[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 25526]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THREE COURAGEOUS ODESSA POLICE OFFICERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I am saddened to rise today to honor three 
courageous police officers from Odessa, Texas who risked and ultimately 
lost their lives responding to a domestic violence call. Corporal Arlie 
Jones, Corporal John ``Scott'' Gardner, and Corporal Abel Marquez are 
true heroes that will be missed by their families and friends, the 
community of Odessa, and this country.
  Corporal Jones was 48 years old and had served with the Odessa Police 
Department for 23 of those years. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda 
Jones; children, Kathleen Jones, Chelsea Jones, Shanna Foppiano, Mandy 
Boren, Shonda Boren; and parents, Arlie and Lolly Jones.
  Corporal Gardner was only 30 years old and had served the Odessa 
Police Department for 4 years and 5 months. He is survived by his 
parents, E.D. and Sally Gardner, and brothers Jack and David Gardner, 
who both work for the Odessa Fire Department.
  Corporal Marquez was only 32 years old and served the Odessa Police 
Department for 7 years and 1 month. He is survived by his children, 
Isaac Marquez and Sandra Marquez; his parents, Pete and Epi Marquez; 
and brothers Pete and Philip Marquez, who also work for the Odessa 
Police Department.
  On September 8, 2007, these three men answered their final call of 
duty to a frantic domestic violence call, a 911 call. It was not the 
first time the police had visited this specific residence. But these 
three men didn't think twice about the danger they were stepping in to; 
to serve, to protect, and to defend was all that was on their minds 
that fateful night.
  Three days later, members of the Odessa community were busy preparing 
for the September 11 anniversary ceremony. However, the ceremony was a 
little different this year. In addition to the 3,000 American flags 
that traditionally fly in the somber west Texas sky, there were three 
more flags, one for each of the fallen officers. In an ironic and 
touching service, the people of west Texas honored all of our fallen 
heroic first responders, both close and far from home.
  The community outpouring of love and support shown for the victims' 
families has been extraordinary, an obvious display of how these three 
men lived their lives.
  I want to offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of 
the victims.
  During the month of October, we will observe National Domestic 
Violence Awareness Month. This year as we work in Congress to pass 
legislation to provide leadership in the ongoing effort against 
domestic violence, I will personally remember the three heroes from 
Odessa, Texas who made the ultimate sacrifice for this cause.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to the floor today to honor these three heroes 
who have been described by Odessa Police Deputy Chief Lou Orras as 
``hard-working and dedicated officers with a passion for law 
enforcement.'' They will be missed, but never forgotten.

                          ____________________