[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 25, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Lulu's Law

  Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, Lulu Gribbin, a 15-year-old from Mountain 
Brook, AL--that is who I am here to talk about today.
  She is a high school student who loves basketball, volleyball, and 
golf. She is one of four siblings. She is actually a twin. Lulu loves 
to spend time at the lake with her brothers and sisters. Her favorite 
color is purple.
  On June 7, her life changed forever. That was the day she was on the 
beach enjoying the best of summer with her family and friends. She was 
looking for sand dollars in the ocean with a friend, and that is when a 
shark attacked.
  What happened next is nothing short of a miracle. It was a miracle 
because on that day, by the grace of God, there were doctors, nurses, 
EMTs, and other Good Samaritans who were there on that same beach who 
immediately jumped into action to help Lulu. These incredible men and 
women undoubtedly saved her life. But Lulu's resiliency and strength 
certainly was a dominating factor, not just in her survival but in her 
incredible recovery.
  Though the shark took her left hand and her right leg, it did nothing 
but strengthen her spirit. When Lulu woke up from surgery and got taken 
off the ventilator, do you know what her first words were?

       I made it.

  As a mom, I can't even begin to imagine how powerful that moment was 
for her parents, how incredible it was to hear her say those words:

       I made it.

  The road home was not easy for Lulu, with surgeries and 
rehabilitation, but 3 months after the shark attack, y'all, she is 
already back home. In fact, she is back in action, showing up other 
golfers on the driving range.
  Lulu is an inspiration. She shows all of us that when you get knocked 
down, you don't wait to get pulled back up. You fight, and you fight 
with a resolve and a determination that will carry you through even the 
hardest of moments.

  Her grace, her faith, her strength, her perseverance, all in the face 
of the unimaginable, make her a hero to all of us. It is sometimes hard 
to remember that she is just 15 years old. Her story is hard to tell, 
not just because I can't imagine having to see a child go through that 
but also to think that there is something that could have prevented her 
from having to go through this tremendous fight.
  Ninety minutes before Lulu was attacked and only a few miles away, 
another woman was attacked by a shark. Elisabeth Foley, a mother of 
three from Virginia, tragically lost her left hand in a shark attack.
  After I heard Lulu's story and about the prior attack, I immediately 
thought, what could have been done differently? It turns out Lulu's 
parents were thinking the exact same thing. There has to be a better 
way to get information into the hands of beachgoers, of parents, of 
families if a shark attack has happened in their vicinity. That is why 
I introduced Lulu's Law.
  This is a bipartisan bill which Congressman Gary Palmer is leading in 
the House, and I am so proud that everyone in the Alabama delegation 
has signed on. It would give local authorities the confidence that they 
are authorized to issue a wireless emergency alert to warn beachgoers 
of potential shark attacks. This doesn't impose any kind of mandate on 
local officials; it simply empowers them to help beachgoers stay safe 
through the existing wireless emergency alert system.
  Although this is a small change in statute, it would enable local 
leaders to put information into the hands of families faster, which, as 
we can see, could make a world of difference.
  This is the kind of commonsense work I came to do in the U.S. Senate. 
My priority has always been fighting for children and families from the 
great State of Alabama and across this Nation and protecting children 
and their families from harm. That is an important part of it.
  With Lulu's Law, we can empower beachgoers with information that will 
ultimately keep them safe.
  To Lulu's parents Joe and Anne Blair Gribbin, the strength that you 
have shown and the way you have galvanized not just Alabama but people 
across our entire country to rally behind your daughter is nothing 
short of amazing.
  To Lulu, I want to thank you for your bravery and determination. You 
are truly an inspiration. I wish you could see this because we have 
Senate pages down here shaking their heads. We are so proud of you, and 
we look forward to turning this bill into law to protect kids and honor 
the extraordinary person that you are.
  To my colleagues watching from the Cloakroom, the Chamber, or back in 
your office, now is the time to act. Let's get this done, and let's 
deliver a win for the American people, for Alabama, and for Lulu. Add 
your name to the cosponsor list, and help us get this done. This is 
clearly something all of us can rally behind. Let's do it for Lulu. 
Let's do it for her legacy. Let's keep others safe, and let's inspire 
others with Lulu's story.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hickenlooper). The Senator from Alabama.
  Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I applaud my fellow Senator from 
Alabama on this very important legislation that we need to work not 
just for the State of Alabama but all over the country.
  Thank you very much.