[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4423]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                PAYING TRIBUTE TO REVEREND ROBERT MILLER

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                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rev. Robert Miller. 
Reverend Miller, a 4-year resident of Las Vegas, is a Vietnam veteran 
who works tirelessly to serve homeless veterans with a unique need, 
that need being that they need someone to give them a proper burial.
  Reverend Miller's interest in helping homeless veterans started about 
23 years ago, when he was living in Detroit. He was shopping at a 
produce market when a homeless man asked him for 50 cents. When he gave 
the man some money he looked strangely familiar. The two realized that 
they had served together in Vietnam. Reverend Miller bought the man 
breakfast and quickly became involved with feeding homeless veterans 
through various organizations in Michigan. When he moved to Las Vegas 
he continued this work.
  About 2 years ago Reverend Miller started volunteering his time to 
conduct services for homeless and indigent veterans who are buried at 
the Southern Nevada Memorial Veterans Cemetery. He believes that all 
homeless veterans deserve to be laid to rest with respect and with the 
same honors that other veterans receive. About 1,650 veterans a year 
are buried at the cemetery. Most of the time, the service includes 
grieving families mourning their loss. But each year, about 120 
homeless veterans are also buried there, and rarely does a family 
member attend. Reverend Miller, the chaplain for the Vietnam Veterans 
of America, Chapter 17, conducts services, and an honor guard is 
provided by the appropriate service branch.
  At the age of 57, Reverend Miller is not the only one to provide this 
greatly needed final farewell. But when he started handling the 
services 2 years ago, he was one of the most frequent unpaid volunteers 
conducting services. He drives 60 miles round trip from his home to the 
cemetery and often performs services for more than one veteran a day. 
On January 31st, he held services for six homeless veterans, only one 
of which had any family there to attend.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Rev. Robert Miller on the 
floor of the House, today. He stands as an example to all of us by 
helping those who cannot help themselves. I commend him for his 
selfless acts of service.

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