Recognizing the Life and Legacy of George Glen Prietto

Floor Speech

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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize and celebrate the life and legacy of George Glen Prietto, Kumeyaay Native and Sycuan Tribal Elder from the 48th District of California.

Mr. Prietto was born on January 26, 1931, at the Soboba Indian Hospital. He moved to the Sycuan Reservation and attended Dehesa School and Grossmont High School.

Before he was 18, Mr. Prietto joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman and served with distinction during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged after 4 years of service.

After his military service, Mr. Prietto became a proud farmworker in Yuma--picking lettuce in the sun and train-hopping to Lodi to pick grapes. After years of painstaking labor, he transitioned to driving big-rig trucks.

Mr. Prietto eventually returned to the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and cofounded the Sycuan Fire Department with Hank Murphy. He served as a dedicated firefighter on the reservation, including transporting patients for the Southern Indian Health Clinic, for which he was celebrated upon retirement.

Mr. Prietto dedicated himself to preserving and teaching the Kumeyaay language. He taught hundreds of children, stressing the importance of family values and celebrating their culture.

Mr. Prietto loved spending time with his life-long friends, including Kenny Meza, Leroy Elliott, Paul Cuero, Jr., Steve Banegas and Bobby Wallace. His family meant everything--especially his marriage to Terri and spending time with his nephews Raymond and Joe Sandoval.

While we mourn the loss of a great leader, tribal elder, family man, and veteran, we can find solace in the fact that Mr. Prietto's legacy will continue to enrich the lives of generations to come.

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