,,iii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #i  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate   
,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #ai1 #bjac
 ,mrs4 ,fe9/e9 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,rubio7 
submitt$ ! foll[+ concurr5t resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$   
,s]vices  ,,concurr5t ,,resolution      
,recomm5d+ ! po/hum\s aw>d ( ! ,m$al (  
,honor to ,s]geant ,rafael ,p]alta4     
,:]eas1 9 ,novemb] #bjjd1 ! ,m>9e ,corps
 l$ 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$iate contact ) 
! enemy & engag+ 9 "s ( ! mo/ int5se    
combat 9 ! entire ,iraq w>2 ,:]eas      
,s]geant ,p]alta1 s]v+ ) #a/ ,battalion1
 #crd ,m>9es1 cle>$ scores ( h\ses =    
days1 & on ,novemb] #ad1 #bjjd1 ask$ to 
jo9 an "u-/r5g? squad2 ,:]eas1 ! foll[+ 
morn+1 a close-qu>t] fight erupt$ z     
,s]geant ,p]alta & 8 squad ( ,m>9es     
cle>$ _! sev5? h\se ( ! day2 ,:]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 to 8 
body1 absorb+ ! bla/ & %ield+ ! o!r     
,m>9es :o 7 only feet away2 ,:]eas1 on  
,novemb] #ae1 #bjjd1 ,s]geant ,p]alta   
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$al ( ,honor2 ,:]eas #g eyewitnesses 
confirm$ t ,s]geant ,p]alta smo!r$ !    
gr5ade ) 8 body1 ) #d ( ! acc\nts1 tak5 
indep5d5tly1 /at+ t ,s]geant ,p]alta    
ga!r$ ! gr5ade ) 8 "r arm2 ,:]eas !     
hi/orical /&>d = aw>d+ ! ,m$al ( ,honor 
is #b eyewitness acc\nts2 ,:]eas1 9     
#bjjh1 ! nom9ation ( ,s]geant ,p]alta = 
! ,m$al ( ,honor 0 d[ngrad$ to ! ,navy  
,cross aft] an indep5d5t panel det]m9$ t

 ,s]geant ,p]alta c\ld n delib]ately h  
pull$ ! gr5ade to 8 body due to 8 head  
w\nd1 despite #g eyewitness acc\nts to !
 contr>y2 ,:]eas1 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$2 ,:]eas1 9   
,decemb] #bjab1 ! upgrade f ! ,navy     
,cross to ! ,m$al ( ,honor = ,s]geant   
,p]alta 0 d5i$1 despite an ann\ncem5t ( 
! support ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,navy = !   
upgrade2 ,:]eas ! citation = ! ,navy    
,cross aw>d$ to ,s]geant ,p]alta /ates1 
)\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 away2 ,:]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 citiz52      

,:]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 a            
,mexican-,am]ican :o enli/$ 9 ! ,m>9e   
,corps on ! same day he receiv$ 8       
p]man5t resid5ce /atus1 = 8 d$ication to
 ! ,m>9e ,corps & ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & =  
uphold+ ! highe/ /&>ds ( milit>y s]vice2
  7#b7 recognizes t ! c\rage & selfless 
actions ( ,s]geant ,p]alta 9 combat sav$
 ! lives ( 8 fell[ ,m>9es2  7#c7 concurs
 ) ! ,m>9e ,corps & ! ,dep>tm5t ( !     
,navy t ! actions ( ,s]geant ,p]alta are
 9 ! _s & tradition ( ! ,m$al ( ,honor2 
7#d7 ma9ta9s t eyewitness acc\nts       
confirm t ,s]geant ,p]alta delib]ately  
pull$ ! gr5ade to 8 body &1 consi/5t )  
previ\s ,m$al ( ,honor aw>ds1 !         

eyewitness acc\nts %\ld be ! lead+ &    
decid+ factor 9 evaluat+ ! nom9ation (  
,s]geant ,p]alta = ! ,m$al ( ,honor2 &  
7#e7 recomm5ds t ,s]geant ,p]alta       
po/hum\sly be aw>d$ ! ,m$al ( ,honor4