[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ORGANIZE AND RUN KANSAS 
                              HONOR FLIGHT

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. MIKE POMPEO

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2016

  Mr. POMPEO. Mr. Speaker, in May of 2012 the Kansas Honor Flight took 
its first group of the Greatest Generation to Washington, D.C. Now, 
four years later, almost 950 World War II and Korean War Veterans have 
been able to visit the nation's capital to see their memorials and 
honor friends who made the ultimate sacrifice. This month, on May 4th, 
the 35th Kansas Honor Flight touched down in Washington, D.C.
  These flights would not happen without amazing volunteers. The work 
Mike and Connie VanCampen have done to honor these veterans is an 
exceptional example of the admiration Kansans, and all Americans, have 
for the men and women who serve. The VanCampens are not alone in this 
effort. A network of dedicated patriots whose selfless sacrifice on 
behalf of fellow Kansans mirrors that of the veterans they serve has 
worked on arranging these flights. These volunteers include another 
husband and wife team, Lowell and Joyce Downey, whose devotion to our 
Kansas veterans is truly inspiring.
  In addition to volunteers, I would like to thank the family members 
that accompany these veterans to Washington. I have met many of these 
family members as they escort their hero around the World War II 
memorial. The pure joy and admiration on the faces of these family 
members as they experience the memorial for the first time reassures me 
that generations to come will understand and venerate the sacrifices of 
our nation's military members past and present. From the bottom of my 
heart I say thank you. Thank you for the long hours. Thank you for your 
dedication. Thank you Kansas Honor Flight.

                          ____________________