[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 21, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2769-H2770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JOSHUA McMACKLE

  (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, on a number of occasions many 
Members have had to rise to speak of a very sad and tragic incident 
that has occurred in their congressional district. Today, sadly, I rise 
as well to speak to the terrible loss of Joshua McMackle, a young 
freshman student at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.
  Meeting his parents and sister, Tracy, Moriah, and Bruce McMackle, 
his grandmother and aunt, many of whom were in the service of this 
country being Federal employees and law enforcement employees, it was 
so sad to be able to speak about this senseless and untimely death.
  I would say to you that this was a fine young man, a freshman who had 
come to Texas Southern University because of its special and exclusive 
music program. He was a high school graduate of the Randolph-Macon 
Military Academy, and he had traveled around the world with his mom and 
his parents.
  His tragic death occurred as any student might have it happen to 
them. Unfortunately, when parents send their children away to learn, 
some person, some unfortunate tragic individual would take a life by 
gunfire. And so it was for Joshua a week ago Saturday when he was with 
his friends at an event that should have been joyous, a fun time, a 
party, which is perfectly all right for college students, and along 
came outsiders who attempted, if you will, to turn this into the 
devastating tragedy that it was.

[[Page H2770]]

  In tribute to Joshua--we memorialize him this coming Saturday--but 
more importantly, in tribute to him we will say ``Never on our watch 
again.'' I join with his family and the memorial funding that they will 
have to say to young people across America, enough is enough, and to be 
able to enforce the laws that are necessary, along with the freedom 
that we have, that gets rid of those who think it is okay to take a 
senseless life, to beat up a fellow student, or to cause the death of 
someone they do not know.
  May this fine young man rest in peace. Joshua McMackle, we honor you 
for your contributions to America.

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