Jason's Law

Floor Speech

Jason's Law

Mr. TONKO. As I have previously stated on this House floor, tragically, on March 5, 2009, one of Schoharie County's citizens from my district, Jason Rivenburg, pulled his truck into an abandoned gas station frequently used by truckers in South Carolina as a rest stop, and was then and there violently and senselessly shot and murdered, robbed of a meager $7.

At the time of his death, Jason was a mere 12 miles from the destination that he was to arrive at, but was unable to make his delivery because he was too early.

Jason Rivenburg was 35 years old, leaving his wife Hope and son Josh behind. They had just moved into a new home. As if that stress was not enough, shortly after his death, Jason's widow delivered two healthy twins--a boy named Hezekiah, after his grandfather, and a girl named Logan.

Rivenburg's death sparked outrage and an outpouring of support for the family across our country. Truckers and family members are demanding that the government do more to protect truckers who risk their lives following rules that require that they pull over and rest after a certain amount of driving time.

There are few resources telling truck drivers, who are often unfamiliar with the local area, where a safe place to rest might be. Moreover, there are few safe places to rest in the first place.

Mr. Speaker, we must do more to support these incredibly important men and women. That is why trade groups such as the American Truckers Association, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and the American Moving and Storage Association, and so many more, support H.R. 2156, Jason's Law.

Moving freight and goods is essential to keeping this country and our economy progressive. We must ensure that we move on H.R. 2156, Jason's Law, and support this measure by honoring a great man.

Source