[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4888]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MAUREEN MAHONEY--EVA MURILLO UNSUNG HERO AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 20, 2016

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Victims' Rights 
Caucus (VRC) advocates for crime victims. Jim Costa (CA) and I founded 
the VRC 10 years ago when we were first elected to Congress. During its 
10 year existence, the VRC has taken the lead in protecting programs 
that provide critical support for victim services throughout the 
nation, including the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Violence Against 
Women Act (VAWA), and the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). Each year the members of the caucus join 
together to honor outstanding individuals who have given their time and 
service to helping victims. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 
Caucus.
  On behalf of Congressman Costa and myself, we are proud to honor 
Maureen Mahoney with the Eva Murillo Unsung Hero Award. Nominated by 
Congressman Seth Moulton, Maureen is recognized for her efforts in 
preventing domestic violence. This award is named for Eva Murillo--an 
individual who cared deeply about advocating for victims and survivors 
of violent crime. Each year, an award bearing Eva Murillo's name 
recognizes an individual--or pair of individuals--who utilized his or 
her experiences to triumph over personal tragedy and raise awareness 
for the needs of crime victims.
  Maureen tragically lost her parents, Dr. Hugh and Ruth Mahoney, and 
her brother John to an incident of violent crime in December 1975. On 
the 40th anniversary of this tragedy, Maureen and her family organized 
a community event in Tewksbury, Massachusetts to celebrate and honor 
the lives of their parents and brother. This event tribute was 
dedicated to addressing domestic violence, as Maureen recognized that 
violent criminals are often impacted by domestic violence situations in 
their youth.
  Maureen donated all of the money raised at the event to local 
organizations in the Tewksbury area, including the Center for Hope and 
Healing, The Michael B. Christensen Community and Family Support 
Center, The United Teen Equality Center, and the Tewksbury Police 
Department. Maureen's own experiences translate in her work as a life 
coach, where she works with survivors of tragedy like herself. I am 
proud to recognize her efforts today with the Eva Murillo Unsung Hero 
Award.
  And that is just the way it is.

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