[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H1230-H1231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIVES OF THREE NAVY SAILORS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of the Navy 
sailors who were tragically killed in last

[[Page H1231]]

week's helicopter crash off the coast of Virginia. The crash touched my 
office in a personal way.
  Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Andrew Collins was one of the three 
sailors who lost his life in that crash. He is the brother of one of my 
staffers, Morgan. My entire staff and I shared her grief as we received 
the news at work in our office.
  Brian was 25 years old. He was born and raised in Truckee, 
California, and was a graduate of Truckee High School. He was an avid 
skier, who first strapped on his first pair of skis at the age of 2. He 
loved to fly down the mountains of California, bouncing in and out of 
the trees. After high school, Brian briefly attended trade school 
before deciding to enlist in the military. It was in the Navy that he 
found his calling.
  Brian was a member of the Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron. 
Those teams patrol the waters to locate and destroy sea-based mines 
that could harm Navy vessels. Brian loved that mission. He enjoyed 
jumping out of helicopters and into the water as the team's primary 
rescue swimmer. It was during his service that he married his wife, 
Cheyenne. The young couple just celebrated their 1-year anniversary and 
had bought their first home. They were starting their life together and 
still had so much to experience. Cheyenne said: ``We just scratched the 
surface.''
  I will never have the fortune of meeting Brian. However, I feel 
honored to have gotten to know him through the memories shared by the 
people he loved. There are few words that can comfort his family and 
friends in their loss. All I can offer is a sincere and humble ``thank 
you.''
  Thank you for your service.
  Thank you for sharing Brian's story, Cheyenne.
  On behalf of all Americans, thank you to all of the military men and 
women in service.
  I ask that this House join me in a moment of silence in honor of the 
life of Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Andrew Collins and in honor of 
his two fellow crewmembers who lost their lives in that crash, 
Lieutenant Sean Snyder and Lieutenant Wesley Van Dorn.

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