[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK BY SHEMEKA GREAVES, A TSO AT 
                  CHICAGO O'HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 3, 2008

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, Today, I would like to 
recognize the outstanding work of Ms. Shemeka Greaves, a Transportation 
Security Officer at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. On May 7, 
2008, Ms. Greaves positively identified an 8-year old girl who had been 
declared ``missing'' the previous week and was traveling from Chicago 
to Atlanta. After seeing the girl's photo in a newspaper article, Ms. 
Greaves recalled screening the girl along with a female passenger on 
the morning a few days earlier. A subsequent review of checkpoint 
surveillance tapes showed the missing girl going through security with 
a female companion. Ms. Greaves' awareness and vigilance at security 
checkpoint was crucial in an effort to confirm the identity of the 
missing girl and facilitated law enforcement officials to successfully 
complete their investigation and reunite her with her father.
  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children confirms that 
in our country alone, more than 2,700 children are being reported 
missing every day. In the last few years, Congress has passed several 
legislative landmarks, including the Adam Walsh Child Protection and 
Safety Act of 2006, which addresses this issue and has fortified 
government efforts and mechanisms in place to reunite missing children 
with their families and loved ones. In addition to these government-
wide efforts, law enforcement officials across all agencies remain 
vigilant, cautious and responsive to special alerts for missing 
children. Ms. Greaves, our frontline security officer at Chicago 
Airport, contributed to this effort, and is a great example of the 
caliber of employees across the Transportation Security Administration 
(TSA) that contribute, every day, to making our skies more secure.
  TSA is responsible for securing 450 U.S. airports and employs 
approximately 50,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who have 
the very important mission of keeping the travelling public safe from 
terrorist threats. In the course of executing this critical homeland 
security mission, Transportation Officers carefully screen and inspect 
people, baggage, cargo and the airport. Ms. Greaves' alert, timely 
action serves as a great example of how TSOs, our Nation's aviation 
security ``eyes and ears,'' can partner effectively with law 
enforcement to address criminal activities.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me today and 
congratulate Ms. Shemeka Greaves for her outstanding performance as a 
front-line homeland security officer. She, like many other TSOs in the 
field, has shown strong character and a commitment to protecting the 
flying public that goes above and beyond what is expected. As a result, 
Ms. Greaves helped ensure that a missing little girl child was returned 
to her home.

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