[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO BRANDON SILVERIA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2001

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brandon Silveria, a 
courageous young man committed to fighting underage drinking and drunk 
driving.
  Over the last seven years, many of my fellow Members have had the 
opportunity to meet and introduce Brandon to students in our districts.
  After consuming a few drinks at a high school party and then driving 
his friends home, Brandon fell asleep and crashed head-on into a tree. 
With his family at his side, Brandon spent three long months in a coma. 
To this day, Brandon faces daily difficulties--recurring and persistent 
seizures and noticeable speech and walking limitations. Despite these 
difficulties, Brandon made a commitment to apply his experience to the 
lives of high school students throughout the United States. He recalls 
his personal story to others urging them to make the right choice about 
underage drinking.
  Through a partnership with The Century Council, a national non-profit 
organization dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking 
and funded by America's leading distillers, Brandon and his father, 
Tony Silveria, travel to high schools across the country to educate 
students about the life consequences of underage drinking and driving.
  May is National Prom and Graduation month. Appropriately enough, this 
month Brandon will speak to his one millionth student at his hometown 
high school in Los Gatos, California. Brandon is a special young man 
with an important mission to our next generation of leaders. Brandon 
and The Century Council are to be commended for their efforts.

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