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Floor Speech

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I have the privilege of being with my fellow Senator, Tom Cotton, as we rise today to honor two Arkansans who gave their lives in service to others recently.

Arkansas Department of Corrections Officer Sergeant Joshua Caudell was a member of the department's K-9 team who responded to a call to assist his fellow law enforcement officers with a disturbance call.

During the course of searching for a suspect, Sergeant Caudell was shot and later died from his injuries. Born in Little Rock and raised in Redfield and White Hall, Sergeant Caudell was a White Hall High School graduate of the class of 2011.

Service was something that defined his life. In high school, he participated in the school's ROTC program. He then went on to serve in the Army National Guard and is a 10-year veteran of the Arkansas Department of Corrections with a variety of units.

He also served his family with deep care and devotion. As a loving husband and father, Sergeant Caudell put his wife and children above all else. They shared a special bond and never left any doubt about how much they meant to each other.

His friends describe Sergeant Caudell as a kind, generous person who was a real-life hero. He loved to fish and grill, cheer on his daughter's softball team, ride horses with his fellow Department of Corrections field officers, and support the Arkansas Razorbacks.

His sacrifice in the name of protecting the community and enforcing the rule of law will never be forgotten.

We are so grateful for his example and willingness to do the tough and dangerous job of ensuring public safety. Honoring Jason Lang

Madam President, sadly, the Natural State lost another first responder in the last few days, West Memphis firefighter Jason Lang.

Lang was traveling to another city for an EMT training class when he stopped to provide assistance to others involved in a traffic accident. He was struck by an 18-wheeler while rendering aid.

Originally from Iowa, Jason Lang was an Eagle Scout and a volunteer firefighter who was just starting his adult life. We were fortunate that his path brought him to Arkansas, where he was eager to begin serving the West Memphis community.

Lang was an enthusiastic and promising young man who, on day one, wanted to be an integral part of the important work that first responders do to help support those in need. He learned that example from his own family, with a father who served as a police officer for decades and a brother who is a volunteer firefighter.

He may have only been with the West Memphis Fire Department for a few months, but his chief recalled viewing him as a future leader in the organization from the first time that they met. His heroic and selfless actions will be admired and appreciated for years to come.

Those who perform such acts do so without regard for their own safety, which is the hallmark of public service. So today, we remember both Sergeant Joshua Caudell and firefighter Jason Lang for what they gave to their respective communities: themselves, totally and unflinchingly.

We regret that their actions were necessary, but we will be forever grateful that these two men did not hesitate to put their own safety aside in the name of protecting and helping others.

I join with Senator Cotton and so many others to share our gratitude and admiration for these heroes, as well as our sorrow that they paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

We pray for their loved ones and colleagues as they mourn these fallen guardians who served others to the very end.

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