January 30, 2017 - Issue: Vol. 163, No. 15 — Daily Edition115th Congress (2017 - 2018) - 1st Session
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DESIGNATING A MOUNTAIN IN THE JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS AS SKY POINT; Congressional Record Vol. 163, No. 15
(House of Representatives - January 30, 2017)
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[Pages H709-H710] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DESIGNATING A MOUNTAIN IN THE JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS AS SKY POINT Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 381) to designate a mountain in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest as ``Sky Point''. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 381 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Staff Sergeant Sky Mote, USMC, grew up in El Dorado, California. (2) Staff Sergeant Mote graduated from Union Mine High School. (3) Upon graduation, Staff Sergeant Mote promptly enlisted in the Marine Corps. (4) Staff Sergeant Mote spent 9 years serving his country in the United States Marine Corps, including a deployment to Iraq and two deployments to Afghanistan. (5) By his decisive actions, heroic initiative, and resolute dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Mote gave his life to protect fellow Marines on August 10, 2012, by gallantly rushing into action during an attack by a rogue Afghan policeman inside the base perimeter in Helmand province. (6) Staff Sergeant Mote was awarded the Navy Cross, a Purple Heart, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, a Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, 2 Combat Action Ribbons and 3 Good Conduct Medals. (7) The Congress of the United States, in acknowledgment of this debt that cannot be repaid, honors Staff Sergeant Mote for his ultimate sacrifice and recognizes his service to his country, faithfully executed to his last, full measure of devotion. (8) A presently unnamed peak in the center of Humphrey Basin holds special meaning to the friends and family of Sky Mote, as their annual hunting trips set up camp beneath this point; under the stars, the memories made beneath this rounded peak will be cherished forever. SEC. 2. SKY POINT. (a) Designation.--The mountain in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest in California, located at 37 15'16.10091"N 118 43'39.54102"W, shall be known and designated as ``Sky Point''. (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, record, or other paper of the United States to the mountain described in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a reference to ``Sky Point''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California. General Leave Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California? There was no objection. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill would name a peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains after Marine Staff Sergeant Sky Mote as a small token of the gratitude of our Nation, and as a permanent reminder that, as Shakespeare put it: ``This story should the good man teach his son.'' On August 12, 2012, Sergeant Mote was at his post in the tactical operations center of the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion in Helmand province. On that day, a so-called Afghan police officer opened fire on the Marines who had come there to help that country. When the attack broke out, Sergeant Mote was in an adjoining room. He could have easily escaped to safety. According to the Navy citation: ``He instead grabbed his M4 rifle and entered the operations room, courageously exposing himself to a hail of gunfire in order to protect his fellow Marines. In his final act of bravery, he boldly engaged the gunman, now less than 5 meters in front of him, until falling mortally wounded.'' According to the citation, it was Mote's actions that stopped the attack, and it was his heroism for which he received the Navy's second highest decoration: the Navy Cross. The irony is that Sky Mote was indifferent to the medals he was awarded during his life: the Navy and Marine [[Page H710]] Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, and three Good Conduct Medals that he earned during his 9 years of exemplary service to his Nation. His father, Russell, recalled that ``He never cared about medals. He never showed them to us.'' He said: ``Once, I found one in his laundry.'' But his father also said that although his son was indifferent to medals, he was intentionally and intensely proud of his EOD badge, designating his service as an explosive ordnance disposal technician. To the EOD technicians, bombs are not something to be avoided but something to be sought out and disarmed. On one such day, Mote diffused two IEDs, crawled through a heavily seeded minefield to save the life of his team member who had been severely wounded by a third, and then directed the evacuation of his unit. On that day, Sergeant Mote had earned a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a V for valor. We come today to the Hall of the House of Representatives to try to honor a hero who didn't care much about medals. We do so not for him. Lincoln was right long ago that it is far beyond our poor powers to add or detract from the honor of his deeds and the example of his life. I think we do so in part to acknowledge an irredeemable debt that our country owes to an eternally grieving family. We need to remember there are Gold Star families among us who spend their Memorial Days not at barbecues and beach parties but in solemn ceremonies and quiet vigils around honored graves. We honor their loved ones in hopes that in some small way we can fortify them against the loss that they bear every day of their lives. But, mainly, I think we do it for ourselves, that we might draw inspiration from his courage and instruction from his willingness to sacrifice all to protect the vision of liberty enshrined in the founding of our Nation. In consultation with his family, we have identified a mountain in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest overlooking where Sky Mote and his family often camped and hiked. This bill proposes that it forever more be known as Sky Point as a token of our Nation's respect of his heroism, its appreciation of his sacrifice, its sympathy for his family, and of its solemn pledge that succeeding generations of his countrymen will never forget him. This legislation first passed the House by voice vote in the 114th Congress, and I urge the passage of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, wow, just listening to my good friend from California explain and give us a description of what happened in the life of this American hero, Sergeant Sky Mote, I am truly touched by the many other stories that I have heard from families of our men and women in uniform, our veterans in service of our country. And as we have just heard, this bill designates a mountain peak in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest in California as ``Sky Point'' in recognition of a fallen Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Sky Mote. Sky served our country honorably as a U.S. marine for 9 years. He had a tour of duty in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. By designating that mountain as ``Sky Point,'' it will honor his memory and ensure his selfless sacrifice for his country and fellow marines is not forgotten. We passed this legislation last Congress by voice vote, and I urge that we do the same again today. I thank my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from California, for introducing this bill today. As I have no further speakers, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kind and good words and urge adoption of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 381. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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