[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 49 (Monday, March 31, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1792]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIALIST MONICA L. BROWN

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce 
legislation with my colleague, Ron Paul of Texas, that honors the 
sacrifice and courage of a young Army soldier. This happens to be 
Women's History Month, and this happens to be in honor of the heroic 
deeds of U.S. Army Specialist, Monica L. Brown.
  I believe this legislation is especially pertinent, given that March 
is Women's History Month. Specialist Brown is the first woman in 
Afghanistan, and only the second female soldier since World War II, to 
receive the Silver Star, the Nation's third highest medal for valor. 
This soldier from Lake Jackson, Texas is only 19 years old.
  On April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown was part of a four-vehicle convoy 
patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 
25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the HUMVEES. When Specialist Brown 
saw fellow soldiers were injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started 
running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire, without 
regard to herself.
  All five wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this 
commotion, she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location 
because they were still receiving fire.
  The Pentagon says that they don't send women to the front lines, but 
in Afghanistan and in Iraq there are no front lines.
  She happens to be only the second woman to receive the Silver Star 
since World War II. We honor her with this resolution, H. Con. Res. 
320.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that honors the 
sacrifice and courage of a young Army soldier. My colleague and fellow 
Texan, Representative Ron Paul seeks to recognize the heroic deeds of 
U.S. Army Specialist Monica L. Brown.
  I believe this legislation is especially pertinent given that March 
is Women's History Month. Spec. Brown is the first woman in Afghanistan 
and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the 
Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. This solider 
from Lake Jackson, Texas is only 19 years old.
  On April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown was part of a four-vehicle convoy 
patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 
25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the Humvees. When Spec. Brown saw 
her fellow soldiers were injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started 
running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five 
wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this commotion, 
she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location because 
they were still receiving incoming fire.
  The Pentagon's official policy is to prohibit women from serving in 
front-line combat roles in the infantry, armor or artillery, but the 
nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with no real front lines, 
has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than 
previous conflicts.
  According to the Army four Army nurses in World War II were the first 
women to receive the Silver Star, though three nurses serving in World 
War I were awarded the medal posthumously in 2007. Sgt. Leigh Ann 
Hester, of Nashville, Tenn., was the first to receive the Silver Star 
in 2005 along with two fellow male soldiers for her gallantry during an 
insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq.
  The Army has stated that Spec. Brown's ``bravery, unselfish actions 
and medical aid rendered under fire saved the lives of her comrades and 
represents the finest traditions of heroism in combat.''
  This legislation is not about condoning the wars in Afghanistan or in 
Iraq. This legislation is about us supporting and honoring our troops. 
It is about this Nation's children fighting for the rights of all of us 
in places we do not dare to go, under environments we cannot fully 
appreciate from this comfortable position.
  Spec. Brown reminds us that our youth are fighting in this war, our 
mothers and daughters are fighting in this war, and they deserve to be 
recognized for their achievements. However, we not only recognize the 
sacrifice and courage of Spec. Brown, of even just the brave acts of 
her fellow soldiers, marines, and airmen. We must also recognize the 
families of our military. Spec. Brown's grandmother said she was the 
proudest Grandmother in all of Lake Jackson, Texas, when she learned of 
her granddaughter's heroism. We should all be as proud of our young men 
and women as Spec. Brown's grandmother. In being proud of them, we are 
not condoning the Administration, we are recognizing their efforts and 
their belief in what they have been tasked to do.
  We sit in these chambers and discuss the idea of war, and the 
economic costs to the Nation. However, our men and women in Afghanistan 
and Iraq are dealing with the realities of war everyday.
  I am proud of Specialist Monica L. Brown, Texas is proud of Monica L. 
Brown, and this country should be proud of Monica L. Brown. She thought 
first of her fellow soldiers and not of the harm that may come her way.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join Representative Ron 
Paul and myself in recognizing a true hero, a solider, a daughter of 
Texas, with this legislation.

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