[for video of the Floor statement, click HERE]

(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) spoke on the House Floor in honor of the eight Louisville service members who have been killed in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.  He introduced legislation to rename the Hikes Point Post Office, at 3050 Hunsinger Lane, the “Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office.”

The bill was approved unanimously and will now be referred to the Senate.  Once approved, it will be sent to the President to be signed into law.  

A transcript of Yarmuth’s remarks can be found below.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the eight American heroes from Louisville, Kentucky who were taken from us, in the prime of their lives, these last five years.  

While they did not serve together, they all shared a special bond of selfless dedication, love of country, and immeasurable courage.  These noble qualities did not originate when they volunteered to serve in the armed forces, but their time serving greatly enhanced and magnified those attributes.  In his service, each man proved his valor time and time again, readily meeting every challenge that confronted him with loyalty and devotion.  Tragically, and long before we were ready to say good-bye, these brave souls made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for the United States of America—seven in Operation Iraqi Freedom and one in Afghanistan, in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Still, for all they shared, these men are also marked by a wonderful individuality.  An incredible athlete and officer.  A great dad who would have been a great coach.  A third generation warrior called to heaven before he could answer another call to preach the word of God.  A peacekeeper in Bosnia who wanted to come home to Louisville and continue to keep the peace in his hometown.  An EMS worker known for empathy.  An unflappable National Guardsman.  A decorated military officer.  And a poet and performer who could light up a stage and brighten your day.

Some were known for their sense of humor; others by a sense of purpose, and with each of them, their fellow service members knew they could be depended upon in the most dire of circumstances.  The men we honor today saved lives, and every one of them is an American hero.

Some of them spent a short time in the military, others spent half their lives in the service, and all gave their lives for this country—for our history, for our citizens, and most of all, for our future.
We are—each of us—poorer for their loss, but infinitely richer for the time they spent on this planet and the contributions that they made to our community and this nation.

For the families who lost a son, a husband, a father and for the many who lost a good friend, this is a wound that time can never fully heal.  The grief we all share for their loss is not fleeting and demands a memorial of equal permanence.  In recognition of these great heroes, I am proposing legislation to rename the Hikes Point Post Office the “Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office” in my Congressional District.

As our friends, neighbors, and I conduct our daily business in our community, this building will stand in testament to the tremendous sacrifice made by eight brave Louisvillians.  When their families see the memorial I hope they are reminded that they are not alone in their grief, not alone in their appreciation for the deeds of these men, and not alone in the celebration of the lives of eight extraordinary individuals who gave us everything they had in their short time on Earth.  Sergeant Michael Acklin II, Captain Clayton Lee Adamkavicius, Lance Corporal Robert Lynch, Sergeant Darrin K. Potter, Sergeant First Class Christopher Phelps, Staff Sergeant George S. Rentschler, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeffery L. Wiener, and Sergeant David Neil Wimberg.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in offering these men this honor, which will have the same permanence as their benefit to our country, by renaming the Hikes Point Post Office the “Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office.”  I yield back the remainder of my time.