[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4] [House] [Pages 4521-4522] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIALIST MONICA L. BROWN (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce legislation with my colleague, Ron Paul of Texas, that honors the sacrifice and courage of a young Army soldier. This happens to be Women's History Month, and this happens to be in honor of the heroic deeds of U.S. Army Specialist, Monica L. Brown. I believe this legislation is especially pertinent, given that March is Women's History Month. Specialist Brown is the first woman in Afghanistan, and only the second female soldier since World War II, to receive the Silver Star, the Nation's third highest medal for valor. This soldier from Lake Jackson, Texas is only 19 years old. On April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown was part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the HUMVEES. When Specialist Brown saw fellow soldiers were injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire, without regard to herself. All five wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this commotion, she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location because they were still receiving fire. The Pentagon says that they don't send women to the front lines, but in Afghanistan and in Iraq there are no front lines. She happens to be only the second woman to receive the Silver Star since World War II. We honor her with this resolution, H. Con. Res. 320. I ask my colleagues to join me in this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that honors the sacrifice and courage of a young Army soldier. My colleague and fellow Texan, Representative Ron Paul seeks to recognize the heroic deeds of U.S. Army Specialist Monica L. Brown. I believe this legislation is especially pertinent given that March is Women's History Month. Spec. Brown is the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. This solider from Lake Jackson, Texas is only 19 years old. On April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown was part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the Humvees. When Spec. Brown saw her fellow soldiers were injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this commotion, she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location because they were still receiving incoming fire. The Pentagon's official policy is to prohibit women from serving in front-line combat roles in the infantry, armor or artillery, but the nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than previous conflicts. According to the Army four Army nurses in World War II were the first women to receive the Silver Star, though three nurses serving in World War I were awarded the medal posthumously in 2007. Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, of Nashville, Tenn., was the first to receive the Silver Star in 2005 along with two fellow male soldiers for her gallantry during an insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq. The Army has stated that Spec. Brown's ``bravery, unselfish actions and medical aid rendered under fire saved the lives of her comrades and represents the finest traditions of heroism in combat.'' This legislation is not about condoning the wars in Afghanistan or in Iraq. This legislation is about us supporting and honoring our troops. It is about this Nation's children fighting for the rights of all of us in places we do not dare to go, under environments we cannot fully appreciate from this comfortable position. Spec. Brown reminds us that our youth are fighting in this war, our mothers and daughters are fighting in this war, and they deserve to be recognized for their achievements. However, we not only recognize the sacrifice and courage of Spec. Brown, of even just the brave acts of her fellow soldiers, marines, and airmen. We must also recognize the families of our military. Spec. Brown's grandmother said she was the proudest Grandmother in all of Lake Jackson, Texas, when she learned of her granddaughter's heroism. We should all be as proud of our young men and women as Spec. Brown's grandmother. In being proud of them, we are not condoning the Administration, we are recognizing their efforts and their belief in what they have been tasked to do. We sit in these chambers and discuss the idea of war, and the economic costs to the Nation. However, our men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq are dealing with the realities of war everyday. I am proud of Specialist Monica L. Brown, Texas is proud of Monica L. Brown, and this country should be proud of Monica L. Brown. She thought first of her fellow soldiers and not of the harm that may come her way. [[Page 4522]] Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join Representative Ron Paul and myself in recognizing a true hero, a solider, a daughter of Texas, with this legislation. ____________________