[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 107 (Friday, July 27, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEDICATION OF THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AS LOS ANGELES COUNTY VIETNAM 
                       VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 27, 2001

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the dedication taking 
place today in my district of more than 60 miles of the infamous 
Pacific Coast Highway as the Los Angeles Country Vietnam Veterans 
Memorial Highway. I regret that the House schedule prevents me from 
joining in the dedication ceremony, but wanted to share the remarks I 
had planned to make.
  As this long stretch of road is dedicated to our Vietnam Veterans, 
the analogy of this road to a ribbon seems appropriate.
  Roads sometimes divide, but this ribbon of road is designed to unite. 
It stretches seamlessly and ties the diverse communities that comprise 
the South Bay into one.
  This ribbon of road is intended to heal, despite the divisiveness of 
the war itself. Just as this road embraces people from every walk of 
life, so too do we continue to embrace our soldiers, sailors and 
airmen.
  This ribbon is intended to honor. Like the yellow ribbon used to 
signal our eternal hope of homecoming, this ribbon of road is dedicated 
not just to those who served and returned from Vietnam, but also to 
those who remain missing or unaccounted for.
  But, while this ribbon of road is well-traveled and familiar, for 
those of us of the Vietnam generation, the war has started to recede--
perhaps too quickly. What is our memory is now history to a sizable 
portion of our citizenry. Not only do they fail to understand the 
historic context of that war, they also fail to appreciate those who 
served.
  Designating this highway will provide a constant and continuing 
reminder of the valor and sacrifice of the men and women who served in 
Vietnam. It will be a tribute--a memorial--a symbol to a not-so-distant 
period in our Nation's history.
  Like a ribbon, it will bind our community in a collective expression 
of appreciation--of love--of gratitude--of remembrance.
  Today's dedication ceremony is the result of the hard work of the 
members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 53, who first 
suggested to California State Assemblyman George Nakano the designation 
of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. Assemblyman Nakano was able 
to secure the passage of the appropriate state legislation to authorize 
this designation, while VVA Chapter 53 helped raise the private funding 
necessary to post signage along the way.
  I commend the Joint efforts of Assemblyman Nakano and VVA Chapter 5 3 
and welcome the inauguration of the Los Angeles County Vietnam Veterans 
Memorial Highway.

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