John Mica: “Mr. Speaker, tonight we have recognized three heroes who lost their lives in service to this Nation. It is a small token…”

“Mr. Speaker, tonight we have recognized three heroes who lost their lives in service to this Nation. It is a small token of appreciation that this Congress extends to recognize these heroes. One was not a citizen of this country, a native of the Dominican Republic, who we honored with citizenship after he gave his life in service to this country. Evan Asa Ashcraft is being recognized with H.R. 5147. Each of these are precious lives and each of these are a great sorrow and loss for their families. We must think and reflect upon all of these heroes, some from my district. And I have attended some of those funerals, consoled some of the loved ones who lost their sons. Tonight we do recognize again three heroes who served this Nation and we wonder about the greatness of this Nation, how men and women can go forth and their families can sacrifice them in causes that sometimes seem remote. I remember speaking to a high school graduation class in central Florida. A young man in that class went in service to this Nation and was murdered 2 years later by terrorists in Khobar Towers, Brian McVeigh, who I never forget, and many other young men and women who have lost their lives both in combat and by accident in service to this Nation in Iraq. I think of those who lost their lives to remove a thug and a drug dealer from Panama.”