[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 161 (Monday, November 2, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12164-H12165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING SENTINELS OF FREEDOM

  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 461) honoring Sentinels of Freedom and commending 
the dedication, commitment, and extraordinary work of the organization.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

[[Page H12165]]

                              H. Res. 461

       Whereas in 2003, Sentinels of Freedom, based in San Ramon 
     and Danville, California, was established;
       Whereas the mission of Sentinels of Freedom is to provide 
     life-changing opportunities for men and women who served in 
     the United States Armed Forces and who have suffered severe 
     injuries;
       Whereas the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation was 
     created to benefit qualified veterans severely injured in the 
     line of duty on or after September 11, 2001;
       Whereas Sentinels of Freedom provides four-year 
     scholarships that help veterans to become self-sufficient;
       Whereas scholarship recipients receive support to enroll in 
     school, find and maintain a job, and obtain housing;
       Whereas Sentinels of Freedom organizes teams of local 
     volunteers that provide mentoring and moral support for 
     scholarship recipients;
       Whereas Sentinels of Freedom has excelled in providing 
     assistance to veterans; and
       Whereas thanks to Sentinels of Freedom, 39 veterans have 
     benefitted from scholarships and many more will in the coming 
     years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) honors Sentinels of Freedom;
       (2) commends Sentinels of Freedom's dedication and 
     commitment to the brave men and women who have served the 
     United States; and
       (3) praises Sentinels of Freedom for its extraordinary work 
     for the well-being of the Nation's veterans.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Walz) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand in full support of House Resolution 461 to honor 
the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation.
  Sentinels of Freedom is an organization that provides support and 
opportunities to selected veterans with injuries sustaining 60 percent 
or higher levels of disability in all branches of our military post-9/
11. They provide significant support in assisting our veterans to 
readjust back to civilian life and prosper in their hometowns or new 
communities.
  Each of the past recipients of the Sentinels of Freedom scholarship 
has an inspiring story of recovery. Many of them have lived through 
injuries which they were not expected to survive and further endured 
many surgeries and months of recovery. For example, Army veteran Jake 
Brown accepted the first Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship in 2004. 
Crushed by a tank while serving in Germany, he was in a coma for 10 
days and was not expected to live, but now he is back in his hometown 
and he is thriving.
  Jake returned to his hometown of San Ramon, California, with his wife 
and currently works for UPS, where he has earned two promotions. He is 
also on the dean's list at Diablo Valley College. He has dreams of 
ultimately attending UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Despite 
having life-altering physical handicaps, veterans like Jake Brown are 
grateful to be alive and continue to prosper in their communities.
  As Mike Conklin, chairman and CEO of Sentinels of Freedom, describes, 
the program is not a charity but rather an investment in the life of a 
person who has served our Nation and has earned the right to achieve 
his or her part of the American Dream.
  As our veterans return home from war, it is fitting to have House 
Resolution 461 before us today. I am grateful to have the Sentinels of 
Freedom and other organizations that assist our wounded veterans and 
shed light and let them achieve their dreams.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H. Res. 461, a resolution honoring the Sentinels 
of Freedom and commending the dedication, commitment, and extraordinary 
work of the organization.
  The bills we have passed this year will make enormous strides in 
helping our Nation's veterans improve their lives.

                              {time}  1545

  However, the Federal Government cannot do this job alone. It is 
through the work of organizations like the Sentinels of Freedom that 
our injured veterans can get back on the road to self-sufficiency.
  Started by the father of three Army Rangers after one of his sons was 
wounded in Iraq in 2003, this 2- to 4-year life scholarship program is 
meant to assist veterans with severe service-related injuries who have 
the aptitude, attitude, and drive to become independent and successful 
members of society. The scholarship recipients are called ``sentinels'' 
in honor of their sacrifice and commitment to guarding America's 
freedoms. Over 32 servicemembers have joined the Sentinels of Freedom 
program. These sentinels are flourishing because of the help and 
assistance they have received from volunteers in their communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and fellow committee 
member Mr. McNerney of California for introducing this legislation to 
honor the work and dedication of the Sentinels of Freedom, as well as 
to thank the many volunteers working with this organization all across 
the country to help our injured servicemembers move back into society.
  I would also like to thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer 
for moving the bill so quickly to the floor for consideration.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 461.
  Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, again, I urge the passage of 
this very important resolution; and I yield back the balance of my 
time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include extraneous material on House Resolution 461.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge my colleagues to unanimously 
support this resolution.
  I want to thank Mr. McNerney from California for the inspiring story 
of Jake and for bringing this piece of legislation to the floor--again, 
absolutely appropriate the week before Veterans Day.
  I have no further requests for time, and I yield back all remaining 
time, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 461.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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