[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 113 (Thursday, July 29, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6515-S6516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PIUS BANNIS

 Mr. LeMIEUX. Mr. President, today I honor a true American 
hero, Mr. Pius Bannis.
  Mr. Bannis is the field office director for U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services stationed in the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, 
Haiti. During the darkest moments of the devastating earthquake of 
January 12, 2010, that destroyed Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Mr. Bannis 
bravely performed his duties.
  As we know, children are the most vulnerable victims of any 
disaster--let alone the tragic January 12, 2010, earthquake causing 
devastation of monumental proportions in Haiti. In the immediate 
aftermath of this tragedy, Mr. Bannis selflessly worked around the 
clock to ensure hundreds of orphaned Haitian children were removed from 
harm's way and placed in a

[[Page S6516]]

safe environment with loving American families. It was during these 
very emotional moments Mr. Bannis heroically united families but never 
wavered from his sworn duty of upholding the law as a field office 
director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. His heroic 
actions will afford countless orphaned children an opportunity to build 
a better life in the wake of this tragedy.
  Today I wish to recognize Mr. Bannis' extraordinary leadership. I 
commend him and his colleagues of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services for their selfless sacrifices and service to protect the most 
vulnerable victims of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

                          ____________________