[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 137 (Monday, September 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1242-E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     GOLD STAR FAMILIES VOICES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 6, 2016

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 4511, the Gold Star Families Voices Act. This bill will allow Gold 
Star Families to share their stories with the Veterans History Project, 
and to be remembered for generations to come.
  Gold Star families exhibit tremendous strength as they continue on 
without their loved ones. They deserve to have their voices heard and 
recorded to the Veterans History Project, to tell their children's 
courageous, heroic and meaningful stories for them. Our fallen should 
not be forgotten, and their stories

[[Page E1243]]

must be memorialized to share with future generations.
  When I think of the strength that Gold Star Families exhibit, I 
immediately think of Ray and Leesa Philippon and their family. Their 
son, Lance Corporal Lawrence R. Philippon tragically lost his life on 
May 8th, 2005, on Mother's Day and Leesa and Ray's anniversary.
  Lance Corporal Philippon committed to fighting for his country 
shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was a part of the 
Washington D.C. Color Guard, and bravely gave up his position to join 
the 3rd Battalion Second Marines as an infantryman. They were deployed 
to Al Qaim, Iraq. Lance Corporal Philippon was killed in action when he 
was only 22 years old.
  The Philippon family has taken their grief and found strength. They 
have founded the Lance Corporal Lawrence R. Philippon Memorial Fund, 
which presents awards to local high school students and has funded 200 
cleft palate surgeries through Operation Smile.
  They have made it their mission to share their son's story, and help 
other families to remember their sons and daughters who were lost too 
soon in war. They recently helped organize the visit of the Global War 
on Terror Wall of Remembrance to their hometown, West Hartford, CT, to 
help families heal.
  I would also like to recognize another Gold Star Mother, Mary Kight. 
Mary Kight is the President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American 
Gold Star Mothers, Inc. She lost her son Michael while he was deployed 
to Vietnam in 1967. He had been a helicopter pilot and was killed in a 
helicopter accident, three months after being deployed.
  Mary struggled with coming to terms with Michael's death. The anti-
Vietnam War movement made her feel like Michael had lost his life for 
nothing. She didn't join the Gold Star Mothers for decades, but she has 
now found comfort in them.
  Gold Star Families like the Philippons and the Kights deserve to have 
their loved ones' stories told, to memorialize their sons and 
daughters, but also to help their families heal.
  On October 25th, a memorial will be revealed that is dedicated to 
Gold Star Mothers at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. This 
statue of a Gold Star Mother is joining the Fallen Star Memorial there.
  In addition to honoring our Gold Star Families with physical 
memorials, we should also honor their words and stories.
  I strongly support the Gold Star Families Voices Act. This bill will 
give the Gold Star Families the important opportunity to share their 
memories of our fallen. These service members have given the ultimate 
sacrifice, and we owe them the opportunity to have their voices heard, 
even though they can no longer tell their own stories.
  I want to thank Congressman Chris Smith for his hard work on this 
bill, to honor those who have fallen.
  I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues in the 
Senate to quickly pass this bill so it can be sent to the President's 
desk.

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