[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 68 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H2507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE COURAGE AND BRAVERY OF CAPTAIN RILEY COON

  (Ms. TOKUDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Speaker, on August 8, 2023, there were many heroes 
who exhibited courage and bravery as wildfires ravaged Maui and Hawaii 
Island.
  Today, it is my honor to recognize one of those heroes, Captain Riley 
Coon, a third-generation mariner and co-owner of one of Maui's oldest 
family boating companies, Trilogy Excursions.
  When the Coast Guard called for help, Riley and six other Trilogy 
captain and crewmembers answered the call, rescuing countless people 
who had jumped into the ocean to escape the flames, and transporting 
them to safety.
  Battling 80-mile-per-hour winds, intense heat, and smoke, Riley saved 
lives as they conducted emergency rescues throughout the night and into 
the next morning.
  For his courageous efforts, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society 
selected Riley from over 200 nominees nationwide as the 2024 Single Act 
of Heroism Honoree.
  It is an award that is much deserved, and it serves as a reminder of 
the many everyday people who stepped forward and became heroes on those 
fateful days.
  So, today, in addition to recognizing Riley, let us lift up and 
celebrate all of our heroes who risked life and limb and ran toward the 
flames to save the people and places they love.

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