[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 87 (Thursday, June 11, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H6598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE SERVICE OF MARINE CORPORAL JOE PIRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a truly great 
American, Marine Corporal Joe Piram of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. We 
literally owe our way of life to people like him.
  It's important for us to remember, Mr. Speaker, that every freedom we 
enjoy, every moment of safety and every dream we have for the future 
that we hold was purchased with the blood and sacrifice of our military 
families. We should not only be thankful for the reality of our quality 
of life, but for those who laid theirs down to make it possible.
  We're aware of the things that make our society run--electricity, 
gasoline, money, jobs, for example--but our society also runs on 
values, honesty, integrity, service and sacrifice. Our national 
progress can truly be measured by the quality of our spirit. Here 
again, our military families epitomize these essential American values. 
They're role models for all of us to follow.
  So with that introduction, I want to highlight the service of one of 
the thousands of brave men and women who do amazing things for the rest 
of us every day.
  Joe Piram graduated from Eden Prairie High School in 2004. Joining 
the Marines had been something he wanted to do all of his life, and the 
passion was fueled by the tragedy of September 11, which played a key 
role in his decision.
  We talk about the threat that al Qaeda represents to our world, and 
we deplore their savagery and their ruthlessness. Corporal Piram chose 
to go out and fight them over there so that we could be safe here. He's 
now served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. His unit was 
called ``The Lions of the Desert'' because of the courage and the 
strength and heart with which they carried out their missions.
  Near the end of his most recent tour, however, just about a year ago, 
he was injured by an IED. He suffered burns over almost 40 percent of 
his body. In the months since then, he's put the same determination in 
his recovery that he put into his military service. With the strong 
support of his family and his own resilient spirit, he's making great 
progress and doing well. As a matter of fact, when a reporter from the 
Eden Prairie newspaper called and spoke with him recently, he had just 
completed a 5K race at an event in Florida.
  Joe's recovery is going well, and he's making ambitious plans for 
when he leaves the military. It's no surprise that he's looking for new 
ways to use his talents and his values to serve our country in law 
enforcement, and maybe running for political office.
  We have a tremendous country here in the United States. We're not 
perfect, but we're still the envy of a large majority of people around 
the world.
  Through all the generations of American history, people like Joe have 
quietly stepped forward to take on the Nation's toughest jobs. They 
don't do it for fame or for fortune. They simply do it because they 
love their country, and they translate that love into a sense of duty 
and service.
  Corporal Joe Piram, I honor you and I thank you. We all thank you. We 
also appreciate your family who raised you, who supported you in your 
recovery and, in a very tangible way, has also served with you.
  With you in mind, we here in Washington can try a little harder today 
to make this country worthy of the price you have paid to make it 
great.

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