Steve Ellis, former Wallowa-Whitman National Forest supervisor, prompted Senate bill designed to help fathers of soldiers killed or severely injured in combat: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is sponsoring a bill that would ensure any unmarried parent whose child is killed in action while serving in the military or is left permanently disabled would receive a preference when applying for a federal job. The Senate passed the bill, S.2323, on Wednesday. Wyden was prompted to draft the bill after a conversation with Steve Ellis, former supervisor of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Baker City. Ellis’ daughter, Cpl. Jessica Ellis, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2008 while she was serving in the U.S. Army. Ellis told Wyden that although federal law gives unmarried mothers of fallen soldiers a 10-point preference in federal hiring decisions — such mothers are sometimes known as “Gold Star” mothers for the gold star flag they display — unmarried fathers are not given the same benefit. The change in law that Wyden’s bill would effect would not benefit Ellis, as he is married. “Nobody can end the grief of parents whose children have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Wyden said in a press release Thursday. “But what we can — and must — do is make sure the federal government equally recognizes the sacrifices made by these moms and dads. Steve pointed out the inequity in the law, not for his benefit, but because it should be fixed.” The “Gold Star Fathers” bill, sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, passed the Senate without objection. It now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:14:51 +0000
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