[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 28, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E168-E169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN APPRECIATION OF SPECIAL AGENT SCOTT SAMMIS OF THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, 
                    TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALAN B. MOLLOHAN

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 2009

  Mr. MOLLOHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the valuable 
contributions that Special Agent Scott Sammis of the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has made to the House 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related 
Agencies this past

[[Page E169]]

year specifically, and to Members of the Congress and the American 
people more generally.
  Special Agent Scott Sammis came to the Subcommittee in February of 
2008 on a professional detail from the ATF. At that time, Special Agent 
Sammis was Acting Division Chief of the Liaison Division within the 
Office of Public and Governmental Affairs. Special Agent Sammis joined 
the ATF nearly 20 years ago, and was first assigned to the Buffalo, New 
York field office. Soon after being assigned to that field office, 
Scott was the sole case agent on the Love Canal Bomber investigation. 
That investigation involved individuals who detonated two pipe bombs 
and set several fires in the vacant homes around the contaminated area, 
which had recently been declared habitable again. The individuals were 
arrested by Special Agent Sammis and ultimately convicted in U.S. 
District Court.
  Then in December of 1993, four package bombs detonated throughout New 
York State, killing five people and injuring two. Two other packages 
were intercepted and rendered safe by local law enforcement. Special 
Agent Sammis had been investigating a large recovery of dynamite from 
three months earlier, and was able to connect the two investigations on 
the night of the bombings. He subsequently identified a suspect and 
obtained a 44-page signed confession within 18 hours of the bombings. 
The two suspects were convicted in U.S. District Court. Sammis received 
ATF's Johnny Masengale Memorial Award for his work on this 
investigation. This annual award was established in memory of Special 
Agent Johnny A. Masengale to recognize ATF employees involved in a 
special effort or special achievement in an explosives investigation or 
an explosives-related support activity. Special Agent Sammis and his 
impressive work leading to these arrests were featured on American 
Justice.
  In October 1997, Special Agent Sammis was assigned to the 
Intelligence Division; specifically, the National Church Arson Task 
Force. As a project officer in this group, Special Agent Sammis 
utilized his computer skills to set up a database to track the hundreds 
of church fires occurring in the late 1990s. The honing of these 
computer skills would prove particularly invaluable to the Subcommittee 
on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies.
  Over the following ten years, Special Agent Sammis would be assigned 
various positions within the ATF, including a position within the 
Resource Management Branch (RMB) of ATF's Financial Management Division 
and as the Resident Agent in Charge of the Richmond, Virginia Field 
Office.
  Upon joining the Subcommittee, Special Agent Sammis was responsible 
for managing the sizable and complex database of congressional requests 
made of the Subcommittee. The database included several thousand 
individual requests made by members of Congress. His tenacity, 
ingenuity and thoroughness brought clarity and order to the cumbersome 
and time-consuming process of reviewing and tracking the myriad annual 
requests. He worked tirelessly into the early morning hours to ensure 
that the tabular material for inclusion in the Committee reports was 
complete and accurate and that certification letters were correct and 
submitted in accordance with the Rules of the House. During conference 
deliberations with the Senate, Scott ensured that the House and Senate 
tables merged correctly--a difficult task given that the House and 
Senate Subcommittees use different databases. Scott, as always, rose to 
the occasion and volunteered to take on this extremely important, time-
consuming task.
  In addition, Special Agent Sammis reviewed the congressional budget 
submissions of several independent agencies, and, at only the 
appropriate times, offered his impressions and observations based on 
his unique, personal experience in the field when questions related to 
law enforcement arose. When the work of the Subcommittee required late-
night or extended hours, Special Agent Sammis ensured that the 
Subcommittee staff did not go without proper nourishment, offering 
suggestions from the menus of neighborhood eateries. He kept a catalog 
of quotable quips, day-to-day musings that brought him private 
amusement. His nail pin compressor, electric drill and hammer were 
always ready at hand, and for the sake of expediency, he insisted on 
moving office furniture in his suit and tie. There was little he would 
not do gladly. He performed his job admirably, with good humor and 
patience. Simply, Special Agent Sammis covered all the bases, and 
exceeded everyone's expectations.
  It is with regret that the Subcommittee returns Special Agent Sammis 
to the ATF today. He has represented the law enforcement agents of the 
ATF with distinction and honor. I personally want to extend my 
appreciation, and that of Ranking Member Rodney Frelinghuysen, Senators 
Barbara Mikulski and Richard Shelby, and the Subcommittee staff for a 
job very well done. Once again, Scott, you have served the Congress and 
the American people well.

                          ____________________