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Tice Family

Madam President, on a final matter, several families were in

Washington this last week to advocate for the release of their loved

ones by two rogue regimes. One of the men being held captive in Syria

is Austin Tice.

There are many ways you can describe Austin. He is a seventh-

generation Texan, a decorated Marine Corps veteran, an Eagle Scout, and

an award-winning journalist. Yet, to Austin's family, he is so much

more than his impressive list of accomplishments. He is their beloved

son, brother, and friend whom they have not seen or heard from for 6\\\\1/

2\\\\ years.

In the summer of 2012, Austin was getting ready to enter his final

year of law school at Georgetown University. Instead of spending the

summer working at a law firm, he chose to do something few were brave

enough to do at the time, which was to report on the Syrian civil war

from the inside. Austin always had a passion for storytelling, and he

was frustrated by the lack of reporting on the impact this vicious

violence was having on the Syrian people.

In demonstrating his courage and tenacity gained during his time in

the Marine Corps, Austin got on a plane that May to fly to Turkey. Over

the summer, his photos and stories illuminated the human cost of this

conflict until one day in August of 2012 his stories abruptly stopped.

The following month, a shocking video surfaced that showed Austin's

having been blindfolded, bound, and surrounded by unidentified, armed

men. Austin was just a few days from returning to the United States

when he was abducted, and to this day, we have no specific information

about his captors or the conditions for his release.

Austin's family--particularly Marc and Debra, his parents--has worked

tirelessly over these last 6\\\\1/2\\\\ years to locate Austin and to bring

him home. I have had the privilege of meeting with them multiple times,

and I can only imagine what an impact this has had on them and on their

entire family. I have tremendous respect for Marc, Debra, and their

family. I wonder if others could stand up under this pressure as well

as they have, lo these many years, during their steadfast advocacy for

their son's safe return. Yet they do have a sort of serene confidence

that comes across when you talk to them in that one day, Austin will

return home.

Once again, I join the Tice family in calling on Austin's captors to

release him immediately. I also continue to call on the administration

to make sure that Austin is kept in mind when there are any discussions

with the Syrian Government and future decisions to remove U.S. forces

from Syria. I assure Austin's family that our resolve has not weakened;

it has only grown stronger. I will do everything possible to press for

his release, and I will continue to urge the administration to do the

same.

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