[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 79 (Tuesday, May 15, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3939]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ALLOWING DEAF CITIZENS TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY

  (Mr. TAKANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, Keith Nolan's dream was to be a military 
officer. He excelled at the first two levels of Army ROTC and was 
preparing to take the next step when he was told that he could not 
continue because he failed the hearing portion of a military medical 
exam.
  This is not at all surprising, because Keith Nolan is deaf. The 
United States does not allow the deaf community to serve in the 
military, unlike other nations that allow deaf citizens to serve.
  Despite Keith's passion and despite our attempts to establish a 
demonstration program to prove that the deaf community is entirely 
capable of contributing to our military, Keith does not have the 
opportunity to serve his country.
  Today, I am mourning for Keith and for the country, which lost out on 
his service. But I want to celebrate his passion and his dedication to 
expanding civil rights for the deaf community.
  He has taken this rejection in stride, creating an ROTC program at 
the Maryland School for the Deaf. I am once again calling for a 
demonstration program that gives the deaf community a chance to defend 
the country they love.

                          ____________________