119-sres237

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 237 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 237

 Honoring the service and memory of Army Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 
 Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-
 Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano of the 1st Armored Brigade 
Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who died during a recovery mission 
in support of a regularly scheduled training exercise while serving in 
 Lithuania.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 20, 2025

Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Schumer, Mr. McConnell, Mrs. 
Shaheen, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Coons, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Peters, Ms. Slotkin, 
 and Mr. Padilla) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Honoring the service and memory of Army Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 
 Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-
 Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano of the 1st Armored Brigade 
Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who died during a recovery mission 
in support of a regularly scheduled training exercise while serving in 
 Lithuania.

Whereas four United States soldiers, Army Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Army Staff 
 Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Army 
 Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, were all members of the 1st Armored Brigade 
 Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division stationed at Pabrade training 
 ground, Lithuania, since February 2025;
Whereas these four United States soldiers were part of a rotational deployment 
 of 3,500 members of the United States Armed Forces as part of the United 
 States-led NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve to enhance deterrence along 
 the NATO alliance's eastern flank;
Whereas the bodies of these four United States soldiers were found on March 31 
 and April 1, 2025, after a tragic accident while conducting a mission to 
 repair and tow an immobilized vehicle when their heavy recovery vehicle 
 sank in a bog;
Whereas the accident triggered a complex and weeklong recovery effort with 
 hundreds of allied United States, Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian 
 personnel and equipment to finally extract them from the mud;
Whereas in the spirit of allied solidarity, thousands of Lithuanians, including 
 Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, joined a farewell ceremony on 
 April 3, 2025, in a moving gesture to mourn the deaths of these four 
 United States soldiers before their bodies were returned to the United 
 States;
Whereas Staff Sgt. Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois, was a M1 Abrams tank 
 system maintainer with more than seven years in the Army, whose 
 decorations included the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, 
 Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct 
 Medal, and National Defense Service Medal;
Whereas Staff Sgt. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California, was a M1 Abrams tank 
 system maintainer who served in the Army for more than six years, whose 
 awards and decorations included the Army Commendation Medal with oak 
 leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good 
 Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal; and Global War on Terror 
 Service Medal;
Whereas Staff Sgt. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Michigan, was an 
 artillery mechanic with more than seven years in the Army whose awards 
 and decorations included the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf 
 cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National 
 Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Master 
 Technician Badge;
Whereas Pfc. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam, was a M1 Abrams tank system 
 maintainer who served in the Army for nearly two years and was the 
 recipient of the Army Commendation Medal; and
Whereas these four United States soldiers served with distinction, upheld the 
 highest traditions of the United States Army, and were part of a 
 critical allied NATO mission to protect freedom from Russian aggression: 
 Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) honors the memory and service of Army Staff Sgt. Jose 
 Duenez Jr., Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. 
 Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano for 
 their dedicated service to the United States and its NATO 
 allies;

    (2) expresses gratitude for the hundreds of brave United 
 States, Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian personnel involved in 
 a complex effort to recover the remains of Army Staff Sgt. Jose 
 Duenez Jr., Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. 
 Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano;

    (3) recognizes the outpouring of nationwide sentiment by 
 the people of Lithuania in appreciation of the heroism of these 
 four United States soldiers and the continuing close alliance 
 of their nation with the United States; and

    (4) reaffirms the importance of continued Western 
 leadership in enhancing deterrence in the Baltic region.
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