Brussels Terror Attack

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I rise to honor the lives of Tennessean Justin Shults and his wife Stephanie, who were killed in the attacks in Brussels, Belgium, on the morning of March 22.

I thank our senior Senator Lamar Alexander for joining me this afternoon.

We are heartbroken by this tragedy, which once again hit too close to home. Not long ago, Senator Alexander and I came to this body to mourn the loss of five American heroes we lost in a terror attack in my hometown of Chattanooga. We are here again today, heartbroken that two more outstanding individuals were taken by evil, and we are reminded that terrorism knows no borders or boundaries.

Justin Shults was a native of Gatlinburg, TN. He attended Gatlinburg- Pittman High School, where he was valedictorian of his class. A bright young man, Justin received an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University before attending Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management where he met Stephanie, a native of Lexington, KY.

Justin and Stephanie's journey is inspiring. Two young people from small towns, they set out on a journey to explore the world and to broaden their horizons.

They moved to Brussels in 2014. Justin worked for Clarcor, a Franklin, TN, manufacturing company, and Stephanie worked for Mars. They had a bright future ahead of them--a future that was stolen by terror.

To their family members and to all who loved them, we offer our prayers and deepest sympathies as we mourn their passing. We also extend condolences to all of the families who lost loved ones and to the people of Belgium.

I also thank the many individuals and organizations that were instrumental in helping Justin's and Stephanie's families in the aftermath of the attack. They include the State Department, the FBI, the consulate in Brussels, Delta Airlines, Justin's and Stephanie's companies, Clarcor and Mars, and members of my staff, especially Bess McWherter.

From Chattanooga to Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, and beyond, we have seen unimaginable events unfold before our eyes. It is clear the fight against evil will be a long-term struggle. To protect our citizens, we must deepen our partnership with Europe and other allies to defeat ISIS and other terrorists so no more families will have to deal with the heartbreak Justin's and Stephanie's families face today.

We mourn their passing, we honor their lives, and we renew our commitment to fight against this evil.

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