[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1598-H1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING GUNNERY SERGEANT DIEGO PONGO AND CAPTAIN MOISES NAVAS

  (Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, last Sunday, March 8, 
Gunnery Sergeant Diego Pongo and Captain Moises Navas made the ultimate 
sacrifice while serving their country in north-central Iraq.
  Both were marines and assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, 
Marine Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, which is located 
in

[[Page H1599]]

Camp Lejeune in eastern North Carolina in my district. They were both 
killed in action while supporting Iraqi forces in clearing out a tunnel 
of ISIS fighters.
  Given the current coronavirus situation, it is easy to lose sight of 
the sacrifices of our servicemembers and their families, but we 
absolutely cannot allow this condition to make us forget about our men 
and women in uniform here and abroad.
  The deaths of these two brave marines are a somber reminder that our 
servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much for us each and 
every day, no matter the circumstances, so that we can live in peace 
and freedom.
  My thoughts and prayers are with MARSOC, Navas' and Pongo's brothers 
in arms, and especially their families and loved ones.

                          ____________________