Congratulating Ms. Yuri Kim on Her Retirement

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOYLAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy and deep admiration that I congratulate Ms. Yuri Kim on her retirement, after 29 incredible years of service as a U.S. diplomat.

Today is a day of celebration, but also one of reflection. As we look back, we honor not just the impressive milestones in her career, but the impact she has made on the lives of so many through her leadership and guidance in the direction of U.S. foreign policy.

Ms. Kim is a proud daughter of Guam. She began her journey at the Academy of Our Lady, then went on to earn her degree at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a master's from Cambridge University. Her roots in Guam remained a strong part of her identity throughout a career that took her around the world.

Over nearly three decades, she wore many hats that shaped her vision of the future of our country. She was a champion for energy, defense, technology, and infrastructure. Early on, she showed herself to be a force of nature, leading critical work in the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, heading the DPRK Unit in the Office of Korean Affairs, and serving in key roles across the U.S. embassies in Turkey, Iraq, Japan, and China.

She served as Special Assistant to Secretary Colin Powell and played a central role in the Six-Party Talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Her work continued at the highest levels, becoming Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State and later Director of the Office of European Security and Political-Military Affairs, where she helped shape U.S. policy toward NATO and the OSCE.

In 2019, she was nominated under President Trump to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Albania, where she continued her service under President Biden. During this time, she deepened our existing partnership by advancing shared interests and encouraging economic growth.

Most recently, she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, helping navigate some of the most complex challenges in today's global landscape.

Through all of this, what stands out most is not just her accomplishments, but her character. Ms. Kim has led with integrity, courage, and heart. She's been a mentor, a role model, and a steadfast public servant who gave her all, every single day.

Her legacy will not only be seen in policy or diplomacy, but in the people she inspired and the bridges she built. She's helped shape the world we live in, and we are all better for it.

We thank and celebrate Ms. Kim, and we wish her nothing but happiness and fulfillment in this next chapter of her life.

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