[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9609-9610]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           PFC MILTON A. LEE MEDAL OF HONOR MEMORIAL HIGHWAY

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2559) to designate the ``PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of 
Honor Memorial Highway'' in the State of Texas.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2559

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The segment of Interstate Route 10 between milepost 535 and 
     milepost 545 at Kendall County, Texas, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor Memorial 
     Highway''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the segment of 
     Interstate Route 10 referred to in section 1 shall be deemed 
     to be a reference to the ``PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor 
     Memorial Highway''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Graves) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice 
Johnson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 2559.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2559, which names a segment of 
Interstate 10 between mile markers 535 and 545 in Kendall County, 
Texas, after Private First Class Milton A. Lee.
  PFC Milton A. Lee joined the Army in San Antonio in 1967 as a member 
of the 101st Army Airborne Division and served in Vietnam as a radio 
telephone operator.
  PFC Lee was killed in action at the age of 19 and is buried at Fort 
Sam Houston in San Antonio. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for 
conspicuous gallantry in action at the risk of his life above and 
beyond the call of duty.
  H.R. 2559 is supported by all the local elected officials, community 
leaders, and veterans organizations.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2559.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of 
H.R. 2559, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill designates a 10-mile segment of Interstate 10 between 
milepost 535 and milepost 545 in Kendall County, Texas, as the PFC 
Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor Memorial Highway. I am pleased to be a 
cosponsor of this bill along with my colleagues from Texas.
  Private Lee was a hero who tragically lost his life at the age of 19 
while fighting for his country in Vietnam. Milton A. Lee was born 
February 28, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He later moved to Texas 
and attended Harlandale High School in San Antonio before enlisting in 
the Army.
  The actions preceding his death were nothing short of heroic. While 
serving as a radio operator with the 3rd Platoon, Company B, the 
platoon was surprised by hostile fire by the North Vietnamese Army. 
Private Lee moved through the heavy enemy fire to give lifesaving first 
aid to his wounded fellow soldiers.
  As the platoon was advancing to reorganize, Private Lee noticed four 
hidden North Vietnamese soldiers with automatic weapons and a rocket 
launcher ready to attack the lead element of the platoon. He selflessly 
charged through the enemy fire and overran their position, killing the 
attackers and capturing their weapons. His actions saved the lives of 
his fellow soldiers and were instrumental in the destruction of the key 
position of the enemy defense.
  Private Lee died April 26, 1968. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 
1970 for his gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the 
call of duty.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we can come to the floor of the House 
today and celebrate this young man's courage and conviction by naming a 
portion of Interstate 10 in his honor. This bill is a fitting tribute.
  Before I close, I would like to remind my colleagues that there are 
only 23 legislative days left before highway and transit program 
authorizations expire. Here we are again on the brink of yet another 
extension in the middle of the summer construction season. I strongly 
urge my colleagues to take up the charge to restore our Nation's 
infrastructure. If we do not act quickly, we will soon not have any 
miles of road left worthy of naming after any great American. I support 
this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), my good friend.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my friend and 
colleague from Missouri, Representative Graves, for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to recognize veteran, patriot, and 
Medal of Honor recipient Milton A. Lee today. Earlier this year, I 
introduced H.R. 2559, which designates a portion of Interstate Highway 
10 in Boerne, Texas, as PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor Memorial 
Highway.

[[Page 9610]]

  PFC Lee was born on February 28, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana. 
While he was not born in Texas, Lee entered the Army in San Antonio, 
served honorably in the Vietnam war, and was laid to rest at Fort Sam 
Houston, which is located in my district.

                              {time}  1615

  PFC Lee served as a radio telephone operator with the 3rd Platoon, 
Company B, during an intense, surprise hostile attack by North 
Vietnamese army fighters. The 3rd Platoon maneuvered to a position of 
cover to treat their wounded and reorganize. Meanwhile, PFC Lee moved 
through the heavy enemy fire to give lifesaving first aid to his 
wounded fellow soldiers. During the subsequent assault, PFC Lee 
continuously kept close radio contact with the company commander and 
relayed precise and understandable information to his platoon leader.
  While advancing toward the objective, PFC Lee observed four North 
Vietnamese soldiers with automatic weapons and a rocket launcher lying 
in wait for his platoon. PFC Lee immediately, and with great risk to 
his own personal safety, passed his radio to another soldier and 
charged through the barrage of fire. Without hesitation, he continued 
his attack and successfully overran the enemy position, killing all 
occupants and capturing four automatic weapons and a rocket launcher.
  PFC Lee continued his one-man assault on another enemy position 
through a heavy barrage of enemy automatic weapons fire. Although 
wounded, he continued to press the attack and crawled forward into a 
firing position to deliver accurate cover fire for his platoon. This 
enabled his platoon to maneuver and destroy the enemy position. Not 
until the position was overrun did PFC Lee falter in his steady volume 
of fire and succumb to his wounds.
  PFC Lee's heroic actions saved the lives of many in his platoon and 
were instrumental in the destruction of a key position of the enemy's 
defense. PFC Lee's gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the 
call of duty epitomizes the highest traditions of the military service 
and reflects great credit on himself, the 502nd Infantry, and the U.S. 
Army.
  So today, I urge my colleagues to support this bill in honor of an 
American hero. In giving his life for our country in such a selfless 
and heroic fashion, PFC Lee is deserving of our naming a portion of a 
Federal highway in his honor.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to urge my 
colleagues to support this bill. I think what we are trying to do here 
is very fitting.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2559.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the 
yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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