[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        SEARCH FOR CASEY GRAHAM

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I would like to talk briefly about an 
effort that is going on in Alaska right now to try to recover one of 
our own, Casey Graham--an Alaskan Native, a patriot, 24 years old, the 
son of Steven and Lucy Graham.
  He is 24 years old, the son of Steven and Lucy Graham and brother of 
Cheryl, Michelle, Megan, and Pauline. He is a veteran who served in the 
Marines and was deployed to serve his country in Afghanistan. He is a 
young man in the prime of his life.
  Casey has been described as smart, hard-working, extremely 
intelligent, and a shining light for his community, his State, and his 
country. He lived in Anchorage but was from McGrath, AK. That is about 
200 miles from Anchorage on the Upper Kuskokwim River.
  About a week ago he was visiting family when he decided to do what 
most Alaskans do in the winter--go out on a snow machine ride. It is 
thought that he was on the ice on the river and hit open water. His 
snow machine and his helmet have been found, but not Casey.
  As I speak, the community of McGrath is banding together for the 
recovery effort. It is a small town--only about 350 people live there--
but it is a town with a huge heart. The community has dropped 
everything. Every day, dozens--as many as 50 Alaskans have gone out to 
where they think Casey was on the ice to bring him home. Remember, in 
Alaska it is cold right now. From December 10 when the search began 
until now, temperatures have ranged from about 22 degrees below zero to 
a high of about 16 above zero. There is a heated tent on the ice where 
volunteers go to warm up and eat lunch before they go back out 
searching. They eat moose stew mostly and, of course, a lot of salmon. 
The community is emptying their freezers and making sure all the 
volunteers are fed.
  In the true spirit of Alaska, in the true spirit of Christmas, so 
many companies and individuals across the great State of Alaska are 
donating goods, services, airline miles, freight services, food, hand 
and foot warmers, first-aid kits, cold-weather gear--you name it. 
Everybody is pitching in to help. It is something that this body and 
this country should be particularly proud of.
  Although I am not surprised by it, Casey's marine brothers have flown 
in from thousands of miles away, all across the country, to help in the 
search. They served with him in Afghanistan, and they have now come to 
Alaska from Texas, Pennsylvania, California, and as far away from 
Alaska as New York. There are 11 now and more on the way. In the 
Marines, we don't leave our brothers and sisters behind, and these 
marines are living up to that ethos.
  I am asking for the thoughts and prayers of this body and Americans--
any Americans all across this country who are watching--on this effort. 
I am asking that we pray to bring Casey home.
  Semper fi to him, his father, his sisters, and to those proud marines 
who are making sure he makes it home.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________