[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E698]
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:

       Louis A. Giamporcaro served as a Technical Sergeant in 
     WWII. He worked with all forms of communication: teletype, 
     phone, radio, photography, etc and was responsible for 
     copying Morse code to send messages to different places and 
     receive incoming messages. In addition, he was ordered to 
     intercept where bullet shells were coming from and give 
     instructions to the artillery unit so they could respond. His 
     team's main assignment was to act as a liaison between the 
     American Army and the Italian Army and place the army on the 
     allied side. Unfortunately, it never materialized. After my 
     interview with Mr. Giamporcaro, I gained valuable insight 
     that I would have never been able to obtain had I read my 
     U.S. History textbook. War is real and it is not something to 
     be taken lightly. Many Americans nowadays tend to forget that 
     war is existent because it is not happening on U.S. soil. In 
     addition, I believe the citizens of America have become a 
     little less disturbed of the thought of a fallen soldier 
     because death is a reoccurring, constant process. This should 
     not be the case. Every lost life of a soldier results in a 
     loss of a whole generation of Americans. I also learned that 
     no matter what position a soldier has in the military, they 
     are an integral part to the execution of battle plans. The 
     military functions as one unit, which is supported by many 
     different departments. As a result, we are called upon to 
     recognize and shine light to the millions of unsung war 
     heroes who fought for our country to provide for the general 
     welfare of the people.--Julia Wang

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