[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 206 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1620-E1621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING SARAH E. NAKATA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 19, 2019

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my 
Carmel District Office intern, Sarah E. Nakata for her work and service 
to the citizens of the 5th District of Indiana. Sarah has the spirit of 
a giver, the strength of a fighter and a heart of gold. She truly is an 
inspiration to all of us and I am proud to have her as a part of my 
team. The first time I met Sarah, I was presenting her an offer of 
appointment to the prestigious United States Military Academy at West 
Point during my second year as a Member of Congress in 2014. Her dream 
was to serve our nation in the United States Army and on that day, her 
dream became a reality.
  While Sarah attended high school at Covenant Christian in 
Indianapolis, she thrived inside and outside of the classroom both 
academically and athletically. She was a part of the Rifle Team, Rocket 
Team, Math Club, a member of the National Honor Society, attended NASA 
Explorer School and participated in band and pep band. Sarah was a 
tutor for English, Math, Science, and Spanish, all while volunteering 
her time at English as a Second Language classes as well as at the 
National Rifle Association's National Rifle Matches. She graduated high 
school with a 4.3 GPA and ranked first in her graduating class. She had 
a love for science, space, and mathematics but her true passion was 
rifle shooting.
  While on the Rifle Team at Covenant Christian High School, Sarah 
earned nine state titles, three national junior titles and served as a 
team captain. She was an Indiana Rifle State Champion in 2011 and 2012 
through the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association. She joined the 
USA Shooting Team and was a National Junior Olympic Rifle Championship 
qualifier and participant in 2012 and 2013. Sarah was named the 
National Metric Grand Aggregate Prone and Position Intermediate Junior 
Champion in 2012 by the National Rifle Association and was National 
Metric Iron Sight Position Junior Champion in 2013. These achievements 
caught the attention of multiple colleges and educational institutions, 
including the United States Military Academy at West Point. Sarah was 
recruited for her skills in rifle shooting and received a Letter of 
Assurance from the academy. The last thing she needed in order to 
attend was a congressional or presidential nomination.
  As she was finishing her time at Covenant Christian High School, 
Sarah started the application process to attend the United States 
Military Academy at West Point through my office. As many know, it is 
no easy feat to be accepted into an academy and it takes hard work, 
dedication and commitment, which is exactly what Sarah had. These 
academies have the best and brightest students and Sarah was among 
those ranks. In the spring of 2014, Sarah received a congressional 
nomination from my office and on May 1, 2014, I presented her with an 
offer of appointment. Sarah reported to duty as a cadet at West Point 
in June of 2014 to begin her Plebe year.
  During the summer between Sarah's sophomore and junior year in June 
of 2016, she began to have abdominal pains and severe nausea while 
participating in summer training. Several days passed and Sarah 
continued to feel sick, was unable to digest food, and developed 
chronic dehydration. She was flown to Walter Reed National Military 
Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Sarah was diagnosed with severe 
gastroparesis, preventing her stomach from appropriately digesting 
food. A

[[Page E1621]]

year passed, Sarah's condition had not improved, and the United States 
Army medically separated her.
  I learned of Sarah's condition and I knew her dreams of attending the 
United States Military Academy at West Point and serving in the Army 
had come to a close. I reached out to her in late 2017 and offered her 
an internship in my Carmel District Office and she joined my team in 
January of 2018. Despite all Sarah has been through, her spirit, smile 
and laughter lifts up my team each and every day she is in the office. 
After years of testing, hospital visits, surgeries and medications, 
Sarah and medical professionals still do not have a full understanding 
of her illness, symptoms or a pathway for treatment, recovery or for a 
cure.
  Sarah is resilient and strong. I know her illness will not hold her 
back from accomplishing her new goals and striving for her dreams. 
Sarah has taught us all to not let the little things bother you, as you 
never know where life will take you. Life is precious and Sarah is a 
true inspiration to all of us. She will go on to do many great things 
after her internship ends and I thank her for her service to the 
residents of the 5th District of Indiana and to our country. It is with 
immense hope and great optimism that we look forward to watching Sarah 
embark on her future endeavors, with her parents Heidy and David by her 
side.

                          ____________________