,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #bf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se   
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #ai1 #bjac   
,mr4 ,hunt] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,bec]ra1   
,mr4 ,valadao1 ,mr4 ,turn]1 ,mr4 ,jones1
 ,mr4 ,grimm1 ,mr4 ,crd5as1 ,mr4 ,v>gas1
 ,mr4 ,pet]s ( ,cali=nia1 ,mrs4         
,napolitano1 ,mr4 ,cook1 ,mr4 ,k9z+] (  
,ill9ois1 ,mr4 ,gallego1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1
 ,mr4 ,mill] ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,calv]t1  
,mr4 ,gu?rie1 ,mr4 ,wilson ( ,s\?       
,c>ol9a1 ,mr4 ,diaz-,bal>t1 ,mr4 ,murphy
 ( ,p5nsylvania1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 ,mr4   
,s\!rl&1 ,mr4 ,d5ham1 ,mr4 ,amodei1 ,mr4
 ,issa1 ,mrs4 ,roby1 ,mr4 ,runyan1 &    
,mrs4 ,davis ( ,cali=nia7 submitt$ !    
foll[+ concurr5t resolution2 :i* 0      
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices
  ,,concurr5t ,,resolution  ,recomm5d+ !
 po/hum\s aw>d ( ! ,m$al ( ,honor to    
,s]geant ,rafael ,p]alta4  ,:]eas 9     
,novemb] #bjjd1 ! ,m>9e ,corps l$ combat
 op]ations to retake ! insurg5t         
/ronghold ( ,fallujah1 ,iraq1 z "p (    
,op]ation ,phantom ,fury2 ,:]eas ,m>9e  

,corps ,s]geant ,rafael ,p]alta & ?\s&s 
( o!r ,m>9es ent]$ ! city ( ,fallujah1  
com+ into imm$iate contact ) ! enemy &  
engag+ 9 "s ( ! mo/ int5se combat ( !   
entire ,iraq w>2 ,:]eas ,s]geant        
,p]alta1 s]v+ ) #a/ ,battalion1 #crd    
,m>9es1 cle>$ scores ( h\ses = days & on
 ,novemb] #ad1 #bjjd1 ask$ to jo9 an    
"u-/r5g? squad2 ,:]eas ! foll[+ morn+1 z
 ,s]geant ,p]alta & 8 squad ( ,m>9es    
cle>$ _! sev5? h\se ( ! day1 a          
close-qu>t] firefight erupt$2 ,:]eas    
,s]geant ,p]alta1 attempt+ to move out (
 ! l9e ( fire1 0 hit 9 ! back ( ! head  
by a fragm5t f a rico*et$ bullet2 ,:]eas
 ! insurg5ts1 9 ! process ( flee+ !     
h\se1 ?rew a fragm5tation gr5ade ?r\gh a
 w9d[1 l&+ directly ne> ! head (        
,s]geant ,p]alta2 ,:]eas ,s]geant       
,p]alta rea*$ = ! gr5ade & pull$ x into 
8 body1 absorb+ ! bla/ & %ield+ ! o!r   
,m>9es :o 7 only feet away2 ,:]eas      
,s]geant ,p]alta1 on ,novemb] #ae1      
#bjjd1 made ! ultimate sacrifice to save
 ! lives ( 8 fell[ ,m>9es2 ,:]eas       

,s]geant ,p]alta 0 po/hum\sly recomm5d$ 
by ! ,m>9e ,corps & ! ,dep>tm5t ( !     
,navy = ! ,m$al ( ,honor2 ,:]eas sev5   
eyewitnesses confirm$ t ,s]geant ,p]alta
 smo!r$ ! gr5ade ) 8 body1 ) f\r ( !    
acc\nts1 tak5 indep5d5tly1 /at+ t he    
ga!r$ ! gr5ade ) 8 "r arm2 ,:]eas !     
hi/orical /&>d = ! ,m$al ( ,honor is two
 eyewitness acc\nts2 ,:]eas 9 #bjjh1    
,s]geant ,p]alta's ,m$al ( ,honor       
nom9ation 0 d[ngrad$ to ! ,navy ,cross  
aft] an indep5d5t panel det]m9$ t       
,s]geant ,p]alta c\ld n h delib]ately   
pull$ ! gr5ade into 8 body due to 8 head
 w\nd1 despite sev5 eyewitness acc\nts  
/at+ t he did s2 ,:]eas 9 #bjab1 new &  
previ\sly unconsid]$ evid5ce1 consi/+ ( 
combat video & an indep5d5t pa?ology    
report1 0 submitt$ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( !   
,navy2 ,:]eas bas$ on ! new evid5ce1 a  
review ( ! case 0 initiat$2 ,:]eas 9    
,decemb] #bjab1 despite an ann\ncem5t ( 
! ,navy's support = upgrad+ ,s]geant    
,p]alta's ,navy ,cross to ! ,m$al (     
,honor1 ! upgrade 0 decl9$2 ,:]eas !    

citation = ,s]geant ,p]alta's ,navy     
,cross /ates1 8)\t hesitation & )       
complete disreg>d = 8 own p]sonal       
safety1 ,s]geant ,p]alta rea*$ out &    
pull$ ! gr5ade to 8 body1 absorb+ !     
brunt ( ! bla/ & %ield+ fell[ ,m>9es    
only feet away02 ,:]eas ,s]geant ,p]alta
 wrote to 8 bro!r 9 ! days prec$+ 8     
dea?1 say+1 ,i'm pr\d to be a ,m>9e1 a  
,u4,s4 ,m>9e1 & to def5d & protect !    
fre$om & ,con/itution ( ,am]ica4 ,y %\ld
 be pr\d ( be+ an ,am]ican citiz542     
,:]eas ,s]geant ,p]alta1 :o 0 born 9    
,mexico & immigrat$ ) 8 family to ,san  
,diego1 ,cali=nia1 enli/$ 9 ! ,m>9e     
,corps on ! same morn+ he receiv$ 8 pro(
 ( p]man5t resid5ce1 commonly kn[n z a  
gre5 c>d2 & ,:]eas ,s]geant ,p]alta & 8 
fell[ ,m>9es are an inspiration = _!    
s]vice1 selflessness1 & sacrifice3 ,n[1 
!re=e1 be x  ,t ,congress--  7#a7 honors
 ,s]geant ,rafael ,p]alta1 z a          
,mexican-,am]ican :o jo9$ ! ,m>9e ,corps
 on ! same day he receiv$ 8 p]man5t     
resid5ce /atus1 = 8 d$ication to ! ,m>9e

 ,corps & ! ,unit$ ,/ates & = uphold+ ! 
highe/ /&>ds ( milit>y s]vice2  7#b7    
recognizes t ,s]geant ,p]alta's c\rage\s
 & selfless actions 9 combat sav$ !     
lives ( 8 fell[ ,m>9es2  7#c7 concurs ) 
! ,m>9e ,corps & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,navy t
 ,s]geant ,p]alta's actions are 9 ! _s &
 tradition ( ! ,m$al ( ,honor2  7#d7    
ma9ta9s t1 consi/5t ) previ\s ,m$al (   
,honor aw>ds1 ! eyewitness acc\nts      
confirm t ,s]geant ,p]alta delib]ately  
pull$ ! gr5ade into 8 body & !          
eyewitness acc\nts %\ld be ! lead+ &    
decid+ factor 9 evaluat+ ,s]geant       
,p]alta's ,m$al ( ,honor nom9ation2 &   
7#e7 recomm5ds t ,s]geant ,p]alta be    
po/hum\sly aw>d$ ! ,m$al ( ,honor4