[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1694-H1696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COWORKERS OF VERONICA 
                   ``RONI'' BOWERS AND CHARITY BOWERS

  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on International Relations be discharged from further 
consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 117) 
expressing sympathy to the family, friends, and coworkers of Veronica 
``Roni'' Bowers and Charity Bowers, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Isakson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from North Carolina?
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I shall 
not object, will the gentleman please explain the purpose of the 
resolution.
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, on April 20, 2001, a Peruvian fighter jet 
mistakenly shot down a small seaplane carrying Baptist missionaries 
from Muskegon, Michigan, over the jungles of Peru. Believing that the 
small plane was engaged in drug trafficking, the Peruvian pilot 
attacked this small aircraft, killing two of its passengers, a mother 
and her infant daughter, and severely wounding the pilot.
  As you may know, Roni Bowers, her husband James, their 6-year-old son 
Cory and 7-month-old adopted daughter Charity were flying aboard the 
seaplane when it was intercepted and attacked by the Peruvian fighter.

[[Page H1695]]

  The aircraft, owned by the Association of Baptists for World 
Evangelism, was en route to Iquitos, Peru to acquire visa documents for 
newly adopted Charity. Although severely wounded in the attack, pilot 
Kevin Donaldson was able to land the plane safely. Unfortunately, Mr. 
Speaker, Roni and Charity Bowers were killed in the burst of gunfire. 
James and Cory Bowers escaped serious injury in the incident. An 
investigation into this matter is now underway.
  H. Con. Res. 117 expresses Congress' deepest and most heartfelt 
sympathy to James and Cory Bowers, their extended family, and to their 
friends and fellow missionaries. It commends wounded pilot Kevin 
Donaldson for his bravery and skill in safely landing his crippled 
aircraft and wishes him a speedy recovery. Finally, it calls on the 
Governments of the United States and Peru to undertake a cooperative 
and thorough investigation into this incident to ensure that similar 
incidents will be avoided in the future.
  I want to commend my colleague from Michigan, Mr. Hoekstra, for this 
timely and important resolution and I join him in extending my personal 
condolences to the Bowers family. I urge my colleagues to support this 
passage.
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation, let me just 
share a few facts about the tragedy on April 20.
  James and Veronica, also known as Roni Bowers of Muskegon, Michigan, 
were missionaries affiliated with the Calvary Church of Fruitport, 
Michigan, and the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. The 
Bowerses conducted their Christian mission work with their children, 
Cory and Charity, serving the native tribes along the Amazon River in 
the South American country of Peru. They had been there since 1995.
  On Friday, April 20, 2001, the Bowerses were flying in an Association 
of Baptists for World Evangelism plane piloted by Kevin Donaldson, 
traveling from the Peru-Brazil border to Iquitos, Peru, after 
attempting to secure necessary visa documents for their newly adopted 
daughter, Charity.
  The plane was wrongly attacked by a fighter jet of the Peruvian Air 
Force in an apparent attempted antidrug interdiction effort that may 
have also involved personnel of the United States. Roni and Charity 
Bowers were killed by bullets that were fired by the Peruvian jet into 
the plane, and pilot Kevin Donaldson was also severely injured in the 
attack. Kevin Donaldson, despite his injuries, was able to safely land 
his plane on the Amazon River, saving the lives of his other 
passengers.
  The family, friends, and coworkers of Roni and Charity Bowers have 
displayed a shining example of their faith and grace in the face of 
this terrible tragedy. With this resolution, the U.S. House of 
Representatives expresses and conveys its deepest and most heartfelt 
sympathies for the loss of Roni and Charity Bowers to Jim and Cory 
Bowers, as well as to their extended families and their friends, their 
coworkers and fellow missionaries at the Association of Baptists for 
World Evangelism.
  With this resolution, the U.S. House of Representatives commends 
Kevin Donaldson for his heroic actions in safely landing the plane, and 
further wishes Mr. Donaldson a speedy and complete recovery from his 
injuries.
  And with this resolution, the U.S. House of Representatives strongly 
encourage the governments of the United States and Peru to work 
together as expeditiously as possible to determine all the 
circumstances that led to this unfortunate and regrettable incident and 
to ensure that an incident of this kind never occurs again.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
my good friend and colleague's resolution expressing our deepest 
sympathies to the family and friends of Roni and Charity Bowers for 
their tragic loss, and also our admiration and wishes for a speedy and 
complete recovery to pilot Kevin Donaldson.
  The calling to perform God's work is not given to all, and not all 
heed this call to serve. Missionaries, like the Bowers family and Mr. 
Donaldson, are blessed in their dedication to improve the lives of 
their fellow man and their service to spread the word of God so that 
all might know His love and promise of redemption.
  The good work of these people must be commended, and the loss of a 
young mother and child to a tragic mistake is heart-wrenching. Mr. 
Speaker, while we are rightfully deeply concerned with the 
circumstances of this tragedy, we must not allow it to deter our 
resolve to fight the trafficking of illegal drugs that have affected 
not only families and children living in the United States, but indeed 
all those in the Americas.
  I call on all my colleagues to support Congressman Hoekstra's 
resolution to express our heartfelt sympathies and condolences, and to 
strongly encourage a prompt and thorough investigation into the 
circumstances that led to this tragic outcome. The details surrounding 
the attack by the Peruvian fighter jet need to be determined, and we 
must find a way for our governments to effectively work together to 
ensure illegal drugs are not allowed to continue to poison our children 
and our societies, and also that never again will innocent civilians 
suffer due to an interdiction mission gone awry.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my 
sincere condolences to the Bowers and Donaldson families for their 
loss. I commend Congressman Hoekstra for bringing this resolution to 
the floor. It is the right thing to do.
  My committee held a hearing today, chaired by subcommittee chairman 
Mark Souder. What became readily apparent from a variety of 
administration witnesses, is the CIA was responsible for this tragedy, 
yet they refused to return staff phone calls, member requests for 
briefings, and to provide a witness for the hearing. Instead the 
hearing resembled Abbott and Costello's ``Who's on First'' routine.
  There is an established procedure for air interdiction. It has worked 
successfully nearly 100 times since it was implemented in 1995. Clearly 
this procedure was not followed here. Why? Why is all information 
surrounding the shootdown classified? Why does the CIA refuse to 
provide legitimate oversight committees in the Congress with briefings 
or witnesses? Why does the CIA refuse to provide a witness? All of 
these questions need to be answered, and I hope Chairman Souder 
continues to pursue this matter in his subcommittee with oversight 
jurisdiction on this matter.
  But, what cannot be done, is to give the drug traffickers a green 
light to resume their illegal activity that has been significantly 
slowed by the air interdiction program. I would like to submit for the 
record this AP article in which the Bowers family indicates that their 
tragedy should not stop the program. Mr. Bowers is quoted as saying 
``the United States should quickly resume drug surveillance flights . . 
. to say there needs to be an entire review of the whole program and 
suspend it and to let the drug people continue their business as usual 
is wrong.'' If a grieving husband and father can say this, the 
government should take note, and get back to providing the necessary 
coverage to stifle the drug flights as soon as possible.
  There is an avenue here to consolidate these surveillance flights 
under one roof. The U.S. Customs Service already does this mission very 
well. They are a law enforcement agency with strict rules of 
engagement. It may be time to give this entire account--and most 
importantly the additional assets and funding necessary to successfully 
complete the mission--to the Customs Service. This means more P-3 
surveillance planes as well as Citation aircraft. By placing this in 
one department who does not use civilian contractors, will leave the 
responsibility in one place. There will be no question of who is 
responsible, and where to go with questions. The acting Customs 
Commissioner at the hearing today said they would be able to do this if 
they were given the assets and the mission. I think it is time we in 
Congress gain some accountability by giving them the responsibility for 
this mission.
  Thank you Mr. Speaker, and may God bless and comfort the Bowers and 
Donaldson families in their time of mourning.

               [From the Associated Press, Apr. 30, 2001]

        Missionary Says Drug Surveillance Should Resume Quickly

                            (By Bill Kaczor)

       Pensacola, FL (AP).--A missionary says the United States 
     should quickly resume drug surveillance flights suspended 
     after his wife and adopted baby were killed in Peru when they 
     were mistaken for drug smugglers and shot down.
       Jim Bowers, who survived unharmed when their small plane 
     crash landed after being fired upon by a Peruvian warplane 
     April 20, said Monday he has expressed that view in a call to 
     Secretary of State Colin Powell's office.
       ``To say there needs to be an entire review of the whole 
     program and suspend it and to let the drug people continue 
     their business as usual is wrong,'' Bowers said at a news 
     conference.
       He said it should take investigators no more than a day to 
     figure out the shooting was simple error.
       The Peruvian air force failed to contact a control tower 
     that was in radio contact with the missionaries' float plane 
     before shooting at it without first firing any warning shots, 
     Bowers said.
       ``The main error in this whole thing is they were too quick 
     to the trigger,'' he said. ``I don't hold anyone responsible. 
     It was a mistake as though someone fell asleep at the wheel 
     and ran into us in a vehicle.''

[[Page H1696]]

       A U.S. Central Intelligence Agency aircraft had detected 
     the missionaries' plane and notified the Peruvian air force. 
     American officials say the surveillance crew, however, had 
     advised it appeared, from the way the plane was flying, that 
     it was not a drug smuggling flight.
       Bowers, 38, of Muskegon, Mich., was in Pensacola for the 
     funeral and burial Sunday of his wife, Veronica ``Roni'' 
     Bowers, 35, and their 7-month-old daughter, Charity. He 
     stayed with family in Wake County, N.C., immediately after 
     the shooting.
       The couple's 6-year-old son, Cory, also survived uninjured, 
     but the plane's pilot, Kevin Donaldson, 41, of Morgantown, 
     Pa., was wounded.
       Bowers spoke to reporters at Marcus Points Baptist Church 
     where the funeral services was held. His wife's parents, John 
     and Gloria Luttig, of nearby Pace, are members of the church, 
     which had helped support the couple's missionary work.
       Bowers expressed his forgiveness to all involved at the 
     funeral and during a memorial service Friday at his home 
     church in Michigan. He said Monday he also hopes to talk 
     personally with the Peruvian pilot who fired on their plane.
       ``I'm looking forward to that some day, but right now, I'm 
     praying for him,'' Bowers said.
       Although insisting he wasn't placing blame, Bowers said the 
     pilot failed to give the missionaries a chance to land before 
     he started shooting.
       ``I was assuming, because I've watched movies just like you 
     all have, that there would be some kind of communication, 
     they would come up next to us and let us know what they 
     wanted,'' Bowers told reporters.
       The air force plane swooped by a half-dozen times and begin 
     firing only five or 10 minutes after the first pass, he said.
       ``Any decent air force pilot would give the other aircraft 
     time to understand his intentions,'' Bowers said. ``I just 
     thought this is way too soon for them to be shooting 
     already.''
       He said he saw a puff of smoke from the front of the 
     warplane and told Donaldson he thought it was shooting at 
     them just as the bullets began ripping through their 
     aircraft. A single bullet instantly killed his wife and 
     daughter.
       Bowers said neither he nor anyone else from his family or 
     church has been in contact with the baby's natural parents, 
     but he said they knew she had been killed.
       The couple's missionary work also has been supported by 
     Calvary Church in Fruitport, Mich., and the Association of 
     Baptists for World Evangelism, based in New Cumberland, Pa.

  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina.
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 117

       Whereas James and Veronica ``Roni'' Bowers of Muskegon, 
     Michigan, served as missionaries affiliated with the Calvary 
     Church of Fruitport, Michigan, and the Association of 
     Baptists for World Evangelism;
       Whereas the Bowerses conducted their Christian mission work 
     with their children, Cory and Charity, serving the native 
     tribes along the Amazon River in Peru since 1995;
       Whereas on Friday, April 20, 2001, the Bowerses were flying 
     in an Association of Baptists for World Evangelism plane 
     piloted by Kevin Donaldson, traveling from the Peru-Brazil 
     border to the city of Iquitos, Peru, after attempting to 
     secure necessary visa documents for their adopted daughter, 
     Charity;
       Whereas the plane was mistakenly attacked by a fighter jet 
     of the Peruvian Air Force in an apparent attempted anti-drug 
     interdiction effort that may have also involved personnel of 
     the United States;
       Whereas Roni and Charity Bowers were killed, and pilot 
     Kevin Donaldson was severely injured in the attack;
       Whereas Kevin Donaldson, despite his injuries, was able to 
     safely land his plane on the Amazon River, saving the lives 
     of his other passengers; and
       Whereas the family, friends, and co-workers of Roni and 
     Charity Bowers have displayed a shining example of their 
     faith and grace in the face of this terrible tragedy: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses and conveys its deepest and most heartfelt 
     sympathies to Jim and Cory Bowers and to their extended 
     families, friends, co-workers, and fellow missionaries at the 
     Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, for the loss of 
     Veronica ``Roni'' Bowers and Charity Bowers in an attack by a 
     fighter jet of the Peruvian Air Force on the plane in which 
     they were traveling;
       (2) commends Kevin Donaldson for his heroic actions in 
     safely landing the plane and wishes Mr. Donaldson a speedy 
     and complete recovery from his injuries; and
       (3) strongly encourages the Governments of the United 
     States and Peru to work together as expeditiously as possible 
     to determine all the circumstances that led to this 
     unfortunate and regrettable incident and to ensure that an 
     incident of this kind never occurs again.

  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________