[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MOURNING THE DEATH OF PIERCE CORCORAN

  (Mr. BURCHETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, today I rise with a heavy heart to speak 
about my constituent, Pierce Corcoran. On December 29, 2018, Pierce was 
struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an undocumented immigrant in 
Knoxville.
  This is a personal matter for me, Madam Speaker, because I have been 
friends with Pierce's family for many years, and they remain in my 
prayers. Pierce was an incredible, hardworking, fine Christian young 
man who will be deeply missed.
  People want to come to our country for new opportunities and the 
pursuit of happiness, and this Nation is full of incentives that 
attract not only legal, but also illegal immigrants. The most recent 
data shows that there are approximately 606,000 overstayed visa 
recipients and 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants.
  Removing incentives that encourage unlawful immigration and 
demagnetizing that attraction must be a priority for Congress moving 
forward.
  With stronger laws and increased border security, tragedies like the 
one that occurred in my home district could and should be avoided, and 
families like Pierce's might be saved from such a heartbreaking 
situation.

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