[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 27 (Thursday, February 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S644-S645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       RECOGNIZING CRUISE CUSTOMS

 Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American 
entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize the 
small business, Cruise Customs of Shepherdsville, KY, as the Senate 
Small Business of the Week.
  It is not every week that I have the privilege of honoring a veteran-
owned small business, but when I do, it is with profound respect and 
gratitude not only for this Kentucky entrepreneur, but for our men and 
women in uniform. Cruise Customs was started by Chris Cruise, a veteran 
paratrooper who served in the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation 
Iraqi Freedom. After serving his country, like many veterans, Chris 
Cruise returned to the U.S. carrying with him the traumas of war. 
Woodworking became a sort of therapy for him, and he combined that 
passion for working with his hands with his deeply rooted patriotism 
and founded Cruise Customs in 2017.
  Cruise Customs not only honors the great Nation that we live in, it 
also pays tribute to the wonderful State of Kentucky. The idea behind 
his business came from Chris and his wife Amber's desire to create 
something that honored both the Nation that he fought for and his 
wife's native State. The final product was a large American flag 
constructed from the wood used in old Kentucky bourbon barrels. While 
bourbon-barrel flags continue to be their most popular item, the 
business has expanded their scope of products offered. The Cruises' 
patriotic mission has remained at the heart of their business 
throughout its steady growth, as they broadened their service to the 
veteran community and to their local area when Cruise Customs' unique 
craftsmanship gained national recognition.
  The whole Cruise Customs team use their dedication for service as 
inspiration for designing new products. These days, one can buy Chris' 
signature bourbon-barrel flag not only in a variety of sizes, one can 
also find various flags with a different colored stripe running through 
the center of the flag. The colors symbolize the business' support for 
various causes: blue, in honor of our Nation's police officers; red, to 
show their support for our Nation's fire fighters; pink, to spread 
breast cancer awareness and to champion its survivors. While these 
limited edition pieces stand out against their array of merchandise, 
the America ``One Heartbeat'' flag is perhaps their most impactful 
creation.
  Their America ``One Heartbeat'' flag, a limited edition piece 
displaying the EKG sign of a heartbeat down the center stripe, was 
designed by Chris and Amber Cruise during the early days of the 
pandemic. Always wanting to give back to their community, Cruise 
Customs donated all proceeds from the sale of their America ``One 
Heartbeat'' flags to the medical frontline heroes at Norton Healthcare 
and U of L Health in Louisville. This noble idea quickly gained 
national attention, which allowed Cruise Customs to sell over 4,500 of 
these flags and donate over $70,000 to their local medical community.
  Cruise Customs' dedication to their community has not gone unnoticed. 
Last year, Chris Cruise was named one of Louisville Business First's 
Business Impact Award Nominees. Chris and Amber Cruise have also 
broadened their venture by opening and codirecting Kentucky's first 
local chapter of USA Cares, a nonprofit dedicated

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to ``providing military families with financial and advocacy support 
during their time of need.'' From serving his country, to founding a 
small business dedicated to giving back to the veteran community, Chris 
has consistently displayed a generous and patriotic spirit which 
permeates throughout his business and his family. Congratulations to 
Chris and Amber Cruise and the entire Cruise Customs team. I thank you 
for your brave service to this country and for your charitable spirit. 
I wish them the best of luck and look forward to watching their 
continued growth and success in Kentucky.

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