[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13058]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


             HONORING THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF ED SIMMONS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 2013

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the extraordinary 
life of Edward S. Simmons, who passed away on July 16, 2013 at the age 
of 62.
   Edward or ``Ed'' served in Vietnam as a medic where he was injured, 
and never forgot his fellow soldiers as he spent the rest of his life 
organizing benefits for unemployed and disabled veterans.
   Ed was responsible for organizing and obtaining over 500 job pledges 
for Veterans from the UAW and United Steelworkers of America during the 
``Who Dares Win'' relay race from Buffalo to Washington, D.C., 
Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to call attention to the 
need for jobs for veterans. The runs concluded in a cross-country relay 
to San Francisco in 1996.
   Ed was the retired deputy director of the New York State Division of 
Veteran's affairs as well as being one of the founding members and 
serving on the board of directors as a co-chair at the Veteran's One-
Stop Center of Western New York.
   This spring, I was proud to join with Ed and many others to 
officially open the One Stop Center on Main Street in the City of 
Buffalo. No one fought harder to make the idea of having a single 
location with many services to help veterans a reality than Ed Simmons 
and despite his own physical struggle, no one's smile was brighter as 
he cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open this comprehensive and 
caring site.
   It was said that the legacy of Western New Yorkers putting veterans 
first through the Veterans One-stop Center began that day. I would like 
to add that the legacy of Ed Simmons' vision, commitment and dedication 
to putting veterans first now lives on everyday.
   He is survived by his loving wife, Onda, sisters Dianne, Marie and 
Mary, and many nieces and nephews as well as beloved by his late 
sisters Patricia and Kathleen.
   Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me a moment to remember the life 
of this remarkable man. I ask my colleagues to join me in offering our 
sincere condolences to his family and our deepest gratitude for his 
service to our country.

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