Brian Jones: “I have introduced H.R. 4639. It is known as the Corporal Dustin Lee Memorial Act, to amend title 10, United States Code…”

“I have introduced H.R. 4639. It is known as the Corporal Dustin Lee Memorial Act, to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the adoption of a military working dog by the family of a deceased or seriously wounded member of the Armed Forces who was the handler of the dog. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago I got involved with a family from Mississippi. It was somewhat by accident really. It was brought to my attention that Rachel and Jerome Lee, the husband, had lost a son named Dustin Lee, and that Dustin was killed for this country in Iraq. He was a dog handler, and the dog was wounded as well. The Marine Corps took the dog, named Lex, to the funeral in Mississippi of Dustin Lee, the Marine who was killed. And at that time the daddy, Jerome Lee, and the mama, Rachel Lee, wanted to have the dog stay with them. Well, it wasn't possible because the rules and regulations said that the dog, which was owned by the Air Force, leased to the Marine Corps, had to be retired.”