In honor of what would have been Kayla Mueller’s 38th birthday, I have introduced the Mueller-Keating Memorial Highway Act to designate a stretch of Interstate 17 as the Kayla Mueller & Charles Keating IV Memorial Highway.
The highway will run from Prescott, Kayla’s hometown, to Phoenix, Charlie’s hometown.
Kayla Mueller, known as “Arizona’s Angel,” was a selfless humanitarian from Prescott. She was held captive by ISIS for 18 months and killed under the direction of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. I am working to find her to bring her body back home. I had the honor of taking my oath of office on her family’s Bible. May her memory be a blessing.
Chief Special Warfare Operator Charles Keating IV was a Navy SEAL from Phoenix. On May 3, 2016, he was killed in northern Iraq while responding as part of a quick reaction force to protect American advisers and Kurdish forces under heavy ISIS attack. He was the third American service member killed in Operation Inherent Resolve. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valor in combat. I know his father well, he is a patriot and raised men of honor.
These two Arizonans represent the best of America. We will never forget them.
God bless America. 🇺🇸