Congressional Record—Senate S4400
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S4400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2013 that make them less effective in car- REMEMBERING OFFICER JASON REMEMBERING PETE VONACHEN rying out their missions, including re- ELLIS Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise quiring additional fences in areas Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I today to pay tribute to a generous, where the fencing doesn’t make much rise today for the sad occasion of pay- genuine Illinoisan we lost this week. sense. In a lot of places, it does. There ing tribute to a brave and honorable Those of us who have watched and are 600 miles or so where it does, and police officer from my home State of listened to Chicago Cubs’ games for there are more places that it does. But Kentucky who has fallen in the line of some time can easily recall Harry there are also some places where it duty. Officer Jason Ellis, a seven-year Caray. His booming voice was instantly makes more sense to resource a drone, veteran of the Bardstown Police De- recognizable as the voice of the Cubs— to have land-based radar and cameras, partment, was tragically killed on May and fans fondly remember his celebra- where it makes more sense to fly the 25. He was 33 years old. tions of their triumphs and his deeply 206s, to have helicopters with the right felt sorrow at more than a few of their Officer Ellis worked as a field-train- kind of surveillance equipment on disappointments. them and be able to move people along. ing officer and a canine officer; with Some of us may even recall his bright I want to mention some other cost- his police dog, Figo, he fought illegal voice welcoming one of his closest effective technology. We saw some drug use in Bardstown. Bardstown Po- friends to the broadcasting booth with really interesting hand-held devices lice Chief Rick McCubbin described Of- the words: ‘‘and here today, from Peo- that allow the border agents to see in ficer Ellis as one of Bardstown’s top of- ria, Pete Vonachen!’’ the dark. I also saw something at one ficers and credited him with making a I am sad to say that Pete Vonachen of the ports of entry. It was actually serious dent in the town’s drug prob- passed away—peacefully—this week. about the size of my Blackberry. I re- lem. Chief McCubbin also said these Pete was an enthusiastic, colorful, and member standing at the ports of entry words: ‘‘[He] paid the ultimate sac- memorable person. He loved Peoria, where they have literally thousands of rifice doing what he loved: being a po- baseball, and the Cubs. You could tell cars and trucks and vehicles and pedes- lice officer.’’ that he bled Cubs blue—especially, as trians coming across a day. But before Jason Ellis, a native of Cincinnati, one friend explained, in 2005. That was the truck or vehicle ever got to the OH, attended the University of the the year that the White Sox won the border, the officer had a device that Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY, World Series. would tell her the truck that was com- where he was a star baseball player. He After running a successful restaurant ing through, the history of the truck set records for all time career hits, and making his name in the Peoria that was coming through, the driver doubles, home runs, and career games business community, he bought the who was in the truck and the history of played, the last of which is still a local minor league team and struck an that driver coming through, what record at the school. He played minor affiliation with his favorite Chicago should be in the truck, and what was league baseball in the Cincinnati Reds team. The Peoria Chiefs soon had the the cargo in the truck in recent system. highest attendance of any team in the months. This was up in Detroit too. Even as a star on the diamond, how- Midwest League. A decade later, they But one of the officers there said this is ever, coaches and teammates remem- renamed the ballpark they called home a game changer. ber Jason Ellis talking about becoming to Pete Vonachen Stadium. They even As I mentioned earlier, this bill we a law enforcement officer. His wife, put a statue of him just inside the are debating appropriates about $6.5 Amy, says: ‘‘He was always a go-get- main gate of their new stadium. billion to continue to build on the ter. He was dedicated to his job and That statue was surrounded with progress we have made and achieve the he wanted to clean the streets up. And flowers and baseballs placed by fans ambitious goals it sets for the Depart- that was the way to get the drugs off Monday night as the Chiefs took the ment. That is good news. My goal is to the streets.’’ field against the Quad Cities River make sure that much of this funding is On May 30, Officer Ellis was laid to Bandits. And, after a moment of si- devoted to these force multipliers to lence to honor his memory, the Chiefs help our boots on the ground work rest at Highview Cemetery in Nelson won. The Cubs held a moment of si- smarter and be more effective. I don’t County. Fellow law enforcement offi- lence for him as well at Wrigley Field think we need to micromanage the cers from across the Commonwealth as well as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois Monday. process. Pete Vonachen will be missed by his We have been joined by the majority came to pay their respects, and hun- family, his many friends and those who leader. I am happy to yield. dreds of police cruisers made up the fu- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I appreciate neral procession. Over a thousand peo- loved him in Peoria, and the entire Illi- my friend yielding. ple filled the church sanctuary, with nois baseball community. We will remember Pete and his tre- Mr. President, I read into the RECORD more standing along the aisles, to show in some detail today a letter that he their gratitude for Officer Ellis’s serv- mendous line, ‘‘Have a great day, and keep swingin’.’’ wrote with Senator LEAHY talking ice and sacrifice. about what has gone on in recent years It is incredibly moving to see the f with border security. Our country is broad outpouring of support from Ken- AMIR HEKMATI very fortunate to have this good man tuckians and the law enforcement com- Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in Flint, leading our Homeland Security Com- munity for Officer Ellis, which I pray MI, a family anxiously awaits word of mittee. was of some comfort to Officer Ellis’s when their son and brother will return There are some Senators I don’t family at such a difficult time. Officer know as much about as I do about this to them. For more than 600 days, Amir Ellis leaves behind his wife Amy and Hekmati has been imprisoned in Iran, man, but we have been together since two sons, Hunter and Parker. 1982. He had a sabbatical for 8 years to accused of spying for the United run the State of Delaware as Governor, It can’t be stated enough, Mr. Presi- States. His capture, detention, trial but other than that, we have been dent, how deep our admiration and re- and sentencing have brought great anx- locked in arms, moving forward. spect is for every man and woman who iety to his loved ones here in the I appreciate very much his yielding. wears a police uniform and makes a United States. solemn vow to defend the lives of oth- Amir, who spent much of his child- f ers, even at the cost of their own. Po- hood in Michigan and whose family MORNING BUSINESS lice officers provide stability and jus- still lives there, was visiting relatives Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- tice in our civil society. I know my col- in Iran in August of 2011 when he was imous consent that the Senate proceed leagues in the U.S. Senate join me in arrested by Iranian police. In January to a period of morning business, with extending the deepest sympathies to of 2012, an Iranian trial court sentenced Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 the family of Officer Jason Ellis and him to death. But on March 5, 2012, minutes each. the members of the Bardstown Police Iran’s Supreme Court overturned that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Department. We are very sorry for sentence, ruled Amir’s trial had been objection, it is so ordered. their loss. flawed and ordered a new trial. VerDate Mar 15 2010 02:47 Jun 13, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.084 S12JNPT1 rfrederick on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with SENATE June 12, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4401 That was more than a year ago, and ally purchased food, which is an impor- and schools to meet our children’s yet Amir’s family still has little clue tant element of U.S. food assistance. needs and local communities’ indi- as to his fate. Amir has been held for There is no score because we are sim- vidual circumstances. much of his captivity in solitary con- ply increasing the authorization for As we know, the Senate HELP Com- finement. He has not been granted ac- this discretionary program. mittee has again begun to address the cess to his Iranian attorney and has The Local and Regional Procurement need to reform No Child Left Behind.