[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING SECOND LIEUTENANT JAMES MICHAEL GOINS

  (Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of America's 
bravest, Second Lieutenant James Michael Goins, a Carroll County, 
Arkansas, native who was recently killed in action in Iraq.
  Michael, a member of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 
was killed on August 15 when a militia member in Najaf attacked his 
tank.
  By all accounts, Michael was not only a great soldier, but also a 
model citizen. He was high school valedictorian, captain of his high 
school football and basketball teams, and a recipient of the National 
Military Scholar Award, an honor going to only 10 percent of the ROTC 
cadets in the Nation.
  He carried himself in a manner that earned praise and admiration from 
every person he touched. His ROTC professor called Michael the ``finest 
soldier'' he ``has ever known'' and his high school basketball coach 
said he ``learned more about life'' from Michael than he gave Michael.
  Michael always wanted to be a soldier. Almost immediately upon 
earning his officer's commission, he selflessly put himself in harm's 
way in a country far away so that we could live free of terror here at 
home.
  Mr. Speaker, Second Lieutenant James Michael Goins made the ultimate 
sacrifice for his country. He is a true American hero. I ask my 
colleagues to keep Michael's family and friends in their thoughts and 
prayers during these difficult times.

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