[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 3, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H3311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF JOSEPH STONE

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine 
Caucus, I rise to commemorate the precious life of Joseph Stone of 
Tucson, Arizona. The 36-year-old American was serving his part of an 
official international peace team monitoring the border conflict 
between Ukrainian Government troops and Russian-backed separatists who 
invaded Ukraine.
  Mr. Stone was working with a German and a Czech peace monitor when an 
explosion--likely a mine--damaged their vehicle in Pryshyb, Ukraine. 
The two other monitors are hospitalized in stable condition. Stone is 
the first Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe monitor 
killed in that very important mission.
  Stone's career in foreign assistance missions brought him to 
Afghanistan and Liberia before Ukraine. Before entering the aid 
community, Stone worked at American Medical Response in southern 
Arizona for 9 years, starting out as an EMT and rising to the level of 
paramedic. He graduated from Pima Community College. He is survived by 
his mother, two brothers, a longtime companion, and 13-year-old 
daughter.
  Since its establishment in 2014, the OSCE has played a vital role in 
monitoring the Minsk agreements designed to bring peace to eastern 
Ukraine after Russia's brutal invasion of a sovereign neighbor. This 
fateful tragedy makes clear the absolute brutality of Vladimir Putin's 
threats to liberty and democracy in Ukraine.
  It also instructs us about the unrecognized selfless heroes among us 
who define the meaning and cost of liberty. May our recognition of his 
selfless sacrifice bring comfort to those bearing this great loss, and 
may he be remembered always in the protracted struggle for a free 
Ukraine.

                          ____________________