Date: 2016-06-08
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I thank the Honorable RANDY WEBER. I especially thank him for signing on early to the legislation that Congressman GENE GREEN called to our attention. I appreciate it greatly. We look forward to working with the gentleman. I thank him for the outstanding effort. Mr. Speaker. you heard one of our Members mention that we were having 100year and 500year floods. This is debatable. I suppose. whether they are 100year floods or 500year floods. but there is one fact that is beyond dispute. It is beyond reproach. The fact is this: We are having billion dollar floods. Billion dollar floods. Mr. Speaker. in Houston. Texas. Within the last year. a little more than a year now. but within a 12month period of time. Houston. Texas. has been declared a disaster area twice. Twice. Over the last 20 years. billions of dollars spent. and we have had 4 to 5 days of flooding each year over the last 20 years. This flooding is causing great harm to property. There are people who have just moved back into their homes. Mr. Speaker. and they find themselves now being evicted by floodwaters again. waters that they cannot extricate themselves from. Their homes are stationary and fixed. They have to cope with these floods. They have to cope with their life after the floods. We are here tonight to let the country know that we in Houston. Texas. are tough. We are Texas tough. But there is something that we can do to help the people in Houston. Texas. I dont want to talk about that right now. to be quite candid with you. After losing the lives of our military persons in Fort Hood. Texas. I believe it is very important for us to make some special reference to them. These are people who have served this country. who were prepared to live and die for the country. They are persons who were in training. and they were among the finest that we have. I regret that we have lost them. All lives are precious. All lives are special. I came to the floor earlier. and I recited the names of persons who had lost their lives. some 16 persons in the Memorial Day flood and the tax day flood. At this time. I believe it necessary and appropriate to mention the persons who lost their lives in Fort Hood. nine soldiers. Mr. Speaker. we had a staff sergeant lose his life. Staff Sergeant Miguel Angel Colonvazquez. 38 years of age. Mr. Speaker. he served with honor. He received five Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement Medals. three Army Good Conduct Medals. two Korea Defense Service Medals. the Army Service Ribbon. the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal. and other honors as well. Specialist Yingming Sun. age 25. from California. He received the National Defense Service Medal. the Global War on Terrorism Medal. the Korea Defense Service Medal. the Army Service Ribbon. the Overseas Service Ribbon. Specialist Christine Faith Armstrong. age 27. from California. She received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Korea Defense Service Medal. Army Service Ribbon. and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Private First Class Brandon Austin Banner. 22 years of age. He received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Korea Defense Service Medal. Army Service Ribbon. Overseas Service Ribbon. Marksmanship Qualification Badge. Private First Class Zachery Nathaniel Fuller. age 23. Floridian. He received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Army Service Ribbon. Private Isaac Lee Deleon. age 19. He received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Army Service Ribbon. Private Eddy Gates. age 20. North Carolina. She received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Army Service Ribbon. Private Tysheena James. age 21. She received the National Defense Service Medal. Global War on Terrorism Medal. Army Service Ribbon. Finally. Cadet Mitchell Alexander Winey. age 21. He was majoring in Engineering Management at West Point. Mr. Speaker. I am grateful for the time. and I would like to close with this. if you will allow. All of these people were meeting the measure of life that Ruth Smeltzer called to our attention: Some measure their lives by days and years. others by heartthrobs. passions and tears. but the surest measure under Gods sun is what for others in your lifetime have you done. These were persons who were committed to doing for others in this great country. and they were committed to doing it to the extent that. unfortunately. with all of their honors. they lost their lives in circumstances from which they could not extricate themselves under adverse weather conditions. I believe that they are worthy of a moment of a silence. They are worthy of much more. to be quite candid with you. but I believe that tonight this House should recognize all of them and all of those who have lost their lives with a moment of silence. And I shall ask that we engage in such at this time. Mr. Speaker. I would have the families of all of them note that they may be gone physically. but they will never be forgotten. We want the record to show that they served their country with distinction and with honor. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.