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“U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E505 on April 11, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
______
HON. CHRIS CANNON
of utah
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 11, 2002
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about a little-known but tremendously important part of the Department of Justice: the United States Marshals Service. The Marshals play a critical role in areas we take for granted, such as court security and prisoner transportation. And for that, the Marshals should be applauded.
However, I recently learned of the efforts of an elite part of the Marshals Service--the Special Operations Group (SOG). Lead by Commander Scott Flood and Executive Officer Walter ``Keith'' Ernie, the Special Operations Group is based in Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. This all-
volunteer team of more than 90 professionals is to be commended for their willingness to take on any assignment, no matter how dangerous, in pursuit of Justice and the safety and stability of our country.
Just last weekend, members of the Special Operations Group flew to Puerto Rico to deal with protesters on Vieques Island, while others came to Virginia to provide special protection for those being prosecuted in America's war on terrorism. During the September 11th crisis, the Special Operations Group helped secure airports around the country, preserve evidence at the Pentagon and World Trade Center crash sites, and protect federal judges and courthouses from other threats.
While much of this is all in a day's work, I am amazed that this group of men and women actually volunteer to take on the extra challenges and greater dangers of being a SOG member. Those in the Special Operations Group receive no extra pay. Yet, the training and the missions are incredibly demanding. And the demands are not just on the members themselves, but on their families--being a member of SOG requires extensive travel away from wives, husbands, and children.
Nevertheless, Commander Flood and his team work quietly outside of the spotlight to make sure that the tough jobs get done.
Much of what SOG does cannot be discussed on the floor of the House of Representatives. Nevertheless, I believe that the men and women of the United States Marshals Service's Special Operations Group are true heroes. And I, for one, am grateful for their service to our Nation.
