. Along with the rest of the Tirana embassy team, Mr. West spent long hours alongside Ambassador Kim to ensure that everything would proceed smoothly. His attention to detail was second to none, and I am forever indebted to him for his effort.
Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Keith West for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For his around-
the-clock effort to assist a vulnerable group of Afghans, sight unseen, and his relentless work ethic which left no stone unturned to accomplish the mission, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 211(1), Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 211(2)
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