Changes

Grover J. Reese, IV<br>

Grover J. Reese, IV<br>

'''Parents''':<br>

'''Parents''':<br>

​Grover, II, and Patricia Byrne Rees||

​Grover, II, and Patricia Byrne Rees}}

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'''Grover Joseph Rees, III''' (born October 11, 1951), an [[attorney]] from [[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]], who from 2002 to 2006 was the United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of [[Timor-Leste]], known as Eat Timor. He presented his credentials to East Timorese President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in December 2002, following his nomination by then [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] and confirmation the previous month by the [[United States Senate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://etan.org/et2002c/december/08-14/10etpres.htm|title=U.S. Wants Stability in Timor-Leste: The new United States Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Grover Joseph Rees, III, on Monday presented his credentials to President Gusmão|publisher=''East Timor Press Review''|date=December 10, 2002|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>  

'''Grover Joseph Rees, III''' (born October 11, 1951), an [[attorney]] from [[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]], who from 2002 to 2006 was the United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of [[Timor-Leste]], known as Eat Timor. He presented his credentials to East Timorese President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in December 2002, following his nomination by then [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] and confirmation the previous month by the [[United States Senate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://etan.org/et2002c/december/08-14/10etpres.htm|title=U.S. Wants Stability in Timor-Leste: The new United States Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Grover Joseph Rees, III, on Monday presented his credentials to President Gusmão|publisher=''East Timor Press Review''|date=December 10, 2002|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>

East Timor declared its independence from [[Portugal]] in 1975. It is located north of [[Australia]], the two countries separated by the Timor Sea.

East Timor declared its independence from [[Portugal]] in 1975. East Timor is located north of [[Australia]], the two countries separated by the Timor Sea.

==Background==​

==Background==

Rees was born in [[New Orleans]], the first of twelve children<ref name=fedso/> to a [[Roman Catholic]] couple, Grover Joseph Rees, II (1927-2008), and the former Patricia Byrne (1927-2018).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32790843/grover-joseph-rees|title=Maj. Grover Joseph Rees, Jr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nndb.com/people/917/000128533/|title=Grover Rees|publisher=Nndb.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> His father was in the military; so the family traveled around a great deal. His paternal grandparents, Grover Rees, I (1891-1994), and the former Consuelo Broussard (1889-2003, both of whom lived past the age of one hundred, made their home in Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147781291/grover-joseph-rees|title=Grover Joseph Reese, I|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> and Rees spent many of his summers there.  In 1976, the senior Rees, a graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] and the [[Harvard]] Law Center, penned ''A Narrative History of Breaux Bridge, Once Called 'La Pointe.'''<ref>{{cite  book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Narrative-History-Breaux-Bridge-Called/dp/B0006WDGVW|title=A Narrative History of Breaux Bridge, Once Called 'La Pointe'''|publisher=Amazon.com|date=January 1, 1976|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>

Rees was born in [[New Orleans]], the first of twelve children<ref name=fedso/> to a [[Roman Catholic]] couple, Grover Joseph Rees, II (1927-2008), and the former Patricia Byrne (1927-2018).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32790843/grover-joseph-rees|title=Maj. Grover Joseph Rees, Jr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nndb.com/people/917/000128533/|title=Grover Rees|publisher=Nndb.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> His father was in the military; so the family traveled around a great deal. His paternal grandparents, Grover Rees, I (1891-1994), and the former Consuelo Broussard (1889-2003, both of whom lived past the age of one hundred, made their home in Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147781291/grover-joseph-rees|title=Grover Joseph Reese, I|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> and Rees spent many of his summers there.  In 1976, the senior Rees, a graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] and the [[Harvard]] Law Center, penned ''A Narrative History of Breaux Bridge, Once Called 'La Pointe.'''<ref>{{cite  book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Narrative-History-Breaux-Bridge-Called/dp/B0006WDGVW|title=A Narrative History of Breaux Bridge, Once Called 'La Pointe'''|publisher=Amazon.com|date=January 1, 1976|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>

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Rees, III, obtained his undergraduate degree from [[Yale University]] in [[New Haven, Connecticu|New Haven]], [[Connecticut]], at which he served  in the [[Yale Political Union]]. In 1978, Reese graduated from LSU's [[Paul M. Hebert]] Law School, at which he was a member of the academic honor society Order of the Coif. From 1978 to 1979, he was a law clerk to then-Associate Justice [[Albert Tate, Jr.]],  of the Louisiana Supreme Court.<ref name=ourcampaigns>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=88462 title=Rees, II, Grover J.|publisher=Ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> He speaks [[France|French]],  [[Spanish]], [[Portugal|Portuguese]], and Samoan.​<ref name=fedso/>

Rees, III, obtained his undergraduate degree from [[Yale University]] in [[New Haven]], [[Connecticut]], at which he served  in the Yale Political Union. In 1978, Reese graduated from LSU's [[Paul M. Hebert]] Law School, at which he was a member of the academic honor society Order of the Coif. From 1978 to 1979, he was a law clerk to then-Associate Justice [[Albert Tate, Jr.]],  of the Louisiana Supreme Court.<ref name=ourcampaigns>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=88462 title=Rees, II, Grover J.|publisher=Ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> He speaks [[France|French]],  [[Spanish]], [[Portugal|Portuguese]], and Samoan.​<ref name=fedso/>

<ref name=fedso/>

<ref name=fedso/>

==Defending human rights==​

==Defending human rights==​

Rees was Chief Justice of the High Court of [[American Samoa]] from 1986 to 1991, having served under appointment of both Presidents [[Ronald Reagan|Ronald W. Reagan]] and [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?groverrees|title=Grover Rees, III|publisher=[[C-SPAN)|date=November 7, 1987|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>

Rees was Chief Justice of the High Court of [[American Samoa]] from 1986 to 1991, having served under appointment of both Presidents [[Ronald Reagan|Ronald W. Reagan]] and [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?groverrees|title=Grover Rees, III|publisher=[[C-SPAN)|date=November 7, 1987|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> He is also a former legislative aide to Representative [[Chris Smith|Christopher H. Smith]], a [[Republican Party|Republican]] from [[Trenton]], [[New Jersey]], and a leader of anti-[[abortion]] forces in the [[United States House of Representatives] since 1981. Rees shares Smith's anti-abortion position.​

 

He is also a former legislative aide to Representative [[Chris Smith|Christopher H. Smith]], a [[Republican Party|Republican]] from [[Trenton]], [[New Jersey]], and a leader of anti-[[abortion]] forces in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Rees shares Smith's anti-abortion position.​

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Rees furthermore is a strong defender of [[human rights]] in foreign policy. From 1995 to 2001, he was the staff director and chief counsel of the U.S. House Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.​ <ref name=ourcampaigns/> American Samoa, where Rees was stationed for five years, became a landmark case in the United States' prosecution of human trafficking—the international practice of forcing people into servitude, [[slavery]], peonage, [[child labor]], or the sex industry.​ In that role, Rees warned that anyone who exploits workers would face legal consequences in the United States. "If you're going to traffic women and men to slave-like situations, you better not do it in a place under the American flag," he said. As a congressional aide, Rees helped to draft the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.​

Rees furthermore is a strong defender of [[human rights]] in foreign policy. From 1995 to 2001, he was the staff director and chief counsel of the U.S. House Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.​ <ref name=ourcampaigns/> American Samoa, where Rees was stationed for five years, became a landmark case in the United States' prosecution of human trafficking—the international practice of forcing people into servitude, [[slavery]], peonage, [[child labor]], or the sex industry.​ In that role, Rees warned that anyone who exploits workers would face legal consequences in the United States. "If you're going to traffic women and men to slave-like situations, you better not do it in a place under the American flag," he said. As a congressional aide, Rees helped to draft the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.​