[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 135 (Wednesday, August 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5599-S5600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                 Calling for the Release of Austin Tice

  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, yesterday marked the sixth anniversary 
of the kidnapping of a brave young man named Austin Tice.
  Back in 2012, Austin decided to put his law school studies on hold 
and spend the summer in Syria as a freelance journalist. He was 
frustrated with the lack of good information on Syria's civil war--a 
war that, by some estimates, has claimed more than one-half million 
lives and displaced millions more, having created a refugee crisis 
affecting neighboring countries, like Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon, and 
having destabilized the entire region.
  In spite of the violence and political turmoil and as a strong 
believer in the freedom of the press, Austin wanted to let his fellow 
Americans know what was going on in that terrible civil war, which 
continues to this day. So he didn't wait around for someone else to 
act; he went to Syria himself, and he reported on the civil war.
  As with most things he tried, Austin proved to be a very successful 
journalist. But then, in August of 2012, just days before he was 
planning to leave Syria, he was taken hostage, and little has been 
heard from him since. That is why I am again today renewing my call for 
Austin Tice's immediate release by his captors.
  Over the last several years, I have had the privilege of meeting with 
Austin's parents a number of times, Mark and Debra Tice, who have 
worked tirelessly to locate him and bring him home safely. In fact, I 
plan to meet with them again this afternoon to bring them up to speed 
on my most recent conversations with National Security Adviser John 
Bolton, whom I have asked to meet with the Tices and maintain the 
continuity between the Obama administration and now the Trump 
administration when it comes to efforts

[[Page S5600]]

to return him safely to his family and friends.
  Of course, his family doesn't know Austin as a journalist, primarily; 
they don't know him primarily as a decorated Marine Corps veteran, a 
Houston native, and a seventh-generation Texan, either--all of which he 
is. They, of course, know him as their friend, their brother, their 
son.
  Austin Tice has a family who is waiting for him, missing him, and 
laboring to find any piece of information that will lead to his 
whereabouts and return him home safely.
  Today, on the sixth anniversary, I am here to say that the entire 
Nation stands behind the Tice family. In solidarity with them, we call 
for Austin's immediate release by his captors and urge the 
administration to use all possible means to secure Austin's safe return 
home. I am thankful to the Trump administration, as I am to the Obama 
administration, and I have met with them both about Austin's case.
  I know the former administration of President Obama and the current 
administration of President Trump share my desire to see Austin come 
home as soon as possible, but we need to take a step back and realize 
why people like Austin are taken hostage in the first place. In many 
parts of the world, authoritarian regimes and criminal nonstate actors 
see a free press as a threat--an existential threat. They don't want to 
risk a spotlight exposing human rights abuses, lies, corruption, and 
graft. They want to inoculate themselves from criticism and bury the 
truth so it never sees the light of day.
  In places like Turkey, Syria, China, and elsewhere, journalists are 
silenced and often jailed, sometimes even killed. We have seen this to 
the south of our border in Mexico, too, with drug cartels and criminal 
syndicates that don't like the scrutiny that a free press provides on 
their illicit activities.
  According to organizations like Reporters Without Borders, 2017 was 
perhaps the most dangerous year on record for journalists, and 2018 is 
not expected to be any different. We need to be aware of this and 
constantly vigilant to do our part to ensure journalists' safety and 
the flourishing of freedom of the press everywhere it can possibly 
exist.
  So, to Austin's parents, I pledge: I will never give up until we find 
your son and bring him home safely. This week, we will pass another 
milestone--6 years--but hope that in the near future, the next 
milestone will be the day that marks Austin's return to the United 
States and to his family.