[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 31 (Wednesday, March 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BRAVERY AND VALOR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Lampson] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, bravery and valor are qualities we do not 
hear much about anymore. Recently though, Galveston County, TX, was the 
site for two notable displays of those qualities, and their heroes 
deserve our praise.
  Mr. Speaker, my sister is a quadriplegic. I cannot think of anything 
more frightening than her being caught in a fire. That is the tragedy 
that befell a man in Santa Fe, TX, last week. As he slept, his home 
caught fire. Officers were dispatched to the scene. When Sgt. Lee 
Stephenson and Officers Carl Nunn and David Thomas arrived, they were 
told by neighbors that the occupant was wheelchair-bound. Unable to get 
through either door due to the flames and smoke, the officers broke 
through a bedroom window, located the man and carried him to safety.
  Every day, men and women who have devoted their lives to protecting 
our communities put themselves at risk. We should honor them every day, 
and I am pleased to tell their story. Before this U.S. House of 
Representatives, I recognize and I salute the bravery and valor 
displayed by Santa Fe police officers Lee Stephenson, Carl Nunn, and 
David Thomas. I also wish to recognize the efforts of the Santa Fe 
Volunteer Fire Department for their hard work and dedicated public 
service.
  An even scarier situation emerged last month in Galveston County when 
a man driving with his two toddler daughters in the car had a seizure 
while approaching the Galveston Bay Causeway on Interstate 45. The car 
flew off the highway and fell 15 feet into the water, landing 
fortunately at a shallow point.
  Five young people were following a few hundred yards behind. They saw 
the tragedy unfold, pulled over and rushed into the water to help. They 
pulled the two little girls and their father to safety so they could 
receive medical attention. Before this House of Representatives, I 
recognize and I salute the bravery and valor displayed by Mark Kneip of 
Texas City, TX, and Shawn Cook, Katherine Holmes, Paul Holmes, and 
Evelyn Urban, all of Dickinson, TX.
  I am understandably proud to come before this body and tell the 
American people these stories of heroism from my district.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues and the 
charitable interests who organized last weekend's bipartisan retreat.

                              {time}  1730

  As a new Member of this body, I appreciated the opportunity to 
discuss the operation of the people's House without regard to party 
affiliation or seniority.
  I and most of my freshmen colleagues recognize that we were elected 
in part as a response to the marked partisanship of the previous 
Congress. This weekend was a giant leap forward toward a more collegial 
and, therefore, more productive House of Representatives.

                          ____________________