[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRESSIONAL VICTIM'S RIGHTS CAUCUS HONORS JAMIE LEIGH JONES

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                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 8, 2008

  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, the 
Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus will holds its annual awards 
ceremony to recognize individuals for their significant contributions 
to the victim's rights field. The Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus 
will award Jamie Leigh Jones with the Suzanne McDaniel Public Awareness 
Award to recognize her efforts in raising national awareness of the 
plight of American contractors victimized abroad.
  Jamie Leigh Jones was only 20 years old when she went to work for KBR 
in Baghdad. She was only at the ironically-named Camp Hope a few days 
before her coworkers allegedly drugged and gang-raped her. An Army 
doctor administered a rape kit, which was then turned over to KBR, not 
the appropriate law enforcement authorities as is standard in rape 
cases. It's not a surprise then that KBR lost the very evidence that 
could be used against it.
  Jamie was then kept in a shipping container, under armed guard. She 
was told that this was to protect her. It was really a way to keep her 
from telling others what she endured. Jamie convinced a sympathetic 
guard to let her use his cell phone. Jamie called her dad and asked for 
help. Her dad then called my office. My staff and I contacted the 
Department of State. Within 48 hours, agents were dispatched from the 
embassy in Baghdad and sent to rescue Jamie.
  It's been nearly 3 years since Jamie was assaulted. No one has been 
held accountable for what happened to Jamie. For 2\1/2\ years, the 
Department of Justice was silent as to what it was doing, if anything, 
to prosecute the criminals. Its silence was broken once Jamie went 
public with her case.
  In December 2007, Jamie went to the national media with her story. 
Since Jamie went to the press, my office has heard from several other 
former contractors alleging sexual assaults in Iraq. Jamie has heard 
from as many as 40 women through the nonprofit organization she 
created, the Jamie Leigh Foundation, to help other Americans victimized 
while working abroad as government contractors.
  By telling her story, Jamie showed other victims that it is okay to 
come forward and talk about their assaults. She opened this country's 
eyes to the ``boys will be boys'' atmosphere among the contractors in 
Iraq. And perhaps most importantly, she showed other victims that they 
are not alone in their struggle to piece their lives back together.
  And that's just the way it is.

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