REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES "TONY" MOFFATT, LEASA MOFFATT, ANDREW MOFFATT, AND WILLIAM MOFFATT

On 2026-04-30, Senator Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL) delivered a floor speech titled "REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES "TONY" MOFFATT, LEASA MOFFATT, ANDREW MOFFATT, AND WILLIAM MOFFATT" in the Senate. The speech addressed taxes and also covered defense. It referenced legislation: S2166.

REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES "TONY" MOFFATT, LEASA MOFFATT, ANDREW MOFFATT, AND WILLIAM MOFFATT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 76 (Thursday, April 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 76 (Thursday, April 30, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2166] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES ``TONY'' MOFFATT, LEASA MOFFATT, ANDREW MOFFATT, AND WILLIAM MOFFATT Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the Moffatt family of Huntsville, AL, whose lives were tragically lost in a plane crash on April 17, 2026, while traveling from Raleigh- Durham, NC, to Huntsville. LTC James ``Tony'' Moffatt, USA (Ret.) along with his beloved wife of nearly 35 years, Leasa, and their sons Andrew and William, were taken far too soon. Today, I join their surviving children Grant, Victoria ``Tori,'' and Cate, along with their extended family and loved ones, in mourning this unimaginable loss. While no words can fully capture their remarkable lives, Tony, Leasa, Andrew, and William each left an indelible impact on the Huntsville community, our entire State, and all who had the privilege of knowing them. Lieutenant Colonel Moffatt was a retired U.S. Army aviator and a decorated pilot. His 21-year military career also included experience as an aerospace engineer who served as a payload and flight crew support specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center Astronaut Office. After his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2008, Lieutenant Colonel Moffatt founded Moffatt Systems, Inc., a defense and aerospace consulting firm and served as a principal research engineer at the University of Alabama at Huntsville, UAH, where he supported the Rotorcraft Systems Engineering & Simulation Center, RSESC, and also directed the Digital Engineering Transformation Lab until 2024. Lieutenant Colonel Moffatt coached the Freedom Cowboys football team from 2015 to 2017, during which William played for the team, Andrew was the team's sideline photographer, and Leasa came to the games and practices to support. Leasa Moffatt was a first and second grade learning coach at Valley Leadership Academy. Her incredible heart for education is reflected in a statement from her school, which reads, in part, ``She was devoted to her students and brought warmth, wisdom, steadiness, and joy into her classroom each day. She had a remarkable gift for teaching young children, and her influence on their lives will not be forgotten . . . While Valley Leadership Academy welcomes families of all faiths, we honor the beautiful way Leasa's Christian faith shaped her life. Her faith underpinned the way she loved, served, taught, and cared for others, and it was evident in the kind of person she was-beautiful inside and out.'' Andrew Moffatt was a UAH alumnus and received a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering in 2021. He followed his father's career, serving as a research engineer in the UAH RSESC since his graduation. Jerry Hendrix, executive director of RSESC, said it best when he reflected, ``Andrew was a well-rounded and fine young man, and his spirit made every day an enjoyable day,'' in addition to his ``smile, inviting personality and his encouragement.'' Andrew's talents as a sports photographer also extended to volleyball, and he photographed the Huntsville Volleyball Academy for several years. William Moffatt graduated from Calhoun Community College, where he studied information technology and Cloud security, earning his Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate certification and CompTIA Security+ and Linux+ credentials. He worked as a NOC analyst and vulnerability analyst with Summit 7, a Huntsville-based defense IT firm, and most recently as a Cloud security administrator for Family Resource Home Care. Calhoun Community College noted William's ``resilience, determination, and a commitment to his future that reflected the very best of our student body.'' Both William and his brother Andrew also served as counselors at Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. I join the Huntsville community and all of Alabama in commemorating the lives of Tony, Leasa, Andrew, and William Moffatt. Their strong faith, deep love for each other, and dedicated service to their community will always be remembered. I am humbled to ensure their legacy is preserved in the annals of Congress, a testament to lives lived with faith, love, and devotion. ____________________