Congressional Record—Senate S10979
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October 9, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10979 under rule XXII, the Chair directs the quorums with respect to these con- A.J. was truly a great soldier—a cou- clerk to read the motion. ference reports be waived. rageous young man who put the safety The legislative clerk read as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without of others above his own. We will never CLOTURE MOTION objection, it is so ordered. be able to repay A.J. for what he has We the undersigned Senators, in accord- f done, and we will never be able to ance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the honor him the way he truly deserves. Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby MORNING BUSINESS We can, however, remember this Amer- move to bring to a close debate on the con- Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I now ask ican hero as he was—as a strong, inde- ference report to accompany H.R. 4837, a bill unanimous consent that the Senate pendent young man who did a great making appropriations for military con- begin a period of morning business, deal of good in this world. struction, family housing, and base realign- with Senators permitted to speak for In his all too brief 20 years, A.J. ment and closure for the Department of De- touched many lives. His mother, fense for the fiscal year ending September 30, up to 5 minutes each. 2005, and for other purposes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Chantil, fondly recalls that ‘‘everybody Bill Frist, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Ted objection, it is so ordered. loved him.’’ It was his smile; it was hard to stay mad at him.’’ A.J.’s fa- Stevens, Thad Cochran, Wayne Allard, f Chuck Grassley, Norm Coleman, Lamar ther, Allen, remembers that he was the Alexander, Pat Roberts, Sam HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES kind of kid who could walk into a room Brownback, Mitch McConnell, George ARMY SPECIALIST ALLEN JEFFREY ‘‘AJ.’’ and just light it up. Allen, Craig Thomas, Orrin Hatch, VANDAYBURG A.J. loved his family very much. In Richard Lugar, Mike DeWine, Gordon the summers, A.J. always looked for- Smith. Mr. DEWINE. Mr. President, I rise this evening to say thank you to the ward to their family vacation to Myr- f men and women serving in our Armed tle Beach, SC. A.J. loved kids. Family DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE- Forces. Too often, we don’t take the friend, Kim Loveland, recalled that she CURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, time to show our appreciation and tell would pay A.J. to watch her children, 2005—CONFERENCE REPORT them what their service means to us. only to have him turn around and use They are there for us each day, dedi- the money to buy the kids candy. Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I now A.J. went to Mansfield High School, move to proceed to the conference re- cated to protecting all that we hold dear. They are there for us, making our where he played golf and baseball. He port to accompany H.R. 4567, the home- was known as a ‘‘good guy’’ who had a land security appropriations bill. world more secure. They are there for us, making our world a better place—a lot of good friends. After graduation in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 2001, A.J. enlisted in the Army. He objection, the motion is agreed to. The safer place. They are there for us, pro- tecting our freedom. would eventually serve in Kosovo, Ger- clerk will report. many, Kuwait, and Iraq. Allen and The legislative clerk read as follows: That freedom, though, as we know so well, does not come without a price. It Chantil Vandayburg treasure the pic- The Committee of Conference on the dis- does not come without sacrifice. As ture they have of their son with chil- agreeing votes of the two Houses on the General Douglas MacArthur once said: dren in Kosovo. Allen likes to call A.J. amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. ‘‘a warrior who also had a soft side.’’ 4567), making appropriations for the Depart- The soldier, above all other men, is re- A.J. was a lot like his father. Allen is quired to perform the highest act of religious ment of Homeland Security for the fiscal a 25-year veteran of the Mansfield Po- year ending September 30, 2005, and for other teaching—sacrifice. The soldier who is purposes, having met, have agreed that the called upon to offer and to give his life for lice Department. A.J. learned from his House recede from its disagreement to the his country is the noblest development of dad the value of public service and how amendment of the Senate, and agree to the mankind. to trust your comrades—lessons he same with an amendment, and the Senate This evening, I rise to honor a Mans- would bring with him overseas. A.J.’s agree to the same signed by a majority of field, OH, serviceman who selflessly parents knew that their son believed in the conferees on the part of both Houses. gave his life while saving those of his what he was doing in Iraq. A.J. e- The Senate proceeded to consider the comrades. Army SP Allen Jeffrey mailed them as often as he could and conference report. Vandayburg—‘‘A.J.’’ to his family and would tell them not to worry—that he (The conference report is printed in friends—earned the Bronze Star Medal trusted his fellow soldiers and knew the proceedings of the House in the with Valor for his final act of bravery— they would look out for him. In his RECORD of today, October 9, 2004.) an act that ultimately saved the lives final battle, it was A.J. who paid the CLOTURE MOTION of the men and women serving with ultimate sacrifice for his comrades and Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I send a him. for Iraqis he did not know. cloture motion to the desk. On April 9, 2004, in Barez , Iraq, A.J. A friend of A.J.’s, Nathan Pival, who The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- and other members of the Army’s 1st is serving in Afghanistan, posted the ture motion having been presented Infantry Division—the ‘‘Big Red following message on a Web site hon- under rule XXII, the Chair directs the One’’—found themselves in the middle oring A.J.: clerk to read the motion. of a fierce firefight with Iraqi insur- A.J.—I found out what happened to you my The assistant legislative clerk read gents. A.J. was manning the gunner po- first week in Afghanistan. To say the least, I felt like a piece of me died, too. I mean, as follows: sition of his Bradley fighting vehicle who would have thought that you and me CLOTURE MOTION when his unit was fired upon. Accord- would end up in the Army after high school? We the undersigned Senators, in accord- ing to an official Army report, A.J. I know you didn’t find out I was in the serv- ance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the fought valiantly, drawing enemy fire to ice until you tried to call my cell when I was Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby himself. The report detailed the fol- in Basic, but I want you to know that you move to bring to a close debate on the con- lowing: were the person that helped to convince me that the military would help me out. It has ference report to accompany H.R. 4567, a bill Vandayburg’s unparalleled reflexes allowed helped me. You are a hero, and you did making appropriations for the Department him to destroy an [enemy] who was attempt- the right thing, and that is what matters. I of Homeland Security for the fiscal year end- ing to fire a rocket propelled grenade within believe in a higher purpose, so I know I will ing September 30, 2005, and for other pur- 50 meters of his vehicle. Vandayburg had to see you again some day, but I’m still pretty poses. swivel the entire turret, acquire the target, upset that I am going to have to wait so long Bill Frist, Thad Cochran, Ted Stevens, and destroy the enemy before the rocket-pro- to tell my Army stories to my buddy who Kay Bailey Hutchison, Wayne Allard, pelled grenade could be fired. Chuck Grassley, Norm Coleman, Lamar motivated me to join. If it wasn’t for you, I’d Alexander, Pat Roberts, Sam A.J. prevented that grenade from hit- probably . be going nowhere. I’m sorry I Brownback, Mitch McConnell, George ting his convoy. He saved many lives couldn’t be there for you man. See you again Allen, Craig Thomas, Orrin Hatch, that day—an act that ultimately took someday. Richard Lugar, Mike DeWine, Gordon his own life. His valiant efforts prompt- A.J.’s family found solace in the final Smith. ed the insurgents to focus their fire on act of devotion from one brother to an- Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I now ask his vehicle. A.J. was killed in the on- other. Though he described it as ‘‘the unanimous consent that the two live slaught. He was just 20 years old. hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,’’ VerDate Aug 04 2004 04:41 Oct 11, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G09OC6.157 S09PT1 S10980 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 9, 2004 A.J.’s brother Chris, a Marine, crossed normal recordkeeping requirements tion—is due to the administration’s military branches to escort his broth- while operating in Afghanistan or Iraq.