[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3101-H3104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOYS AND CONCERNS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mr. ELLZEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. ELLZEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, as you know, from time to time I address the House
floor with my version of a speech that my
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childhood pastor would give every Sunday called ``Joys and Concerns.''
During his remarks, he would highlight some of the remarkable things
that members of the church were doing and some of their many
accomplishments.
He would also take this time to bring up prayer requests. It served
as an opportunity to unite as a congregation and pray for our community
and those in need.
Today, the community that instilled this tradition in me needs our
prayers as last Thursday, my childhood home, Perryton, Texas, was hit
by a deadly tornado.
In the 11 minutes the tornado was on the ground, it left three dead,
hundreds injured, and hundreds of homes destroyed.
My office obviously has received an outpouring of prayer requests,
both over the phone and through my website for the people of Perryton.
While it may be different from my usual order, I start this ``Joys
and Concerns'' speech with asking everybody to keep Perryton and their
people in your hearts and minds and prayers going forward.
I also ask that as weeks go on that you continue to keep them, along
with the first responders, community leaders, and volunteers, in your
prayers.
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to Hillsboro, Texas, a
city in my new district. I learned a lot about Hillsboro while I was
there.
It is a very welcoming community, full of people who love their
country, so much so that the local community college, Hill College, has
on its campus the Texas Heritage Museum.
Out front is a small memorial, and during my visit, I spent some time
there. On that memorial, they honor every Medal of Honor recipient from
Texas.
The Medal of Honor is the Nation's highest military award, and only
U.S. servicemembers who distinguish themselves through conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call
of duty can receive the medal.
There I learned that the Sixth Congressional District of Texas in its
current form has nine Medal of Honor recipients.
Due to time constraints, I will only address one today, but we have
nine of them--nine Medal of Honor recipients from the Sixth District of
Texas. On my next occasion, I will reach the other eight.
The first I bring up is First Lieutenant Jack Lummus. He was born on
October 22, 1915, and served our Nation during World War II.
A little known fact is he couldn't graduate from high school because
the cost was too high. He played some semi-pro ball. He finally went to
Baylor and was an all-star baseball player and football player there.
He was playing professional football when December 7 happened, and he
signed up to join our Nation's military. Ironically, he was attempting
to be a pilot and in flight training was a natural pilot. On taxiing
back, he ran his airplane off the taxiway. They booted him. He went
back to playing football, but he signed up to be a marine.
Jack received the Medal of Honor as a leader of a rival platoon
attached to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in
action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands
on March 8, 1945.
Resuming his assault tactics with bold decision after fighting
without respite for 2 days and nights, he slowly advanced his platoon
against an enemy deeply entrenched in a network of mutually supporting
positions.
Suddenly halted by a terrific concentration of hostile fire, he
unhesitatingly moved forward in his front lines in an effort to
neutralize the Japanese position.
Although knocked to the ground when an enemy grenade exploded close
by, he immediately recovered himself, and again, moving forward despite
the intensified barrage, quickly located, attacked, and destroyed the
occupied emplacement.
Instantly taken under fire by the garrison of his supporting pillbox
and further assailed by the slashing fury of hostile rifle fire, he
fell under the impact of a second enemy grenade.
Courageously disregarding painful shoulder wounds, he staunchly
continued his heroic one-man assault and charged the second pillbox,
annihilating all the occupants.
Subsequently returning to his platoon position, he fearlessly
traversed his lines under fire, encouraging his men to advance and
directing the fire of supporting tanks and placing suppressive fire
against hostile troops.
Jack lost both legs and lost his life on Iwo Jima, a man with a great
deal of promise. He is interred in Ennis, Texas, and he is a local
hero.
The greatness of America comes from her people, and the best of us
are men like Jack Lummus. Next time I talk, I will talk about the other
eight.
As we talk about divisiveness and bad times in our country, I want
you to know that we have great Americans--and have throughout our
history--serving us in times of war and making us the great Nation that
we are.
All we ask when we fight for another Nation overseas is a small plot
of land to bury our dead. This is a debt we owe not only to those who
have fallen in battle but to all those who choose to serve on our
Nation's volunteer force.
As the years go on and our Nation grows, we must continue to ask the
best of us to make sacrifices to protect and defend the United States.
My district is home to 30 different high schools, and within those 30
schools, there were 134 brave young men and women who raised their
hands and said, here am I. Send me.
Within the coming months, they will be joining our Nation's military,
and I take a moment to recognize their sacrifice.
Mildred High School: Kolton Sumrall, Army; Charlie Vega, Army; Bryan
Morgan, Army; Lincoln Kerr, Navy.
Corsicana High School: Michael Dunn, Marine Corps; Frankie Medrano,
Marine Corps; Ionart Sorim, Marine Corps; Diego Rodriguez and Bryan
Monge, Marine Corps.
Cayuga High School: Garret Fitzpatrick, Army.
Fairfield High School: Noe Espinoza, Army; Tristen Stephenson, Army.
Whitney High School: Desire' Hamling, Marine Corps.
Frost High School: Jacen Stanford, Army.
Arlington Sam Houston High School: Dillon Nichols, Army; Devin
Moreno, Alan Najera, and Armando Rafael Hinojosa, Marine Corps.
Slocum High School: Camron Clark, Marine Corps.
Palmer High School: Haley Thomas, Army National Guard.
Covington High School: Mia Napps, Air Force; Colin Berry, Army; Calob
Smith, Air Force.
Grandview High School: Dean Ryder Williams, Navy.
Wells High School: Jeremiah Lewis, Marine Corps.
Jacksonville High School: Elijah Danforth, Angel De Le Luz, and
Joshua Gaytan, Marine Corps.
Elkhart High School: Nicholas Goodrich and Ashlyn Wilson, Navy; Tara
Herod, Air Force.
Midlothian High School: Nolan Rhew, Navy; Shaun Dean and Rome
Hernandez, Marine Corps; Ty Long, Army; Jacob Regalado and Cayden
Rollins, Marine Corps; Ryan Schrank, Navy; Kyler Sickler, Army; Joshua
Wyman, Texas Air National Guard; Samantha Zuckero, Army National Guard.
Neches High School: Jason Bammel and Trevor Pulliam, Marine Corps.
Rice High School: Diego Barcenas Mora, Marine Corps.
Maypearl High School: Benjamin McGlauflin, Marine Corps; Adam Bell,
Navy; Zechariah Mitchell, Texas National Guard; Langston Watson, Coast
Guard.
Waxahachie High School: Elijah Jaquan Wheaton, Cherilyn Desirae
Romano, Abigail Faith Modgling, and Jorge Alberto Vargas Ponce, Marine
Corps; Faith Nicole Powers and Kaylee Nicole Voigtlander, Army.
{time} 1845
Rusk High School: Kiera Beck, Marine Corps; Matthew Plata, Marine
Corps; Aaron Wilde, Air Force.
Westwood High School: Ayden Coker, Marine Corps Reserve; Emilio
Martinez, Army National Guard; Nathan Powell, Army National Guard;
Jazzmin Gante, Navy; and Diego Castillo, Navy.
Arlington High School: James Webb, Army; Alonso Robles, Austin McGee,
and Abraham Vela, all three Marine Corps.
Henry Suggs, Army, from Frankston High School.
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Alvarado High School: Trapper Peel, Air Force; Jaxen Cheek and Trey
Reuland, Army; Andres Sanchez, Marine Corps; Dylan Brown, Army.
Venus High School: Eduardo Gabriel Acre Perez and Dontea Lamont
Rising, both in the Army.
Hillsboro High School: Leonardo Lopez Hernandez, Marine Corps
Reserve; Gabriel Pineda, Marine Corps Reserve; and Alejandro Sanchez,
Marine Corps Reserve.
Waxahachie High School: Brandon Ortiz, Marine Corps; Garrison
Escobar, Marine Corps; Karolina Suarez Melendez, National Guard; Caezar
Santiago, Air Force; Gregory Schaefer, Williams Jayden, Gregory
Fleming, Zachary Fleming, Army; Jeremiah Moore, Navy; Michael Newkirk,
Navy; Samuel Rodriguez, Army National Guard.
Midlothian Heritage High School: Jack Hammon, Texas Army National
Guard; Emily Dewey, Air Force; Patrick Hoekstra, Army; Jose Mancera,
Navy; Baron Cantrell, Navy; Chase Wiese, Navy.
Waxahachie Global: Matthew Hughes and Braxton Soukup, Army.
Mansfield Legacy High School: Jessica Rosalez, Navy.
Mansfield Lake Ridge: Gerardo Carbajal, Marines; Caden Chandler, Air
Force; Ashlee Ojo, Navy; Desmond Jones, Army; Andre Boyd, Marine Corps;
Tyler Beller, Marine Corps; Carter Bustos, Marine Corps; Kiesean Cook,
Navy; Logan Fortenbery, Marine Corps; Kyrianna Harris, Navy; Anne
Oyerinde, Army National Guard, along with her friends Dayana Quijano
and Sierra Santiago; Linnea Swanson, Air Force; and Kamille Todd, Army.
Mansfield Timberview High School: Jamia Major, National Guard; Jaimez
Eichelberger, Navy; Danielle Rhymes and Shelby Balossa, Air Force;
Elenna Ponce, Navy; Nikolas Sanchez, Army.
Mansfield Summit: Dyneaya Thomas, Air Force; Achilles Lopez, Air
Force; Adrian Contreras, Marine Corps; Clifton Kersenbrock, Marine
Corps; Alexa Martinez, Army National Guard; Mia Wilson, Air Force.
For Mansfield High School: Justin Ware, Air Force; Zachariah
Castillo, Navy; Leila Egleston, Marine Corps; Evan Esquivel, Marine
Corps; Jonathan May, Army; Braylon Mitchell, Navy; Shaun Nguyen, Air
Force; Brielle Pickering, Marine Corps.
Madam Speaker, if anybody has any questions about the future of our
Nation, 134 young men and women from District Six just this year
enlisted to serve this greatest Nation that has been seen on the face
of this Earth.
Occasionally, some people will tear this Nation down for what she
stood for, her past, her future. For me, why would anybody sign up in
an all-volunteer force if we were anything but exceptional?
I am so very proud of these young men and women in this day and age
when we hear nothing in the press except the dire straits that this
country is in. Well, somebody believes in it, and these 134 people
certainly do, along with the 31 people who applied to the military
academies. I will say to them all: I am very proud, and our future is
bright. Don't listen to any of the naysayers.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says there is nothing new under the Sun. Jeremiah 29
says only I know the plans I have for you, and they are great plans.
Next, I recognize some of the members of our community that have gone
above and beyond.
I congratulate Aiden Hunter on being selected to represent Texas 4-H
at the National 4-H Conference this year. Agriculture and farming are
the backbone of this great Nation, and I am proud that he is involved
in Ellis County 4-H. Organizations like this are helping to prepare
Aiden to be a future leader not only in agriculture but in life.
I congratulate Alyssa Anderson on achieving the Girl Scout Gold
Award. There are few accomplishments that carry as much prestige and
respect as this honor. The commitment, tenacity, integrity, and work
ethic that are required to achieve the Gold Award are invaluable
qualities.
I congratulate Amy Tidwell and the Corsicana Main Street team on
being awarded the President's Award and People's Choice Award for
cities under 50,000 population by Texas Downtown for their video series
``New Faces, New Places.'' Departments like theirs are essential to
downtown development and revitalization, and I thank Amy and her team
for their commitment to serve our community.
I congratulate Archie Gerbine on receiving the Donnie and Karen
Pickard Heroism Award. I thank Archie for not only choosing to
preserve, protect, and defend the people of Alvarado but also for
taking on the important role of community leader, role model, and
servant to others. I thank Archie for his continued dedication to the
city of Alvarado and the State of Texas as a first responder.
I congratulate Ashley Thompson on being awarded the Unsung Hero Award
from the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce for 2022.
I congratulate the 2023 Maypearl Panther baseball team for their
third-place finish in State, and I congratulate them for breaking the
school record for total wins and finishing their season with a trip to
Round Rock for the State tournament.
I congratulate Becky and Terry Hill on earning the Mabel Frame Award
from the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce. I thank them for their
commitment to serve our community. Our community is lucky to have
people like them who have dedicated time to an event that welcomes so
many people. C/10s in the Park has become one of Waxahachie's prized
tourist attractions and is well deserving of the Mabel Frame Award.
I congratulate Cassie Wilbur on being awarded the DAISY Award for
Extraordinary Nurses at UT Health Jacksonville. This award is a tribute
to Cassie's courageous and selfless acts working in healthcare. I truly
appreciate all the work Cassie does in the ER, saving lives in the
Jacksonville community.
I congratulate Catarina Palladio on earning first place all around at
the USAG Region 3 Level 8 championship in the Junior C division. Her
commitment and dedication to her sport have been shown through her
recent success at the competition. It can't be easy being a full-time
gymnast and remaining a straight-A student, but her work ethic is
ensuring her bright future.
I commend Dale Linebaugh for his receipt of the Anderson County
Sheriff's Office Life-Saving Award and his immediate response to help
those in need.
I congratulate David Joseph on earning the Earhart Award with the
Civil Air Patrol. All of his hard work and dedication are a reflection
of this prestigious award. I commend David on all of his achievements
thus far in the Civil Air Patrol, 4-H, and archery.
I congratulate Dylan Starkey on having his book ``Powers'' published.
It is always exciting to hear about the talented young students in our
community that commit time and dedication to leaving a positive impact
on their city for many years to come.
I congratulate Eli Bierman on winning the State championship in
wrestling at the 132-weight class. That is an incredible
accomplishment. Eli's hard work, hours of practice, and devotion to his
sport are reflected in his success.
I congratulate Elizabeth Norwood on her livestock entries winning
Supreme Champion Heifer, Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer, and fifth
Overall Market Steer honors at the Arizona National Livestock Show.
That is an incredible achievement, and I think Elizabeth should be
providing beef for our entire Nation with that kind of award.
I congratulate Officer Jack Daniel on beginning his career with the
Hillsboro Police Department as an officer. Our community is very
fortunate to have Officer Daniel take on this role, and the citizens of
Hill County will benefit as he continues to progress in his law
enforcement career.
I congratulate Jerrilyn Bowman on receiving the Anderson County
Sheriff's Office Life-Saving Award. Her quick thinking, training, and
calm reaction saved a life, and that is something she should be proud
of.
I congratulate Julianna Dublin and Julia Burnham on achieving the
Girl Scout Gold Award.
I congratulate Kaden Lyles on earning the General Billy Mitchell
Award for the Civil Air Patrol. All of Kaden's hard work and dedication
are a reflection of this prestigious award. The time and commitment
Kaden has put into this award is truly commendable.
I congratulate Karen Koop on being awarded the Texas Governor
Beauford Jester Award this year by the Texas
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Veterans Day Parade Committee. This honor recognizes Karen's selfless
commitment to community and veterans and will have a lasting impact for
years to come.
I congratulate Karson Tompkins on winning the State championship in
wrestling in the 190-weight class. That is an incredible
accomplishment.
I congratulate Kendyl Wilson on winning first place with her
submission to the Texas Rural Education Association's art contest.
I congratulate Kim Boales on being awarded the James Acree Award this
year by the Texas Veterans Day Parade Committee.
I congratulate Kimberly Cantu and Mansfield ISD on being named to
Forbes' list of America's Best Midsize Employers. Being recognized on a
national level is an amazing accomplishment. I thank Kimberly for her
commitment to Mansfield ISD.
Madam Speaker, I have more folks that I would like to point out, but
I am short on time today. I will leave you with this: We have some
incredible citizens in District Six. I am incredibly proud to serve
them.
Madam Speaker--you also being from Texas--I love my State, and I love
my district as you do, as well. It is a tremendous privilege to be able
to announce these folks on the floor and honor them in the way that
they deserve.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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