-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am here today to honor a remarkable diplomat and dear friend, Ambassador Kevin Rudd, as he prepares to leave his post as Australian Ambassador to the United States.

I first got to know Kevin and his wife Therese over a decade ago. But now, more recently, as chairman and now vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have had the pleasure of working with Ambassador Rudd on some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

With his departure, we are going to bid farewell to a statesman whose tenure has strengthened the bonds between Australia and the United States and upheld the values we share.

From the day Ambassador Rudd arrived in Washington on March 2023, he proved to be a driving force in advancing our mutual national interests. During his accomplished career in the Australian Parliament and as Prime Minister, he understood the importance of engaging Congress, steadying the Australian relationships through changes in administrations.

And in 3 years, he delivered enduring and positive outcomes for Americans and Australians alike. Ambassador Rudd spearheaded Australia's push to advance the landmark AUKUS security pact, expanding the broad bipartisan support and securing the endorsements of both President Biden and President Trump and advancing investment in limitation strategies both here in the United States and back in his home in Australia.

He negotiated a critical minerals agreement that is already spurring new mining and processing projects to benefit both our countries.

He also spearheaded a cutting-edge tech partnership that is unlocking billions of dollars in bilateral investments, including for AI and quantum technology.

Ambassador Rudd's leadership strengthened Australia's security and our shared security alliance for decades to come. Thanks, in part, to his efforts, our governments, our Armed Forces, our intelligence services, our private sectors, and industries are working together more closely than ever, ensuring that our alliance forged on the battlefields of the last century remains unbreakable in this century.

Under Kevin's tenure, the United States-Australia partnership has never been stronger. He understands that our alliance isn't just an old friendship to be maintained; it is a living bond to be continually strengthened. He built personal relationships across the whole political spectrum in working with Democrats and Republicans and across two very different Presidential administrations to keep this alliance with Australia above the partisan fray. Kevin demonstrated that no matter Democrat or Republican control, or whether it is Labor or Liberal in Canberra, our alliance is the alliance of values and vision that transcends politics. That is an extraordinary legacy to leave in government.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about China policy, I don't think there is anyone that is more informed or who has, frankly, written more scholarly articles on the intentions of President Xi in China than Kevin Rudd. Kevin Rudd is a scholar on China and a fluent Mandarin speaker. He puts that expertise to work each day. He reminds me, at times, that I am supposed to address him as ``Dr. Rudd.''

Kevin has been a voice of principled leadership in pushing back against unnecessary coercive tactics by the PRC. He understands, from Australia's own experience, that we must not allow the PRC to act as a bully either in the Indo-Pacific region or around the globe. Kevin saw how China's attempts at coercive economic diplomacy against Australia backfired a few years back when its allies and partners, including the United States, rallied around Australia and declared such coercion unacceptable.

Kevin carried that leadership into his ambassadorship, and he often reminded many of us in the Senate of a key lesson: When pushing back against an adversary, it is best to do so ``in the company of friends'' rather than alone.

There is also a popular African proverb: ``If you want to go fast go alone; if you want to go far, go together.'' Ambassador Rudd understood that resisting coercion and deterring aggression requires building capacity among our nations, as through AUKUS and the Quad partnership. Whether in shaping Indo-Pacific strategy, in helping to refocus and strengthen the indispensable Five Eyes intelligence partnership, or in speaking out on foundational international norms, he made sure that Australia and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder against intimidation.

Beyond policy achievements and strategic vision, Kevin Rudd is one of the sharpest minds on the diplomatic stage. Few can match his knowledge of history or his analytical depth on international affairs. That is why I hate to see him leave this post, but he is not going far. He is going to return to the Asia Society that he will head up in the United States--although, with a number of his kids and grandkids being in Australia, I know he will be going back and forth between our two nations. The fact that he will continue to play a policy role will be important for both of our nations and for all of us who care about maintaining democratic values. I know that his passion for public service, his commitment to internationalism, and his insightful analysis are ending here after his time in Washington.

In closing, on behalf of my colleagues in the Senate, I extend my profound thanks to Ambassador Rudd. I thank him for his steadfast service, for the wisdom he has shared, and for the friendship he has offered. The bonds between our two nations are stronger because of his work. I wish him and Therese every success and happiness in the journey to come.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source