[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6208-6209]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     THE CONGRESSIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL: A LEGACY OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. SAM JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 2010

  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow colleagues 
to join me in congratulating the 2009-2010 Congressional Youth Advisory 
Council. This year 45 students from public, private, and home schools 
in grades 9 through 12 made their voices heard and made a difference in 
their communities, their country and their Congress. These students 
volunteered their time, effort, and talent to inform me about the 
important issues facing their generation. As young leaders within their 
communities and their schools, these students boldly represent the 
promise and the hope we all have for their very bright future.
  President Ronald Reagan said, ``Freedom is never more than one 
generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in 
the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for 
them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling 
our children and our children's children what it was once like in the 
United States where men were free.''
  To ensure that the blessing of freedom is passed from one generation 
to the next, the

[[Page 6209]]

members of the CYAC spent time interviewing a veteran and documenting 
the experience for the ``Preserving History Project'' Today I'm proud 
to submit the brief summaries provided so the patriotic service of our 
dedicated veterans and the thoughtful work of the CYAC may be preserved 
for antiquity in the Congressional Record. A copy of each submitted 
student summary follows.
  To each member of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council, thank you 
for making this year and this group a success. It is not a coincidence 
that this congressional tribute celebrates two generations of service. 
Each of you is trusted with the precious gift of freedom.
  You are the voices of the future and I salute you. God bless you and 
God bless America.
  The summary follows:

       This unique opportunity to interview a veteran was very 
     eye-opening and educational. It helped me to better 
     understand why this country is so great. After interviewing 
     such a prideful American, it is easy to see why this nation 
     has been so prosperous. I am more cognizant of the 
     opportunities set out for me and why those opportunities are 
     possible. Many of them are only available because of those 
     who have fought for this great country. I found this project 
     so inspirational that I have become more interested in 
     possibly serving some day. I think that for this country to 
     continue to succeed it needs more people who are as special 
     as Mr. Rowley, the veteran that I interviewed. His passion 
     for America rubbed off on me in a unique way. The way he 
     explained his experiences to me was special. It definitely 
     seemed like his life and the way he saw things changed during 
     his service. His eyes were opened up to the world. He never 
     before realized how good his life in America was. One thing 
     that struck me the most was how optimistic he was about the 
     future of the country In a time with so many issues, it is 
     reassuring to hear enthusiasm about where we are and where we 
     are going.--Blake Balda