[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 2, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H1211-H1212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REMEMBERING RESULTS ADVOCATE LA'SHON MARSHALL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memories of 
Michigan's 13th District Strong mother, friend, sister, and community 
advocate, La'Shon Marshall; her partner, Aaron Benson; and her 5-year-
old son, Caleb, all of whom we lost to senseless gun violence this past 
week.
  I knew La'Shon Marshall as a loving mother, a daughter, and a friend, 
but I knew her also as a constituent and as part of a group called 
RESULTS. It is an antipoverty advocacy organization, and RESULTS would 
meet with me every year to talk about adjusting poverty and access to 
quality housing for our families.
  In one of my first meetings, I met La'Shon, and she was passionate. 
She talked about renters' rights. She talked about access to safe 
housing. We made an instant connection based on our mutual passions: 
housing stability, ending childhood poverty, and ensuring a better 
quality of life for all.
  Hearing of her murder was devastating not only to my team and me but 
to our community. This is a tragedy that no community should endure.
  La'Shon was truly a beacon of light. She will be remembered as an 
incredible mother, and we will always remember Caleb as the light of 
her life. She truly loved him. And I will always remember knowing her 
as an exceptional advocate for the 13th District Strong.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in remembering La'Shon Marshall, Caleb 
Marshall, and Aaron Benson of our community as we mourn their loss.


         Mourning the Loss of Terrance Armour and Carly Taylor

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my outrage and deep 
sadness about the deaths of Wayne County teens Terrance Armour and 
Carly Taylor, whose lives were lost to gun violence last year.
  Carlesa and Terrance were accomplished high school students with 
bright futures ahead of them. Terrance had plans to attend college in 
Nevada. Carly was a standout on the Ecorse High School basketball team 
who was being recruited for college athletic scholarships and 
opportunities.
  This past weekend, I hugged both of their mothers, and I remember the 
tears from Dionne Weathers and Tikia Armour-Brooks. There is a saying 
that the most painful good-byes are the ones that are never said and 
never explained.
  As we mark this grim anniversary, I offer my deepest sympathies to 
Terrance and Carlesa's families and loved ones and commit to stopping 
gun violence in our country. And as they continue to mourn their loss, 
I want them to know we are working on behalf of them and also in honor 
of their memories.


                  Supporting the Honoring Our PACT Act

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to speak today in support of the 
Honoring Our PACT Act.
  Our soldiers put their lives at risk every day and became severely 
ill as a result of burn pit exposure. We owe it to them to care for 
them in their time of need. I am voting ``yes'' on the PACT Act because 
they deserve nothing less.
  I greatly appreciate the work of Chairman Takano, the members of the 
committee, and the staff in getting this task done. It was not easy. 
However, I must be clear. While this bill is clearly the best attempt 
yet to pay our Nation's debt to our sick and dying veterans, it is only 
a first step. It does not cover all the illnesses believed to be caused 
by burn pit exposure, and it does not fully invest in new, innovative 
treatments that could drastically improve their quality of life and 
recovery chances.
  To hear some of my colleagues, including many who happily vote for 
every absurd defense budget without a blink of an eye, complain about 
the cost of treating our veterans is downright insulting. It is time 
for Congress to do its job and care for our veterans.
  Let's start by passing the Honoring Our PACT Act and then immediately 
get back to work on new legislation that comprehensively covers any 
veteran who has become ill as a result of exposure to toxins during 
their service to our country.

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