On the recordFebruary 24, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today I rise in support of S. 238, the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act of 2015. Eric Williams was born on August 24, 1978, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Donald and Jean Williams. Eric spent most of his life in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, where he attended the Nanticoke public schools and graduated from Greater Nanticoke Area High School in 1996. Eric was an avid soccer player. He played youth soccer, was a member of the high school team, and continued playing in adult leagues. In addition, to his love of soccer, Eric was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and bowling. Eric graduated with a criminal justice degree from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was a graduate of Lackawanna College's police program. He went on to become a security specialist and then a police officer with Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania. In September of 2011, Eric began his career as a corrections officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Canaan. In his spare time, he volunteered by visiting jails, talking to inmates about health and spiritual issues. On the night of February 25, 2013--3 years ago tomorrow--Eric was supervising more than 100 high-security inmates at the USP in Canaan. While making his rounds for nightly lockdown just before 10 p.m., inmate and gang member Jesse Con-ui launched an unprovoked, brutal, and cowardly attack against Senior Officer Williams.…





