Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I yield to the Senator from Connecticut.

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to our Nation's Purple Heart recipients. The Purple Heart is one of the most recognizable medals of our Armed Forces.

The military decoration, a heart-shaped medal featuring a bust of George Washington and his coat of arms, is bestowed upon the men and women in our military who are wounded or killed in action. This is a powerful symbol of the sacrifice made by our Nation's military servicemembers.

This month, we recognized Purple Heart Day, which is observed annually on August 7. This day commemorates the anniversary of the Badge for Military Merit, the precursor to the Purple Heart created by George Washington. Purple Heart Day recognizes those men and women who have borne the ruins of battle, and paying tribute to the recipients of our Nation's oldest military medal demonstrates our respect and gratitude for their sacrifices.

I have also been working on new ways to honor and acknowledge the men and women who put themselves in harm's way in the defense of our Nation. In July, Senator Schatz and I introduced the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 to expand commissary eligibility to Purple Heart recipients and other deserving groups of veterans. I am pleased that the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act included this language that opens access to Purple Heart recipients.

Additionally, last year Congress passed the Forever GI bill. At the beginning of August, several provisions took effect, including the eligibility for post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients to receive full education benefits for up to 3 years.

An estimated 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded in our Nation's history, and it is symbolic of the price our men and women who serve in uniform are willing to pay and the debt of gratitude we owe them for their selfless service. The story of these heroes who earned this military honor continue to inspire us all.

Purple Heart Day honors the sacrifice of Aaron Mankin. Aaron joined the Marine Corps in 2003. In May of 2005, while deployed in Iraq as a combat correspondent, he survived an IED attack near the Syrian border. He sustained intense burns and major lung damage. The injury to his lungs was so extensive that he was placed on a ventilator. He had third-degree burns on his arms and lost his thumb and two-thirds of the index finger on his right hand. To date, he has endured nearly 70 surgeries.

During a ceremony by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Fayetteville, AR, earlier this month, Aaron spoke about the medal's significance to him. He said that his Purple Heart medal reminds him that we have those among us who are willing to shed their blood, their sweat, and their families' tears to protect the values and ideals we hold most dear. He told attendees: ``It is up to us to ensure that we are living lives worthy of such a sacrifice.''

Aaron has faced many challenges, but his contagious enthusiasm for life has opened many doors, including selection to serve in the Wounded Warrior Congressional Fellowship Program. Seeing how he has fought through this tremendous adversity continues to inspire me. It is important to recognize and not forget the sacrifice of Aaron and his brothers- and sisters-in-arms defending our way of life.

There are patriots like Air Force TSgt John Chapman, who gave his life in defense of this country while bravely fighting against al- Qaida. Sergeant Chapman exemplified the Air Force's core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do, during his heroic efforts against the enemy in Afghanistan on March 4, 2002. He continued his defense against the enemy, saving the lives of American rescue team members, despite his own grave injuries. Today, President Trump will celebrate this American hero by posthumously awarding him with the Medal of Honor.

We owe all of the men and women killed or wounded in combat our heartfelt gratitude for their selfless sacrifice. Although they often are not seeking out recognition, awards, honors, or things of that nature, they certainly deserve nothing less than our public and our private displays of appreciation. The Purple Heart symbolizes their patriotism, dedication, and commitment in defense of a grateful nation. It is a fitting tribute to those whose own hearts overflow with a fierce love for their country and who are willing to defend it with their lives.

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