[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     THE CONGRESSIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL: A LEGACY OF SERVICE

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                            HON. SAM JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 2010

  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow colleagues 
to join me in congratulating the 2009-2010 Congressional Youth Advisory 
Council. This year 45 students from public, private, and home schools 
in grades 9 through 12 made their voices heard and made a difference in 
their communities, their country and their Congress. These students 
volunteered their time, effort, and talent to inform me about the 
important issues facing their generation. As young leaders within their 
communities and their schools, these students boldly represent the 
promise and the hope we all have for their very bright future.
  President Ronald Reagan said, ``Freedom is never more than one 
generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in 
the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for 
them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling 
our children and our children's children what it was once like in the 
United States where men were free.''
  To ensure that the blessing of freedom is passed from one generation 
to the next, the members of the CYAC spent time interviewing a veteran 
and documenting the experience for the ``Preserving History Project.'' 
Today I'm proud to submit the brief summaries provided so the patriotic 
service of our dedicated veterans and the thoughtful work of the CYAC 
may be preserved for antiquity in the Congressional Record. A copy of 
each submitted student summary follows.
  To each member of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council, thank you 
for making this year and this group a success. It is not a coincidence 
that this congressional tribute celebrates two generations of service. 
Each of you is trusted with the precious gift of freedom.
  You are the voices of the future and I salute you. God bless you and 
God bless America.
  The summary follows:

       Like water that seeps through the cracks of our hands, 
     history is continually being lost because it is not being 
     written down. While interviewing Donald D. Simmons and 
     documenting his experiences as a member of the Air Force 
     during the Korean War, I felt that I became part of the quilt 
     of history that is perpetually being woven. I hope by telling 
     Don's story, I gave a veteran the full appreciation he 
     deserved for what he had done for his country by ensuring 
     that his story would never be forgotten. At the ripe young 
     age of 18, Don decided to enlist in the Air Force. From 1952-
     1954, he spent his days on a mountaintop north of Seoul where 
     he repaired radar systems and monitored the search radar that 
     was operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After starting 
     out as a private, he climbed the ranks to become a captain 
     and received a Commendation Medal for his service in Korea. 
     After the armistice was signed he continued college under the 
     GI Bill at the University of Maryland where he studied 
     electrical engineering. He is now the secretary of the 
     Aircraft Control and Warning Group, a Korean War veterans' 
     organization that holds annual reunions in cities across the 
     United States, as well as a volunteer at Methodist Richardson 
     Medical Center.--Cindy Wang.

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