[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4135-S4136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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TRIBUTE TO MATTHEW IVES
Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Matthew
Ives of Peterborough as July's Granite Stater of the Month for his
extraordinary commitment to helping others through his service as a
volunteer trauma nurse in Ukraine.
Matthew has dedicated his career to the care of others. His path into
nursing began with years of service in healthcare, working as a
lifeguard, EMT, 911 dispatcher, pharmacy technician, and ultimately
graduating from nursing school at Nashua Community College. After he
witnessed the suffering caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of
Ukraine, Matthew asked himself what he could do to help. He recognized
a critical need for additional training in lifesaving trauma care,
particularly the proper use of tourniquets to prevent otherwise
survivable injuries from becoming life-threatening.
In 2024, Matthew traveled to Ukraine for his first volunteer
deployment. Working in a bomb-damaged stabilization point near the
frontlines, he treated both military personnel and civilians suffering
from burns, broken bones, shrapnel wounds, and other traumatic
injuries. Matthew has repeatedly returned because he knows that the
need for care remains great. Even when he is back in the United States,
he continues to support the people he met in Ukraine by helping secure
the resources that they need to continue their lifesaving work. In
addition to training and treating patients,
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he has personally helped provide supplies and equipment, including
funding vehicles and medical equipment for those serving on the
frontlines.
Matthew says that New Hampshire's ``Live Free or Die'' spirit has
shaped the way that he views the resilience of the Ukrainian people. He
sees that same determination in those who continue to defend their
communities despite immense hardship, refusing to surrender their
freedom in the face of tyranny. His work reminds Granite Staters that
courage often takes the form of quietly showing up each day to serve
others, even in the most dangerous circumstances.
Matthew has returned to Ukraine, where he trains Ukrainian
servicemembers in lifesaving medical skills and continues to provide
care on the frontlines. Matthew's compassion, courage, and selflessness
are why I am proud to name him July's Granite Stater of the
Month.
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