Congressional Record—Senate S4306
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S4306 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 18, 2015 Finally, in 2014, Keny acquired a new visa operational. He worries war will come again Whereas for the first time in 77 years, the and was able to raise enough money for the to the village. Blackhawks fans saw their heroes win the costly trip, which required a stopover in Eu- ‘‘I see myself living in two worlds, here and Stanley Cup on home ice; rope. South Sudan,’’ he said. ‘‘I want to help my Whereas the Blackhawks began the play- RETURN TO SOUTH SUDAN people in any form they need. If I ever get offs with a double-overtime victory against the Nashville Predators; Even after dusk in December, the air was married, maybe I would bring my wife over.’’ Keny talks to his uncles regularly. A con- Whereas a goal scored by Brent Seabrook still humid. Keny’s driver returned around 7 sequence of war, inflation has made staple in triple-overtime of Game 4 helped the p.m. with tools, but couldn’t fix the car. goods too expensive for many villagers. A Blackhawks defeat the Predators in 6 games; Keny planned to spend the night on the side drought has raised the prospect of crop fail- Whereas a sweep of the Minnesota Wild fol- of the road and at dawn walk back to Juba. ure. lowed in the second round of the playoffs, He lay down in the brush, careful not to ‘‘This month they are supposed to cul- setting up a showdown with the Anaheim wrinkle the dress shirt and slacks he had put tivate, but there is no rain,’’ he said, refer- Ducks in the Western Conference Finals; on for the reunion. ring to May. Whereas the Blackhawks earned triple and Keny was comforted that he at least had Keny wants to help his countrymen and double-overtime victories against the Ana- company: Some of his cousins, who met him -women in Vermont. More than 150 Sudanese heim Ducks in Games 2 and 4 on their way to at the bus station in Juba, agreed to wait have resettled in Burlington since the late winning the series in 7 games and clinching until another ride could be arranged. 1990s, and many have started families here. Around midnight, Keny’s fortunes turned. a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals; Keny said the small community rents out A Somali trader came upon him and agreed Whereas the Blackhawks followed a famil- local halls and churches to meet and cele- to drive him to Kalthok. As he braced him- iar pattern in dropping Games 2 and 3 of the brate holidays such as South Sudan’s Inde- self for potholes that shook the vehicle, Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay pendence Day. Keny tried to piece together fragmented Lightning, but took a 3-2 series lead into Keny hopes to help lease or purchase a per- memories of his youth. Game 6 on home ice on the night of Monday, ‘‘Will I remember anyone in the village? manent home to aid local Sudanese in pre- June 15, 2015; Will I remember the places I used to know? serving their culture. He said parents are Whereas in another close contest, Patrick Is life still the same as when I left? All those concerned children will forget tribal lan- Kane scored a goal during Game 6 that questions were on my mind,’’ Keny said. guages when they speak English outside the marked the first time either team led by Although the trip was only 55 miles, the home. more than 1 goal in the series; roads were in such poor condition that Keny Keny reflects on what his life would have Whereas it was a great night for fans of the arrived in Kalthok at 5 a.m. It was Christ- been like if he never had the opportunity to Blackhawks and the culmination of a tre- mas morning. He was exhausted and hoped to immigrate to the United States. If he stayed mendous team effort; find somewhere to sleep, but he found the en- in South Sudan, Keny believes he likely Whereas Antoine Vermette, acquired at tire village had stayed up waiting for him in would have been killed in the war or con- the trade deadline, scored 2 game-winning the church. scripted into the army. He said he feels goals in the Stanley Cup Finals; ‘‘They were singing and dancing and pray- blessed to have been given the chance to Whereas Goaltender Scott Darling, when ing for us, because they heard we had car start a new life here, because so many Suda- called upon in relief of Corey Crawford, stood trouble,’’ Keny said. nese never had that option. tall in net when his team needed him the At 8 a.m., Kalthok’s villagers held a wel- ‘‘It gave me the chance to look at the most against the Predators; come ceremony. Keny said he recognized world differently,’’ he said. ‘‘I have people Whereas Duncan Keith was an ‘‘ironman’’, only a few faces, his maternal and paternal who support me, and even though I do not earning the Conn Smythe Trophy for Most uncles. But all the village elders remembered yet have a college degree, I feel I’ve learned Valuable Player in the playoffs while logging him. enough to help myself and help my people.’’ more than 700 minutes of ice time in 23 ‘‘They said, ‘You look just like you did Keny often thinks of his brothers and par- games; when you left,’ ’’ he recalled. ‘‘There was a ents. In their memory, he wants to make the Whereas Niklas Hjalmarsson blocked shots lot of emotional reaction. They talked about most of opportunities he now has. left and right and seemed to be in the right my family, my mom and my dad.’’ ‘‘You have this feeling that for the rest of place at all times; Keny stood at the front of the sanctuary to your life, you’re going to be living knowing Whereas General Manager Stan Bowman, greet the hundreds of villagers who came to that you don’t have someone you’d be taking Head Coach Joel Quenneville, President John see him. After daybreak they took him care of,’’ he said. ‘‘I just want to make sure F. McDonough, and owner Rocky Wirtz have around Kalthok, but Keny couldn’t pick out I live a better life, and live it in a peaceful put together and led one of the greatest dy- any landmarks. way.’’ nasties in NHL history; He asked his cousins to take him to a lake f Whereas the Stanley Cup returns to the City of Chicago and gives Blackhawks fans with a waterfall he remembered from child- SENATE RESOLUTION 205—CON- hood. From there he looked back toward the across the State of Illinois a chance to cele- village, and memories came back to him. He GRATULATING THE CHICAGO brate championship hockey; was able to point out his uncles’ houses. BLACKHAWKS ON WINNING THE Whereas the Nashville Predators, Min- ‘‘They said, ‘Yes, you now know. You rec- 2015 STANLEY CUP nesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Tampa ognize this place,’ ’’ Keny said. Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Bay Lightning proved to be worthy and hon- Instead of having Keny stay in one of his orable adversaries and also deserve recogni- uncles’ homes, villagers arranged for him to KIRK) submitted the following resolu- tion: Now, therefore, be it sleep in the church. Each evening for the tion; which was considered and agreed Resolved, That the Senate— three weeks he was in Kalthok, villagers set to: (1) congratulates the Chicago Blackhawks up tents and slept outside the church to be S. RES. 205 on winning the 2015 Stanley Cup; (2) commends the fans, players, and man- closer to their returned son. Keny said many Whereas, on June 15, 2015, the Chicago agement of the Tampa Bay Lightning for an were surprised he came back after settling Blackhawks Hockey Team won the Stanley outstanding series; and into a prosperous life in the U.S. Cup; (3) respectfully directs the Secretary of the ‘‘They thought I would never go back, be- Whereas the 2015 Stanley Cup title is the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy of this cause I don’t have a living parent anymore,’’ third Stanley Cup title for the Blackhawks resolution to the 2015 Chicago Blackhawks Keny said. ‘‘But they still believe I belong to in 6 years; hockey organization and Blackhawks owner the village.’’ Whereas Blackhawks fans at the ‘‘Mad- Rocky Wirtz. Keny had another reason to return to house on Madison’’ witnessed Duncan Keith Kalthok, beside visiting relatives. He wanted and Patrick Kane score show-stopping goals f to ensure success of the local clinic the while goaltender Corey Crawford seemed to Sudan Development Foundation, a Bur- SENATE RESOLUTION 206—CON- stand on his head at times, stopping all 25 GRATULATING THE GOLDEN lington nonprofit, helped fund. The clinic is shots he faced; vital to Kalthok, Keny said. In South Sudan, Whereas the Blackhawks won their sixth STATE WARRIORS FOR WINNING some villages are more than 100 miles from a Stanley Cup, tying the Boston Bruins for THE 2015 NATIONAL BASKETBALL hospital. South Sudan’s infrastructure is so fourth on the franchise list of most titles ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP poor this can mean several days of traveling won; Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mrs. on foot. Whereas the Blackhawks joined the Na- Keny returned to Vermont in mid-January. FEINSTEIN) submitted the following res- tional Hockey League (referred to in this olution; which was considered and He said leaving his uncles and cousins was preamble as ‘‘NHL’’) in 1926 and have a rich difficult, but his visa expired after 30 days.