Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, I rise to commemorate the precious life of Joseph Stone of Tucson, Arizona. The 36-year-old American was serving his part of an official international peace team monitoring the border conflict between Ukrainian Government troops and Russian-backed separatists who invaded Ukraine. Mr. Stone was working with a German and a Czech peace monitor when an explosion--likely a mine--damaged their vehicle in Pryshyb, Ukraine. The two other monitors are hospitalized in stable condition. Stone is the first Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe monitor killed in that very important mission. Stone's career in foreign assistance missions brought him to Afghanistan and Liberia before Ukraine. Before entering the aid community, Stone worked at American Medical Response in southern Arizona for 9 years, starting out as an EMT and rising to the level of paramedic. He graduated from Pima Community College. He is survived by his mother, two brothers, a longtime companion, and 13-year-old daughter. Since its establishment in 2014, the OSCE has played a vital role in monitoring the Minsk agreements designed to bring peace to eastern Ukraine after Russia's brutal invasion of a sovereign neighbor. This fateful tragedy makes clear the absolute brutality of Vladimir Putin's threats to liberty and democracy in Ukraine.…”