[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H10025-H10026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN HONOR OF CORPORAL, RETIRED, MATTHEW BRADFORD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rush). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a unique and 
special man and my good friend, U.S. Marine Corporal, Retired, Matthew 
Bradford. Matthew is stepping down as veterans outreach coordinator in 
my district office.
  Matthew, who grew up in our district in Winchester, Kentucky, 
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps when he graduated from high 
school, and he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, Echo 
Company, 2nd Platoon.
  He was deployed to Iraq in 2006, and on January 18, 2007, he suffered 
catastrophic injuries as a result of the detonation of an improvised 
explosive device. His severe injuries left him totally blind, and he 
lost both of his legs.
  Matthew persevered, and he learned to overcome and adapt from his 
injuries. In 2010, Matthew became the first blind double amputee in 
history to reenlist in the Marine Corps.
  On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank him for his service, his 
sacrifice, and his patriotism.
  Matthew Bradford is a very determined individual. After his service 
with the Marine Corps ended, he married his ``Warrior Princess,'' 
Amanda. Together, they have three children.
  Through hard work and determination, Matthew graduated from the 
University of Kentucky.
  Matthew found his purpose in motivating and encouraging others to 
overcome difficult obstacles. He spends a great deal of his time 
speaking to groups and individuals and participating in challenging 
athletic events, including marathons, skydiving, surfing, hunting, and 
climbing 7,000 feet up Mount Rainier.
  Matthew came to work in the Sixth Congressional District office in 
the spring of 2017, serving first as a college intern, then as my 
national security fellow, and, lastly, as our veterans outreach 
coordinator.
  In his work in our district office, Matthew has been a strong 
advocate for veterans. He worked with our veterans coalition, and it 
has grown tremendously under his leadership.
  Matthew has worked on many outreach initiatives, including our 
Facebook page, and has worked diligently to improve the lives of 
America's veterans. His work with veterans has made quite a difference.
  His passion, his humor, and his determination will be greatly missed 
in our office, but his life's work in service to his community and the 
Nation will surely continue.
  Matthew has earned many honors, including the Purple Heart medal, the 
George Van Cleve Military Leadership Award, the Gary Sinise Hope for 
the Warriors Award, and induction into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of 
Fame. He

[[Page H10026]]

was also invited by President Trump to attend the 2018 State of the 
Union Address.
  In his position in the Sixth District office, he has earned the 
respect of all of his coworkers and all of the constituents with whom 
he has interacted. He leaves a lasting legacy as a servant leader.
  I am honored to call Matthew a loyal and trusted friend. I wish him 
all the best as he moves on to other interests.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Corporal Bradford for his friendship, for his 
tireless work on behalf of the people of the Sixth District, and his 
outstanding service to the country.


                           Two-State Solution

  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the United States 
most important strategic ally in the Middle East, the nation of Israel.

  Last week, the House voted on and nearly passed, along mostly 
partisan lines, a nonbinding resolution reinforcing the failed two-
state policy that has been pushed on both the Israeli and Palestinian 
people since the signing of the failed Oslo Accords. I opposed that 
resolution.
  The truth is we need a new way of thinking about the path toward a 
lasting peace between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. The idea that 
politicians from outside of Israel can impose a top-down forced 
division of Arabs and Israelis is nonsense.
  Rhetoric about a negotiated two-state resolution is not credible when 
it is promoted by those who criticize Israel's settlements within the 
Biblical homeland of the Jewish people. Current Israeli settlements 
established through peaceful means extend the reach of freedom and 
democracy, while the proposed ejection of Jews from settlements has a 
record incongruent with peace.
  The 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza has been a disaster for 
Palestinians, allowing terrorist groups like Hamas and PIJ to take over 
and terrorize that strip of land and its citizens.
  I have personally been to Judea and Samaria, and I have witnessed 
Jews and Arabs working together, side by side, in private enterprise, 
seeing that peace is possible.
  When stability exists under the rule of law, under the freedom and 
security offered by the State of Israel, businesses thrive, families 
earn a living, and freedom and democracy expand--all things that I 
encourage my colleagues to consider.

                          ____________________