Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Ryan Corbett Finally Coming Home After Being Unjustly Detained By The Taliban

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to celebrate Ryan Corbett’s release after being unjustly detained by the Taliban for two years. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

This morning, I have some amazingly great news: after more than two years of being unjustly detained by the Taliban, Ryan Corbett, from Dansville, New York, is finally free, and is on his way home.

In just a few hours, praise God, Ryan will be back on American soil, and will be able to hug his wife, Anna, and his beautiful children, Miriam and Caleb and Ketsie. They represent the very best of upstate New York: hardworking, God-fearing, persistent, and humble.

Soon, Ryan will be back home in Western New York, in the community he loves so much and that has waited desperately for his return.

I met with the Corbett family repeatedly. Every time I met with them, his wonderful wife, Anna – strong but quiet – never gave up. And his beautiful children, who so miss their dad – you could just feel it. And every time I met with them, my heart went out and I said I have to do more and more and more. It's a moment we have all prayed for and hoped for. And thank God this day has finally come.

What a blessing. What an amazing day.

When I heard Ryan's story from his family and listened to them as they pushed and pushed for his defense, I saw that even in the darkest moments, even when hope seemed lost, the Corbett family never, never gave up. And they never got angry. They never pointed fingers and called names. They just kept persisting and persisting and persisting. And their beautiful, hard, unrelenting, patient persistence has paid off.

I worked very closely with the Corbett family to build bipartisan support for Ryan’s release. We brought attention to his imprisonment, and made dozens of calls to elevate his case to the very highest levels of government.

I want to thank President Biden and his administration’s negotiating team, as well as my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, for helping bring Ryan back.

We can finally – finally – say these five amazing words: Ryan Corbett is coming home. He is coming home to New York. He’s coming home to Dansville. I can’t wait to see him and to welcome him back very, very soon.

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