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“TRIBUTE TO DONALD FRANCIS ``PAT'' PATIERNO” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S2928 on May 14, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO DONALD FRANCIS ``PAT'' PATIERNO
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to one of the foundational figures of the U.S. global demining effort, Mr. Donald Francis ``Pat'' Patierno.
Pat is retiring after more than 20 years of global demining leadership both at the State Department's Office of Humanitarian Demining and subsequently as a member of the board of directors and four-term president of the 501(c)3 Mine Advisory Group, MAG, America.
Pat was the first Director of the Office of Humanitarian Demining where he organized and led the U.S. Government worldwide demining program for nearly 10 years. Under his determined and capable leadership in those formative years, U.S. participation expanded its efforts to remove the scourge of landmines, unexploded bombs and shells left behind in former areas of conflict. From its modest beginnings that program today is working around the world to save civilians from becoming limbless victims of past wars.
Before his retirement from the State Department in 2006, Mr. Patierno oversaw a $60 million program that supported humanitarian mine action assistance to over 40 countries. Subsequent to his retirement, he joined the board of directors of MAG America to carry on his humanitarian work in the area of demining and unexploded ordnance. At the same time Mr. Patierno served as the U.S. advocate for the Slovenian-based International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance. Mr. Patierno became president of the MAG America board in January 2011. So strong and dedicated was his leadership that at the request of the board, he served four 1-year terms as president.
Many Senators know of my long interest in stopping the death and maiming of civilians from landmines and other unexploded ordnance left behind when conflicts end. The carnage does not stop when the soldiers cease combat: civilians continue dying and suffering long after the fighting stops, and they continue to do so today. That is why I, as former chairman and now ranking member of the Department of State and Foreign Operations subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee have so strongly supported the dedicated work of Pat Patierno and his colleagues.
I close by expressing my admiration of and appreciation for Pat Patierno's selfless service, outstanding leadership, commitment, determination, and tenacity in this most noble and worthy cause.
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