EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

July 25, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1317 

REMEMBERING ARMY NATIONAL 

GUARD SPECIALIST SERGIO 

EDUARDO PEREZ 

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY OF INDIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with immense sadness and great respect that I rise to 

remember Army National Guard Specialist 

Sergio Eduardo Perez for his bravery and willingness to fight for his country. Specialist 

Perez was a member of the Indiana National 

Guard 713th Engineer Company, 

headquartered in Valparaiso, Indiana. While 

Specialist Perez was on a route clearance patrol in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, he 

was killed in an attack that involved rocketpropelled grenade fire and small arms fire. His 

sacrifice will forever be remembered by those 

he fought to protect. 

A native of East Chicago, Indiana, Sergio 

graduated from Lake Central High School in 

2010. Sergio’s high school principal recalls 

that Sergio was a quiet, reserved young man 

and a hard worker. His classmates speak of 

his kindness, respect, and willingness to help 

others. Shortly after graduating, Specialist 

Perez joined the National Guard, and his company mobilized at the end of September 2011. 

Sergio is remembered by friends as an allaround great guy who made a strong impression on those who knew him. According to 

loved ones, Sergio was a person who genuinely cared about everyone around him. He 

had a gentle spirit and a deep devotion to his 

family. In Sergio’s own words, ‘‘It takes a lot 

to make me mad, and when I am, I can’t be 

mad for long. I get along with almost everyone. I work way more than I should and I’m 

starting to realize how short life is.’’ For his remarkable courage and selfless commitment to 

the Army, Specialist Perez is worthy of the 

highest praise. His life was taken from us far 

too soon. He will be greatly missed and forever cherished by those who loved him. 

Specialist Perez leaves behind a beloved 

host of family and friends. He is survived by 

his adoring parents: Sergio E. Perez, Sr. and 

Veronica Orozco. Sergio also leaves to cherish his memory three loving sisters: Candice 

Perez, Andrea Jimenez, and Karyme Jimenez, 

and his half brother, Axel Perez Martinez. He 

will be greatly missed by his maternal grandparents, Alicia and Charles Orozco, and his 

paternal grandparents, Severo and Ramona 

Perez. Specialist Perez also leaves behind 

many other dear friends and family members, 

as well as a grateful, yet deeply saddened 

community. 

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I ask that you and 

my distinguished colleagues join me in honoring a fallen hero, United States Army National Guard Specialist, Sergio E. Perez. Specialist Perez sacrificed his life in service to his 

country, and his passing comes as a great 

loss to our nation, which has once again been 

shaken by the realities of war. Specialist 

Perez will forever remain a hero in the eyes of 

his family, his community, and his country. 

Thus, let us never forget the sacrifice he made 

to preserve the ideals of freedom and democracy. 

f 

PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. BARBARA LEE OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was 

not present for rollcall votes 499–503. Had I 

been able to vote, I would have voted ‘‘no’’ on 

No. 499, ‘‘no’’ on No. 500, ‘‘yes’’ on No. 501, 

‘‘no’’ on No. 502, and ‘‘no’’ on No. 503. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE 302ND AIRLIFT 

WING’S REDEDICATION OF THE 

SUMIT 38 MEMORIAL 

HON. DOUG LAMBORN OF COLORADO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

recognize the rededication of the 302nd Airlift 

Wing’s SUMIT 38 memorial. 

On Saturday, May 13, 1995 a C–130 with 

call sign SUMIT 38 assigned to the Air Force 

Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing based 

at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, 

crashed near Bliss, Idaho. SUMIT 38 had 

flown 15 support personnel to Boise, Idaho for 

firefighting training and crashed during its return flight to Colorado. Six Air Force Reservists lost their lives that day. 

Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Buckhout, 1st 

Lieutenant Lance Dougherty, Captain Geoff 

Boyd, Chief Master Sergeant Jimmie D. Vail, 

Master Sergeant Jay Kemp and Staff Sergeant Michael L. Scheideman perished in the 

crash. The men and women of the 302nd Airlift Wing, their families and the community will 

continue to mourn the loss. 

Let us always remember the crew of SUMIT 

38, and never forget the sacrifice they made 

in the service of our Nation. On Saturday, August 4, 2012, the 302nd Airlift Wing will rededicate the memorial to the fallen crew at 

Peterson Air Force Base in its new location. 

The memorial will become the centerpiece of 

the new Total Force Integration C–130 squadron operations facility. 

I ask the Members of Congress to join me 

in remembering and honoring the crew of 

SUMIT 38. 

f 

H.R. 5856 

HON. DAVID N. CICILLINE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, last week the 

House of Representatives passed H.R. 5856, 

the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. 

While I strongly oppose some provisions of 

H.R. 5856, I voted in favor of this legislation 

in order to support our troops, military families, 

and veterans, and to advance other important 

priorities for our national defense. 

I applaud the leadership of Chairmen ROGERS and YOUNG and Ranking Member DICKS

in crafting a bill that provides an increase to 

service members’ pay, strengthens health care 

services, and advances critical research for 

cancer, Traumatic Brain Injury, and other conditions. H.R. 5856 supports a continued investment in small businesses through the 

Rapid Innovation Program, provides for the 

production of two Virginia-class attack submarines, advances the Iron Dome program, 

and seeks to hold Pakistan accountable by 

ensuring they are cooperating with the United 

States in counterterrorism efforts, including 

dismantling and disrupting the manufacture of 

improvised explosive devices—an issue that I 

specifically addressed through two successful 

amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act offered earlier this year. 

However, I must also note my strong disappointment that this legislation breaches the 

Budget Control Act of 2011—the bipartisan, bicameral agreement enacted into law last year, 

which was designed to help rein in spending 

and stabilize our nation’s finances. Despite the 

fact that over $1 billion in spending was reduced through the successful adoption of an 

amendment offered by Representative 

MULVANEY and Representative FRANK, effectively freezing defense spending in the bill at 

current levels, H.R. 5856 still exceeds the 

budgetary cap set by last year’s Budget Control Act by several billion dollars. An additional 

amendment was offered by Representatives 

LEE, VAN HOLLEN, and SMITH that would have 

brought the bill’s spending in line with the levels set by last year’s Budget Control Act. Unfortunately, while I voted in favor of this 

amendment, it was not adopted by the full 

House. Moreover, I offered an amendment to 

H.R. 5856 to strike funding for the Afghanistan 

Infrastructure Fund (AIF). As originally presented in the full House of Representatives, 

H.R. 5856 proposed $375 million in spending 

over the next fiscal year for large-scale water, 

power, transportation and other projects in Afghanistan through the AIF while our national 

infrastructure is crumbling here in America and 

in my home state of Rhode Island. While my 

amendment did not pass, I did vote in favor of 

a successful amendment offered by Representative COHEN to reduced AIF funding by 

$175 million. 

With President Obama’s announcement of 

the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership 

Agreement in May 2012, our nation took another step toward the end of combat operations in Afghanistan and the transition of military and security operations to the Afghans by 

2014—a timeline that had not yet been identified in 2011 during consideration of the FY 

2012 Department of Defense Appropriations 

Act. I, and many of my colleagues in Congress, would prefer an accelerated drawdown 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with REMARKS