Recognizing Captain Steve Petty
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Captain Steve Petty, a United States Army veteran, who was inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame on November 5, 2025, for his outstanding service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the health and dignity of his fellow veterans.
Captain Petty has dedicated his post-service life to ensuring that those who served our Nation receive the care, respect, and honors they have earned. As Director of the Veterans Resource Center in Ocala, Florida, he has led groundbreaking efforts to provide free Galleri blood testing for veterans exposed to carcinogens such as Agent Orange and burn pits--conditions that have claimed far too many lives long after the battles ended. Through his leadership, veterans who served ``boots on the ground'' in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, and the Global War on Terrorism can now access this $950 cancer screening at no cost, right in their own community. This lifesaving initiative--made possible through partnerships with the Marion County Hospital District and the Marion County Community Development Block Grant--stands as a model of community collaboration, compassion, and unwavering commitment to those who have borne the battle.
Beyond his work in advancing preventive care, Captain Petty has also been instrumental in ensuring that every Marion County veteran interred at the Bushnell National Cemetery receives full military honors--a solemn and sacred recognition of their service to our Nation. Captain Petty's dedication exemplifies the very best of the veteran community: leadership through service, compassion through action, and a steadfast refusal to leave any brother or sister behind. His induction into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame is not only well-deserved--it stands as a testament to what one individual can accomplish when driven by love of country and devotion to those who have borne the battle.
On behalf of Florida's 3rd Congressional District, I offer my deepest congratulations to Captain Steve Petty, his wife Joan, and all those at the Veterans Resource Center who continue to serve those who served us.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source