[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 30, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO SANDY HART

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, every American has the solemn 
responsibility to show our gratitude to the brave men and women who 
have answered the call to serve our Nation in uniform. We have an 
obligation to honor the values for which they fought and praise their 
efforts to preserve the freedom of this great country and the world.
  This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of the 
beaches of Normandy on D-Day. With every step onto the European 
continent, the forces of freedom moved closer to ending the reign of 
tyranny. Kentucky's World War II veteran community also marks another 
important milestone this year. Fifteen years ago, Sandy Hart, of 
Wickliffe, organized a groundbreaking project to honor the service of 
Kentucky's veterans. Because of Sandy's remarkable leadership, more 
than 500 World War II veterans traveled to our Nation's Capital in 2004 
to visit the new memorial dedicated in their honor.
  It is my privilege to recognize Sandy for her many years of dedicated 
service to American veterans, whom she calls true heroes. For many of 
the members of the Greatest Generation, a visit to the World War II 
Memorial in Washington, DC, simply wouldn't have been possible without 
her. Through more than a year and a half of hard work, Sandy, the 
daughter of a World War II veteran, collected the necessary donations 
to fill 17 busloads and give every veteran the chance to visit their 
memorial free of charge. Although shy by nature, she is animated by her 
passion for honoring veterans.
  To foster greater understanding and appreciation of the sacrifice 
veterans made for this county, Sandy and her husband Ray established 
the Kentucky Veteran and Patriot Museum. With donations of both funds 
and memorabilia, Sandy hopes the museum can be a meaningful place of 
engagement and remembrance both for current veterans and for future 
generations. With focuses on each of the modern American military 
engagements, Sandy's museum pays tribute to the heroes who defended our 
Nation.
  I am not the only one who admires Sandy for her tireless work in 
Kentucky. In his series of books entitled ``Kentucky's Everyday Heroes: 
Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things,'' Steve Flairty profiled 
inspirational men and women throughout the Commonwealth who, in his 
words, ``go quietly about their daily living, making others' lives 
better, with little or no thoughts of personal benefit.'' Sandy's 
remarkable servant leadership clearly belongs among the ranks of these 
Kentuckians. Her inclusion in the book is a well-earned tribute to her 
lifetime spent in service to others.
  To celebrate the 15th anniversary, the Wickliffe community will host 
a parade and a ceremony. They will also unveil new memorials to brave 
American veterans. This anniversary gathering is the latest opportunity 
for Kentuckians to honor our heroes that would be impossible without 
Sandy's committed vision. I am sure she would try to avoid the praise I 
am offering, but she deserves this and so much more. Sandy is an 
inspirational woman who has dedicated her life to the benefit of those 
around her, especially our veterans. So I hope my Senate colleagues 
will join me in marking this important anniversary and in thanking 
Sandy Hart for her extraordinary leadership honoring America's heroes.

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