[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2663-H2667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PLAQUE TO HONOR VIETNAM VETERANS WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF SERVICE IN THE
VIETNAM WAR
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3293) to amend the law that authorized the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial to authorize the placement within the site of the memorial of
a plaque to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after their service
in the Vietnam war, but as a direct result of that service, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3293
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ADDITION OF COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE, VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL.
Public Law 96-297 (94 Stat. 827; 16 U.S.C. 431 note), which
authorized the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the District of
Columbia, is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 5. PLAQUE TO HONOR OTHER VIETNAM VETERANS WHO DIED AS
A RESULT OF SERVICE IN THE VIETNAM WAR.
``(a) Plaque Authorized.--Notwithstanding section 3(c) of
the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1003(c)), the American
Battle Monuments Commission is authorized to place within the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial a suitable plaque containing an
inscription intended to honor those Vietnam veterans who died
after their service in the Vietnam war, but as a direct
result of that service, and whose names are not otherwise
eligible for placement on the memorial wall.
``(b) Specifications.--The plaque shall be at least 6
square feet in size and not larger than 18 square feet in
size, and of whatever shape as the American Battle Monuments
Commission determines to be appropriate for the site. The
plaque shall bear an inscription prepared by the American
Battle Monuments Commission.
``(c) Relation to Commemorative Works Act.--Except as
provided in subsection (a), the Commemorative Works Act (40
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) shall apply to the design and placement
of the plaque within the site of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial.
``(d) Consultation.--In designing the plaque, preparing the
inscription, and selecting the specific location for the
plaque within the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the American
Battle Monuments Commission shall consult with the architects
of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., and the Vietnam
Women's Memorial, Inc.
``(e) Funds for Plaque.--
``(1) Prohibition on use of federal funds.--Federal funds
may not be used to design, procure, or install the plaque.
However, the preceding sentence does not apply to the payment
of the salaries, expenses, and other benefits otherwise
authorized by law for members of the American Battle
Monuments Commission or other personnel (including detailees)
of the American Battle Monuments Commission who carry out
this section.
``(2) Private fundraising authority.--The American Battle
Monuments Commission shall solicit and accept private
contributions for the design, procurement, and installation
of the plaque. The American Battle Monuments Commission shall
establish an account into which the contributions will be
deposited and shall maintain documentation of the
contributions. Contributions in excess of the amounts
necessary for the design, procurement, and installation of
the plaque shall be deposited in the United States Treasury.
``(f) Vietnam Veterans Memorial Defined.--In this section,
the term `Vietnam Veterans Memorial' means the structures and
adjacent areas extending to and bounded by the south curb of
Constitution Avenue on the north, the east curb of Henry
Bacon Drive on the west, the north side of the north
Reflecting Pool walkway on the south and a line drawn
perpendicular to Constitution Avenue 200 feet from the east
tip of the memorial wall on the east (this is also a line
extended from the east side of the western concrete border of
the steps to the west of the center steps to the Federal
Reserve Building extending to the Reflecting pool walkway).
This is the same definition used by the National Park Service
as of the date of the enactment of this section, as contained
in section 7.96(g)(1)(x) of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Gallegly) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly).
General Leave
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leadership for scheduling this
bill between Memorial Day and the 25th anniversary of the end of the
Vietnam War. This timing reminds us that there are many who fought in
Vietnam and died because of their service there, but whose sacrifices
have still gone unrecognized.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3293 will remedy this situation. It will create a
plaque honoring those Vietnam veterans who died as a result of the war,
but who are not eligible to have their names placed on the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Wall. The wall is opened to some veterans who died
after the conflict, but the criteria for eligibility does not include
all veterans whose post-war deaths were a direct result of the war,
including those who died from such factors as Agent Orange and post
traumatic stress syndrome.
Families of these veterans deserve a place to mourn the loss of loved
ones who served honorably and who died years later as a result of that
service.
Mr. Speaker, we had a hearing on this bill in the subcommittee on
March 22. The often emotional testimony by Ed Croucher, the Director of
Vietnam Veterans of America, Captain Mike Fluke, board member of In
Memory, and Lieutenant Colonel Jim Zumwalt demonstrated the strong
feelings of veterans and their families on this issue.
Among the groups who have endorsed the plaque are the Vietnam
Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, Vietnam Women's
Memorial, Inc., Rolling Thunder, the Korean War Veterans Association,
the National Congress of American Indians, the National Conference of
Vietnam Veteran Ministers, In Memory Inc., the American Gold Star
Mothers, the Agent Orange Widows Awareness Coalition, and the Society
of 173rd Airborne Brigade. In addition, the bill has 290 bipartisan
cosponsors.
H.R. 3293 is simple and straightforward, Mr. Speaker. This bill will
honor the sacrifices of these veterans by creating a small plaque that
will be placed in a suitable location within the 13-acre Vietnam
Veterans Memorial. On the plaque will be a short, fitting inscription
that honors these fallen heroes.
The plaque will not be placed on the ``Wall'' or directly in front of
the ``Wall.'' This will ensure the plaque
[[Page H2664]]
does not impact the integrity and solemn nature of the Vietnam
Memorial.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3293 was passed by voice vote in both the
Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands and the full Committee
on Resources. No amendments were offered by anyone who may have opposed
the bill. However, in response to some concerns raised by H.R. 3293, we
have modified it in two ways.
First, the bill now clarifies the mechanism in which the ABMC can
receive funds. Second, the bill now adds the Vietnam Women's Memorial,
Inc., as a consultant to the design and placement of the plaque.
Mr. Speaker, it is vital to us as a Nation to have hallowed ground to
honor these men and women, and I would ask that the Members would
support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3293 is the most recent in a series of legislative
proposals to add memorials to the National Mall. This particular
measure would authorize a plaque to be placed within sight of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial intended to honor soldiers who died as a
result of their service in Vietnam, but who were ineligible for
inclusion in the Wall because their deaths occurred after the war
ended.
While I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3293, it has been my hope all along
that one particular aspect of this legislation might be improved upon.
The legislation identifies a governmental agency, the American Battle
Monuments Commission, as the organization which will oversee the
placement of the plaque. Selection of the Battle Monuments Commission
for this task is inappropriate for several important reasons.
First, this project is inconsistent with the Battle Monument
Commission's mission. The Battle Monument Commission is an independent,
executive branch agency which operates 24 cemeteries and 27 monuments,
the vast majority of which are located on foreign soil. The ABMC has
had no involvement in the creation and administration of the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial, as most of its responsibilities lie overseas. The
major exception of this overseas focus, responsibility for the proposed
World War II Memorial, is likely to occupy most of their domestic
efforts.
{time} 1130
What is more, the ABMC does not want the job. In testimony before the
National Capitol Monument Commission, the Battle Monuments Commission
stated that the responsibility for the design, procurement and
installation of the plaque should rest with either the proponent or the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
In addition, the Commission has had no mechanism to pay for this
proposed plaque. The legislation specifies that no Federal funds are to
be used to design, procure, and install the plaque. Since the Battle
Monuments Commission is a federally-funded agency, the bill had to be
amended to exempt salaries, expenses and other benefits for ABMC
personnel. Now the bill is being amended further to create a fund-
raising program for the monument. While we realize that we are talking
about a fairly small amount of money, it is troubling to think that any
amount of time or attention might be diverted from the ABMC's efforts
on behalf of the World War II Memorial.
All of these complications could have been avoided by replacing the
Battle Monument Commission with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund as
the organization responsible for placing this plaque at the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial. This organization conceived the idea for the
Memorial, raised more than $8 million needed for its construction,
conducted the design contest, oversaw the construction, organized the
dedicated ceremonies and continues to raise funds for educational
programs and maintenance. No memorial in Washington is more closely
associated with one organization. We continue to believe that they
should be involved.
As it stands, we support the intent of H.R. 3293, but continue to
feel that it has an obvious flaw. Fortunately, an obvious solution
exists, and we hope that working with the bill's sponsor, our
colleagues in the other body, the administration, this change will be
adopted.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).
Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3293, a
bill to honor our Nation's Vietnam veterans. In my home State of
Nevada, we have over 65,000 Vietnam veterans. In my district alone,
there are 41,000.
These courageous men and women sacrificed their lives to defend our
country during a time that their efforts were not always appreciated by
their fellow countrymen. They deserved our praise and admiration then,
and they deserve our praise and admiration now.
Today, the Vietnam Memorial Wall stands as a vivid reminder of those
who gave their lives to fight in the Vietnam War. I recently had the
opportunity to take my 14-year-old son to see the Vietnam Memorial. It
was a moving experience for us both. However, there are many veterans
whose lives were also cut tragically short by the war in Vietnam who
are not listed on the wall.
My colleague has introduced legislation which will honor this special
group of Vietnam veterans. These fallen heroes deserve recognition for
their sacrifice, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Join with me and my colleague who introduced it, and I thank him very
much for doing so.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from San Diego, California (Mr. Filner).
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
George Miller) for yielding me the time, and the gentlemen from
California (Mr. Gallegly) for bringing this bill to the floor.
I, too, rise in support of H.R. 3293, which creates a plaque to honor
Vietnam veterans who died as a result of the Vietnam War, but who are
just not eligible under the rules to have their names placed directly
on the Vietnam War Memorial.
Like my own bill, H. Con. Res. 134, this will honor the many
individuals who served in the armed forces in Vietnam and who later
died as a result of illnesses and conditions associated with service in
that war. Many Vietnam veterans, for example, have died from exposure
to Agent Orange or from posttraumatic stress syndrome.
A small plaque will be placed on the 13-acre parcel that surrounds
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but not on the Wall or in front of the
Wall. In this way, the plaque will not interfere with the integrity of
the Memorial, but will add a place for families to mourn and remember
their loved ones who served honorably and who died years after the war
because of their service.
This bill has been endorsed by many veterans groups, including but
not limited to the Vietnam Veterans of America, the VFW, AMVETS,
Vietnam Women's Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Association, American
Gold Star Mothers, and the Agent Orange Widows Awareness Coalition.
I join the 290 cosponsors of this bill from a bipartisan call for
passage of this bill, and I thank, again, the gentleman from California
(Mr. Gallegly) for his leadership.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from California (Mr. McKeon), a member of the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs.
Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3293,
and I want to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) for
his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. This important
legislation recognizes a group of veterans that are all too often
forgotten, but are nonetheless heroes. The American Vietnam veteran
faced adversity that few can ever imagine in order to keep this Nation
free.
Unfortunately, these veterans are the victims of a technicality that
keeps them from being honored with their fallen soldiers. The Vietnam
Wall, while open to some veterans who died following the war, is not
open to veterans who passed away due to complications from Agent Orange
or posttraumatic stress syndrome. These veterans died as a result of
their service for this Nation. The least that our
[[Page H2665]]
Nation can do is honor them near their fellow servicemen and women.
This important legislation would allow us to do so without
diminishing, in any way, the service of these men and women who died in
the field of battle in Vietnam. Instead, this measure would provide a
plaque for those fallen heroes to be placed in the vicinity of the
current Vietnam Memorial.
So I ask my colleagues to join me and the many veteran service
organizations in supporting H.R. 3293.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to
the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
California for yielding me the time. I also want to thank the gentleman
from California (Mr. Gallegly) for his leadership on this, the
gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young), and also the gentleman from
California (Mr. George Miller), our very able ranking member.
This bill honors those who have died after their service in the
Vietnam War but as a direct result of that service.
I would like to share one example of a Vietnam war veteran who many
of my colleagues may have heard of and who exemplifies why we are
acting today. His name is Lewis B. Puller, Jr. who took his own life as
a result of posttraumatic stress disorder. Lew, as he was called, was a
seriously wounded Vietnam War Veteran, Pulitzer Prize winning author of
``Fortunate Son'', and son of the most decorated U.S. Marine in
history, ``Chesty'' Puller.
Although Lew's book was an inspiration to many, he ultimately took
his own life because of his inability to deal with his wounds, his
dependence on drugs and alcohol, and because of posttraumatic stress
disorder.
While Lew Puller's case has been a higher profile than others have,
there have been thousands of Vietnam War veterans who have suffered the
same casualty.
This bill sends a clear message that our Nation has not, nor will it
ever, forget the Vietnam veterans who have fallen as a result of these
unfortunate and often invisible traumas.
I urge my colleagues to support this very worthy bill.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Quinn), who serves on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Gallegly) for yielding me this time.
I also want to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman
from California (Mr. Filner), my ranking member on our Subcommittee on
Benefits of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
As I rise in support of H.R. 3293, as we have said, a bill that will
create a place honoring those Vietnam veterans who died as a result of
the war but, through some technicality, are ineligible to be placed on
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very straightforward bill. In no way will it
affect the current Memorial, which has become a place for Americans to
solemnly remember those veterans who gave their lives in Vietnam. It
requires a small plaque to be honored and placed somewhere on the 13
acres.
I want to add my support to the bill and urge all our colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).
Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3293, authorizing the
placement of a plaque to memorialize those who died as a direct result
from service in the Vietnam War, but who perished after war's end.
Thousands of individuals put their life on the line to protect the
freedoms that we hold dear and to save a Nation desperately trying to
hold on to those freedoms.
We have recognized the sacrifice of those who died on the
battlefield, but we have yet to realize those who perished afterwards.
This bill would honor those who died after the war as a direct result
of serving in the war by placing a small plaque somewhere near the
Vietnam Memorial. The plaque, funded by private donations, would
recognize the entire group of courageous individuals for their service
to our country.
After 25 years since the fall of Saigon, is it not time that we
finally recognize everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice by
serving our country in Southeast Asia?
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Collins).
Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, the casualty list states that over 58,000 Americans lost
their lives in the conflict we know as the Vietnam War. The lists
contain the names of another 300,000 Americans sailors, soldiers, and
airmen who were wounded. Half of these wounds were very serious. Many
of our soldiers recovered fully while others were permanently wounded.
But there is a third class of wounded soldiers whose wounds did not
kill immediately but ultimately caused death. In some cases,
posttraumatic stress syndrome or exposure to Agent Orange may have led
to the death years, perhaps decades, after the wound was first
suffered.
Despite the delay, the veteran's death is linked with his or her
service to this Nation by participating in the Vietnam War.
H.R. 3293 seeks to honor these veterans with a plaque located within
the 13 acres set aside for the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial. The
plaque will be located near the Wall to preserve the memory of those
veterans whose service on behalf of their fellow citizens, in the end,
cost them their lives.
Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to
the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).
(Mrs. JONES of Ohio asked and was given permission to revise and
extend her remarks.)
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3293,
the establishment of a Vietnam Veterans Plaque at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial. I support this measure because we have a responsibility to
honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
We can never forget the travesties of war. We can never get our
fighting forces who marched on battlefields, roamed the oceans, and
flew the skies. We can never forget the family shattered by the loss of
fallen children. My own family, my sister's brother-in-law, John H.
Walker's name, appears on that Wall along with the names of many of my
childhood friends. With the Vietnam Veterans Plaque, we will never
forget the names of those who lost their lives in service of their
Nation.
The effects of Vietnam live with many Americans today. We must
include the heroes whose post-war deaths were a direct result of
conditions such as Agent Orange. We must forever etch in the annals of
time the names of those fallen heroes so that future generations may
see the names and celebrate their fellow countrymen who believed in
duty, honor, and service. What a small token to be established relative
to the loss due to war.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise and be a cosponsor of H.R. 3293 and
urge the passage of the Vietnam Veterans Plaque.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).
Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, we have been there either in person or
witnessed it on television, people silently and slowly walking by the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in contemplation of the sacrifices made for
this Nation, some tracing on paper names embedded in stone, some
leaving flowers or little gifts at the foot of that Wall.
But there is something missing, men and women whose deaths are
related to the war and caused by the war who died after that conflict
and whose names are not otherwise eligible to be inscribed on the wall.
Today we fill in that which is missing. Today, by passing H.R. 3293,
as to which I am a cosponsor, we authorize a plaque, demonstrating the
love of this Nation for the men and women who gave the supreme
sacrifice and whose names are not on the Wall.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to
the
[[Page H2666]]
gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).
{time} 1145
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3293, the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Authorization, and I congratulate the
gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), the sponsor of this important
legislation to commemorate those brave men and women who fought in
Vietnam.
I signed onto this legislation because I believe the time has come to
commemorate those brave veterans of the Vietnam War who gave up their
lives for their country but have yet to receive any public tribute. But
this legislation should only be a starting point here in Congress. We
should all work together to advance the priorities of all of our
Nation's veterans', including providing a fair distribution of health
care resources to veterans regardless of where they reside in our
Nation.
We should make the term ``homeless veteran'' an oxymoron. We must
keep letting our Nation's veterans know that the people who fought to
allow us to come to this floor every day and debate issues both large
and small that we do and did value their services. Our veterans have
provided so much while requesting so little.
In my opinion, this memorial should be constructed in the honor of
these brave men and women, and I am pleased the House of
Representatives is debating this legislation today. Again, I would like
to thank my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly),
for bringing this legislation to the floor. This is a good bill. It is
long overdue. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation
today.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
this time.
Andy Rooney, a number of years ago, wrote a book about war, and he
revealed in that book a little known phenomenon that is very rarely, if
ever, discussed about war. That phenomenon is in essence this: The
combat soldier in combat is dependent and dependable. He is loved and
he loves others. He deals with those who are dying. He deals with those
who are sick. He deals with those who are afraid. He deals with those
who cannot rise up to the difficult challenge, emotional challenge, of
viewing the slaughter on a daily basis.
Many of those men who were afraid, or who may not have been wounded
in the body, their spirit was wounded. Their mind was wounded. Some of
them picked up disease. Those young men deserve some recognition along
this magnificent wall that represents that conflict so that their
families may come and have some resolution.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).
Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Gallegly) for this very important legislation. This is an important
gesture on the part of the United States Congress because I think it is
going to go a long way towards closing one of the festering wounds from
our national history.
I worked very closely with a family, the Fitzgibbon family, over a 2-
year period, to deal with an inequity that had affected their family.
Sergeant Richard Fitzgibbon died in Vietnam in 1956. But because the
United States Government did not in fact admit that we controlled the
war in Vietnam after the French pulled out earlier that year, no one
who had died in Vietnam from 1956 through 1961 was eligible for
inscription on the Vietnam Wall. He was the first casualty of the war
in Vietnam, and yet he received no recognition and his family received
no recognition.
In fact, so strongly did his family believe that he had died in the
war in Vietnam that his own son went to Vietnam, and his son was killed
in 1965, Richard, Junior, the only father and son in the Vietnam War.
But the son was allowed to have his name inscribed on the Wall, but the
father not. And it took a long battle to finally change the rules and
regulations of the Defense Department 2 years ago to have the father
join the son.
The son obviously believed he was on the same mission, the mission to
bring freedom to the people in Vietnam, a mission that had been engaged
in by the United States Government. So that inequity has been dealt
with.
What the gentleman from California is doing here today is trying to
deal with another inequity. It is one that will ensure that those
Vietnam veterans who died after service in the Vietnam War, but as a
direct result of such service, and whose names are not otherwise
eligible for placement on the memorial wall, will continue the healing
of their pain as well.
I think that this is a very important gesture to every single family
in America who has suffered this most horrible of all fates that can
befall a family, and I think that this is one of the most fitting
things that we can do as a Nation in order to continue to heal the
wounds of every family that made the sacrifice. I congratulate the
gentleman and I hope it passes unanimously here today.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Scarborough).
Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California
for yielding me this time, and I too would like to join other Members
who thanked him for stepping forward and bringing forth this very
important resolution.
I could not help but hear the previous gentleman from Massachusetts.
A couple of words he said really rang true in my mind, where he talked
about these gentlemen, these men and women that went over to Vietnam
because they believed they were fighting for freedom. They fought,
unfortunately, under a cloud throughout most of the 1960s and the early
1970s, with people protesting on college campuses and protesting in the
streets. But they really went over there and so many of them really did
believe they were fighting for freedom.
Thirty years later, looking back after all the divisiveness of the
Vietnam War and all the debates about whether it was a noble cause or
not, all we have to do is look at the repression that people in Vietnam
still live under to recognize that they were fighting a noble cause.
I think this is an absolutely fantastic thing to do for those men and
women that were willing to go over there and risk their lives to fight
for freedom.
One other final closing thought, though unrelated to this matter. I
think we should go the next step forward this year and we should give
those men and women that were willing to give their all in World War II
and in the Korean War the health care that they were promised. We made
them a promise and we have broken that promise. And just as the
resolution of the gentleman from California helps to recognize the
service of those Vietnam veterans today, we need to go another step
forward. I thank the gentleman for this fantastic resolution.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on our side?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). The gentleman from
California (Mr. Gallegly) has 7\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to recognize the years of hard
work and dedication by Vietnam veterans and their families in turning
this idea of building a simple plaque to honor those who died after
their service due to war-related causes into a reality.
I would like to particularly recognize and mention the efforts of
Ruth Coder Fitzgerald, who began working on this memorial within weeks
of the death of her brother John in 1992. John Coder died from non-
Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer linked to exposure to Agent Orange in
Vietnam. It is Ms. Fitzgerald's dedication to our Vietnam veterans and
their families that is the reason we are here today in the House of
Representatives considering this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, a creation of this plaque will not in any way diminish
the impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial area. On the contrary, it
will fill a void by honoring those whose names were not found on the
Wall. As Ed Croucher of the Vietnam Veterans of America testified
before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands of the
Committee on Resources: ``It meets a clear need. It is a
[[Page H2667]]
very significant and appropriate project. It adds to the collective
history of the Vietnam War.''
Mr. Speaker, the building of this small but powerful plaque is the
right thing to do to honor those who died for our country because of
their service to Vietnam, and I ask for the support of the Members of
the House in passing this legislation.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 3293, the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Authorization.
I congratulate Congressman Elton Gallegly, the sponsor of this
important legislation to commemorate those brave men and women who
fought in Vietnam.
I signed on to this legislation because I believe the time has come
to commemorate those brave veterans of the Vietnam War who gave up
their lives for their country but have yet to receive any public
tribute.
But this legislation should only be a starting point in this
Congress.
We should all work together to advance the priorities of all our
nation's veterans, including providing a fair distribution of health
care resources to veterans regardless of where they reside in our
nation.
We should make the term ``homeless veteran'' an oxymoron.
And we must keep letting our nation's veterans know--the people who
fought to allow us to come to the floor every day and debate issues
both large and small--that we do value their service.
Our veterans have provided so much while requesting so little.
In my opinion, a memorial should be constructed in honor of these
brave men and women.
I am pleased the House of Representatives is debating this
legislation today and would again like to thank my friend and colleague
Representative Elton Gallegly for bringing this legislation to the
floor today.
This is a good bill.
It is long overdue and I urge all of my colleagues to support this
legislation today.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 3293, I am in strong
support of its passage today.
This legislation, introduced by Representative Gallegly of
California, authorizes placement of a plaque near the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial to honor those Vietnam veterans who died as a direct result of
their service after leaving Vietnam, including those who died of post
traumatic stress disorder and of the effects of Agent Orange.
The men and women who serve our country to defend freedom deserve to
be treated with nothing less than the highest level of dignity and
respect. All of those who died following their service in the Vietnam
War--including those who died of post traumatic stress disorder and of
the effects of Agent Orange--should be honored alongside those who died
in combat.
In the years since Vietnam, we've learned a great deal about the
lingering effects of modern combat. Unfortunately, too many of those we
thought were survivors had already been afflicted with conditions or
exposed to chemical agents that would tragically cut short their lives.
Passage of H.R. 3293 will go a long way toward honoring the men and
women who lost their lives as a direct result of service to our great
nation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support
this important piece of legislation.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of this bill.
With over 60,000 military retirees and veterans in my district
including thousands of Vietnam veterans, I am proud to be a co-sponsor
of this bill and support its passage today on the House floor.
The 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War is a time for all
Americans to reflect on the incredible sacrifices made by our men and
women in preserving liberty in Southeast Asia.
All of our Vietnam veterans are heroes for their incredible courage
and bravery.
They fought for freedom in a far away land, inserting themselves in
the name of liberty in a conflict which had already raged for decades.
They withstood the ravages of jungle warfare, and endured the onslaught
of extremely deadly and indiscriminate weaponry.
Furthermore, those who returned back home faced a nation which was
divided over our involvement in Vietnam, and for too many, the injuries
they sustained and the sacrifices they made were taken for granted.
While we have an extremely meaningful and powerful memorial to our
nation's veterans who perished in Vietnam here in Washington, D.C. with
the Vietnam Wall, there has been a significant absence of a symbol of
recognition of those Vietnam veterans who died after the war as a
direct result of their service.
These men and women deserve to be recognized for their service, and I
am proud that this bill authorizes the placement of a plaque within the
site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall to honor those veterans who
died after their service in the Vietnam War as a direct result of that
service.
These American soldiers left their families, friends, and lives to
defend another people in another land and their service should never be
forgotten.
As someone who serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I
salute all of our Vietnam Veterans and am proud to co-sponsor this
legislation.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of H.R. 3293, a bill
to make an important modification to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I
urge my colleagues to support this worthy measure.
H.R. 3293 amends the law that established the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial by authorizing the placement within the grounds of the
memorial of a plaque honoring those Vietnam veterans who died after the
war from a direct result of injuries sustained in the conflict. These
veterans were not eligible for placement on the memorial wall at the
time of its construction.
This legislation directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to
consult with the Veterans of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund in
deciding where to locate the plaque and further requires that the
design, acquiring and placement of the plaque will be completed with
private funds.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3293 makes a worthy addition to one of the most
visited monuments in our Nation's Capital. It is also a fitting tribute
to those veterans who served in Vietnam, but due to the timing of their
deaths, were not eligible for inclusion in the original memorial.
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to give their support to this
worthwhile piece of legislation.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of H.R. 3293,
which authorizes the placement within the site of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial of a plaque to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after
their service in the Vietnam War, but as a direct result of that
service. Establishing a plaque to recognize the efforts of this group
of Vietnam veterans is a fitting tribute to the men and women who have
sacrificed for their country.
Each year, the Department of Defense adds some names to the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial. However, the Department does not recognize many
conditions as being service-related, such as Agent Orange exposure and
post traumatic stress syndrome. The plaque authorized by H.R. 3293
would honor those whose deaths are not otherwise recognized by the
monument.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. A
plaque honoring those who continued to suffer and die years after the
war ended--and their families--is a proper way to mark this
anniversary.
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 3293 and I urge my
colleagues to support this important legislation.
Mr. GARY MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the
families of California's 41st district which continue to grieve over
the loss of a loved one who died as a result of serving our Nation in
Vietnam.
While the Vietnam Memorial is a commanding monument which demands its
observers' attention in a compelling and somber way, it does not
recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by many of our soldiers. Although
numerous men and women returned home, for some, the battle did not end.
Many lives were destroyed by cancer as a result of exposure to Agent
Orange. For others, the battles raged on nightly in the form of
terrible, extremely stressful dreams that were inescapable.
These service men and women should be remembered alongside their
colleagues on the mall. With Memorial Day quickly approaching, I urge
you to support this measure. While it is simple in nature--just a
plaque--it speaks volumes about our respect for these soldiers.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3293, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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