[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 59 (Thursday, April 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING JOE BRAMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MICHAEL CLOUD

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 4, 2019

  Mr. CLOUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Joe 
Braman, a Refugio rancher, for his impressive accomplishments and 
dedication to the preservation of law and order.
  Joe Braman, the great-great-great grandson of Thomas O'Connor, an 
Irish farmer who moved to Refugio, Texas, in 1836, has received 
international recognition for his commitment to protecting endangered 
animals from poachers, as well as aiding law enforcement officers in 
protecting our border.
  In 2018, Mr. Braman worked to assist South African National Parks 
with the protection of black and white rhinos. Because of the keratin 
in their horns, poachers had been hunting these South African rhinos to 
the verge of extinction.
  Mr. Braman spent more than a year and a half training dogs to track 
the poachers and donated 20 free-running pack dogs to the Southern 
African Wildlife College. The trained dogs could track human scent 
several hours old and take down hunters more than 20 miles away.
  Thanks to meticulous training, Mr. Braman's dogs successfully 
assisted with 27 arrests and the recovery of 10 rifles in Kruger 
National Park, leading South African National Parks to recognize Mr. 
Braman's substantial contribution to their efforts. Mr. Braman received 
two letters of commendation, one from the Section Rangers at Kruger 
National Park, and the other from South African National Parks and 
Southern African Wildlife College.
  Mr. Braman's dogs have proved immensely valuable in Texas as well. 
His dogs often locate individuals with Alzheimer's and Dementia who 
have become lost.
  They have also successfully assisted local law enforcement in 
manhunts and border security. This past year, two of his dogs tracked a 
group of illegal immigrants after the group scattered into the brush. 
When the available technology tools failed to get the job done, Mr. 
Braman's dogs led law enforcement to the immigrants, at least one of 
whom admitted to being a gang member. The results speak for themselves. 
Mr. Braman and his dogs have a 98 percent success rate with locating 
and capturing targets, demonstrating their potential usefulness in 
future border security efforts.
  Joe Braman's unique and incredible ability to train dogs has made a 
positive difference not just in Texas but around the world, and I would 
like to extend to him my thanks and appreciation for his excellent work 
and devotion to justice.

                          ____________________