[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 21753-21754] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ON THE DEATH OF SECOND LIEUTENANT EMILY J.T. PEREZ ______ HON. STENY H. HOYER of maryland in the house of representatives Friday, September 29, 2006 Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the tragic loss of Second Lieutenant Emily J.T. Perez, a young soldier from Prince George's County, MD, who gave the ultimate measure of sacrifice for our Nation in Iraq, saddens all of us. And today, I want to pay tribute to this outstanding young American, as well as express my deepest condolences to her family, including her parents, Vicki and Daniel, and all of her friends and loved ones. Second Lieutenant Perez of Fort Washington died on September 12 after a roadside bomb exploded under her Humvee. She is the [[Page 21754]] first female graduate of West Point to die in Iraq. But she should not be remembered solely for how she passed from this life and into God's hands. She must be remembered for the outstanding and inspiring way in which she lived and those she touched during her 23 years. Emily Perez was a trailblazer and a star in every sense of the word. She rose to the top of her class at Oxon Hill High School. She became the first minority female command sergeant in the history of the U.S. Military Academy. And she excelled at everything from track to the gospel choir. As the Washington Post reported, friends and family members nicknamed her ``Kobe,'' after Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, because ``everyone knew she could make the shots, in whatever she did.'' Second Lieutenant Perez was best known for her tenacious leadership, first as a wing commander of Junior ROTC and then on the campus of West Point. She leaves behind a collection of young cadets inspired by her patriotism, as they prepare for military careers defending our Nation. While incredibly strong willed, Perez also is remembered for her sensitivity to others, organizing an HIV-AIDS ministry in high school after family members contracted the virus. Yet it was being a soldier that was Perez's true calling. She was born into a military family in Heidelberg, Germany, and knew from a very young age that she wanted to serve. After graduating from West Point, she was assigned to the Army's 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and deployed to Iraq in December. One of her mentors, Roger Pollard, told the Post: ``I clearly remember thinking that she would definitely be the first female president of this country.'' Lost at the age of 23, we will never know what was in store for this extraordinary young woman. But one thing is certain: She heroically served her Nation in defense of our freedom, and we should all be proud of the full life she led in her short time here. ____________________