[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2336-H2344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONCERNING TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES HELD AS PRISONER OF WAR
BY IRAQI AUTHORITIES
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 118) concerning the treatment
of members of the Armed Forces held as prisoner of war by Iraqi
authorities, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
[[Page H2337]]
H. Con. Res. 118
Whereas the Armed Forces of the United States and military
forces of United States coalition partners are currently
engaged in hostilities in Iraq in prosecuting Operation Iraqi
Freedom;
Whereas an unknown number of members of the Armed Forces of
the United States have been taken prisoner by Iraqi
authorities and it is possible that, before the end of
hostilities, additional members of the Armed Forces of the
United States and members of other coalition forces may be
taken prisoner by Iraqi authorities;
Whereas members of the military forces of Iraq have been
taken prisoner by coalition armed forces;
Whereas all such prisoners who are captured while complying
with the laws of war are entitled to prisoner of war status
until their final release and repatriation;
Whereas in the Convention Relative to the Treatment of
Prisoners of War, signed at Geneva on August 12, 1949
(referred to as the ``Third Geneva Convention''), the
international community has prescribed rules concerning the
treatment of prisoners of war;
Whereas more than 190 nations, including the United States
and Iraq, are parties to the Third Geneva Convention;
Whereas Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention requires
the humane treatment of prisoners of war and that prisoners
of war be protected against acts of violence or intimidation
and against insults and public curiosity;
Whereas Article 17 of the Third Geneva Convention
explicitly prohibits the infliction of physical or mental
torture and other forms of coercion on prisoners of war to
secure from them information of any kind whatever and
provides that prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not
be threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or
disadvantageous treatment of any kind;
Whereas Article 23 of the Third Geneva Convention provides
that a prisoner of war may not at any time be sent to, or
detained in areas where the prisoner may be exposed to the
fire of the combat zone, nor may a prisoner's presence be
used to render certain points or areas immune from military
operations;
Whereas the Third Geneva Convention requires that a
government holding prisoners of war grant representatives of
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) free
access to all prisoners of war;
Whereas the Government of the United States has informed
the Iraqi authorities that it intends to treat captured
members of the Iraqi armed forces fully in accordance with
the Third Geneva Convention and is in discussions with ICRC
officials to facilitate access at the earliest possible time
to Iraqi enemy prisoners of war held by United States Armed
Forces; and
Whereas Iraqi television has broadcast what appear to be
pictures of captured American military personnel; Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) commends the bravery and professionalism of the members
of the Armed Forces of the United States and the military
forces of United States coalition partners; and
(2) extends heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved
ones of those who are killed, wounded, missing in action, or
taken prisoner by Iraqi authorities.
Sec. 2. The Congress--
(1) demands that Iraqi authorities comply fully and
immediately with its obligations and responsibilities of the
Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War;
(2) condemns the failure of Iraqi authorities to treat
prisoners of war in strict conformity with that Convention;
(3) demands that Iraqi authorities permit the International
Committee of the Red Cross to visit any and all American and
coalition prisoners of war at the earliest possible time, in
accordance with the requirements of that Convention;
(4) joins the President in warning all Iraqi authorities
that any individual who mistreats any prisoner of war in
violation of that Convention shall be considered a war
criminal and prosecuted as such to the full extent of United
States and international law; and
(5) supports the President in committing the full effort
and reach of the United States Government to the swift and
safe repatriation of all prisoners of war at the earliest
possible moment consistent with that Convention.
Sec. 3. The Congress supports the President in seeking the
fullest possible accounting, at the earliest possible time
upon the cessation of hostilities, of all members of the
Armed Forces who are in a missing status as a result of
operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
General Leave
Mr. BEREUTER. 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 concurrent resolution
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this Member rises today to speak on behalf of those
brave men and women of our Armed Forces who have been taken prisoner of
war by the Iraqi regime, and for those who are missing in action.
All Members were appalled by the reports and images of the barbaric
treatment of our soldiers by the Iraqi regime captors. This resolution
will send a clear message of resolve that this Congress will stand by
and insist on the rights of its military sons and daughters in their
time of peril. We will spare no effort to bring them home alive and in
good health, and to hold to account anybody who would dare mistreat
them.
All of us join families, comrades in arms and friends in prayer for
their safe return, the safe return of all members of our armed
services. I note with pride that the American military is already
carrying out its obligations under the Geneva Conventions. We have
invited the Red Cross or Red Crescent to visit our prisoners, and we
demand the same access for the Red Cross to coalition prisoners held by
Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr.
Speaker, I want to thank my good friends, the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Kingston) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), for
introducing this most important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, today marks the seventh day of Operation Iraqi Freedom,
a valiant campaign by the United States, the United Kingdom, and our
partners to rid the world of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the
regime that wields them.
We have achieved much in this war so far. Iraq's southern oil fields
have been saved, its western deserts have been secured, and its gulf
ports have been opened. Our Air Forces have meticulously degraded
Iraq's defenses while minimizing civilian casualties, and our Third
Infantry Division is poised at Saddam Hussein's doorstep.
We owe these successes to America's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
Marines who have performed bravely and brilliantly in this fight. The
courage and skill they have displayed on the battlefield comes as no
shock. Their training and leadership has prepared them well, but it
does continue to inspire awe.
I know I speak for all Americans, Mr. Speaker, in expressing my
deepest admiration and strongest support for all of our military men
and women fighting in Iraq. We admire especially the service of those
who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in this war to date, and those who
may do so in the days ahead. Our deepest condolences go to the families
who have lost their loved ones. The brave men and women who have laid
down their lives in Iraq are true American heroes whose debt our
thankful Nation can never repay.
America's Armed Forces, Mr. Speaker, represent the best our democracy
has to offer. Their conduct reflects the values we cherish. We respect
international law and uphold the highest human virtues in this fight.
The enemy we face does not share these values. The Iraqi regime of
Saddam Hussein has waged this war in total violation of all norms of
civilized behavior. Its armed forces use innocents as human shields,
execute deserters on sight, hide in hospitals, fire from behind white
flags, and deny their own people access to humanitarian assistance.
They deliberately position their tanks and artillery next to mosques,
schools, and hospitals, putting innocent Iraqi civilians at great risk.
In a futile attempt to build support for his doomed regime, Saddam
Hussein has waged a relentless and reckless disinformation campaign. To
this end, he has utilized American prisoners of war as propaganda
props, abusing, humiliating, and intimidating them, in clear violation
of the Geneva Convention.
The resolution before us delivers a stern warning to the Iraqi regime
to end such atrocities and to comply with
[[Page H2338]]
the terms of the Third Geneva Convention relating to the treatment of
prisoners of war. It places the full weight and power of the American
people behind the enforcement of this code of conduct.
We should not delude ourselves, Mr. Speaker. Saddam Hussein has utter
contempt for the Geneva Convention and all international agreements. He
feels no obligation to abide by the norms of civilized behavior, as he
showed in his reprehensible conduct towards coalition soldiers in the
first Gulf War.
Our vote today is not likely to deter him, although we hope that it
does. It will set the standard for the swift and certain justice we
shall deliver to those who have perpetrated war crimes after Saddam's
rotten regime collapses. It will show the entire world that the United
States, the United Kingdom, and all of our partners are committed to
the lawful, humane conduct of this war, despite the evil and cowardly
tactics the enemy employs.
I urge my colleagues to lend their support to this resolution and to
the American prisoners of war currently in captivity.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the
majority leader.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Bereuter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for bringing
this to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I would hope that there would not have been a day that
we had to bring a resolution like this to the floor. I rise today in
strong support of this resolution. Frankly, I am just so outraged at
the inhumane treatment of American POWs by Saddam Hussein's brutal
regime. I am really fighting to hold down a deep anger at these
purveyors and practitioners of torture and terror who have been
wickedly exhibiting their captives over the last few days.
There is no doubt that war is brutal, and it is a terrible situation;
but there are rules of engagement, and there should be some basic human
decency. The actions of this regime, including abusing our POWs and
using civilians as human shields, serves to remind the world what a
vicious, ruthless dictator we are dealing with.
One thing is certain: this is an immoral, immoral regime. These
oppressors have made it clear that they have no regard for human life.
But they should bear this in mind: our POWs are not faceless victims.
They will return home, and those responsible will have to answer to a
higher power, and they will answer to one on this Earth, as well.
We have a Member of this House who was once a prisoner of war, my
friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson). On February 13,
1973, the gentleman from Texas boarded a plane at Hanoi's airport and
returned home after spending 7 years as a prisoner of war at the hands
of the North Vietnamese. He endured unspeakable torture, lived in
primitive conditions, and suffered from malnutrition.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) serves as an inspiration
to every Member of this House and to the people of this country. These
captured members of our Armed Forces will soon serve as an inspiration
to all Americans. In the meantime, we pray for our unselfish heroes,
and we eagerly await their return home. Today's effort will help
Americans keep our POWs in our hearts and remember them in our prayers.
Nothing is more fitting at this time than honoring those who are
sacrificing their liberty in the defense of our freedom.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the
original author of this legislation and a distinguished member of our
Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me
on this very important issue.
Let me first begin by thanking my colleague, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Kingston), for allowing me to work with him to draft this
resolution in support of our POWs.
Also, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman
Hunter) sitting here; the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri
(Mr. Skelton); the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde); and the
ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for their
work to bring this resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I stand today before the House not only as a Member of
Congress but as a former member of the United States Armed Forces, and
also as a proud citizen of this great country of ours.
As we all know too well, our country is currently facing very
difficult times. We have all heard the unfortunate news concerning the
captured members of the 507th Maintenance Company by Iraqi military.
Fort Bliss, home of the 507th Maintenance Company, is located in my
district. This disturbing news truly hit home for me and for all my
constituents in El Paso, Texas. Over the past few months, nearly 4,000
of Fort Bliss's troops have been deployed to the Middle East. On
February 17, 2003, the 507th Maintenance Company was also deployed.
Mr. Speaker, I can personally vividly remember that windy day back in
1967 when I was getting ready to deploy overseas. I remember then how
proud I was wearing the uniform of our military, and how proud I was to
be a soldier representing this great country. I also remember the
concern that I had for my family.
{time} 1745
I was leaving behind my mom and my dad, my nine brothers and sisters
and my then girlfriend Carolina, who today has been my wife for 34
years. I was being sent away to a country unknown to me, away from my
family and my friends; and I can assure my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, war
is the most difficult of experiences one can experience.
Thirty-six years ago, I served my country proudly. I was fortunate
enough to be one of those that returned. I will not even begin today to
compare my experiences with those that are facing our courageous men
and women being held captive in Iraq. I do strongly commend these
troops for their unwavering bravery and pledge my support that they are
returned safely.
Mr. Speaker, among those troops are the 507th Maintenance Company.
Being held captive is a constituent of mine from El Paso. She is an
honorable patriot, and now she is an inspiration not only to the people
of El Paso but to all of us all across this country. We stand behind
her and her brothers and her sisters in arms.
I would also like to recognize the courage of our other captive
troops, including the Apache pilots from Fort Hood, Texas. My deepest
and most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with their families, as
well as with all families affected by this tragedy.
I know the people of Fort Bliss and the city of El Paso will continue
to keep our brothers and sisters in their prayers. I have the utmost
confidence in our armed services so that they will very soon reunite
the captive soldiers with their loved ones.
Mr. Speaker, I decided this afternoon that in my remarks I would not
mention any names of any of the troops that are currently held prisoner
out of respect for their privacy and the privacy of their families, as
well as deferring to the request from the Department of Defense. It was
recently this afternoon brought to my attention that two more of our
soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
I am proud to be able to stand before this House and express my
support for our troops. As a member of the House Committee on Armed
Services, I have had the privilege and the honor of visiting our troops
on many occasions, not only at Fort Bliss but around this country and
around the Middle East. I am very proud and honored to be able to
represent such brave and professional soldiers.
Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of this resolution before us
today. I want to assure the American people and the families and the
friends of our captive troops that the Congress of the United States
stands behind our brave men and women, and we will do everything in our
power to see that our prisoners are treated with dignity and humanity
and that they are recovered as quickly and as safely as possible.
[[Page H2339]]
I strongly encourage all my colleagues to vote for this resolution.
I also in the strongest terms wish to condemn the Iraqi government
and the media that has sought to degrade and humiliate our soldiers in
violation of the Geneva Convention, as some of my colleagues have
already previously mentioned.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by commending all the
members of our armed services that are serving us so valiantly in
Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as the troops that are supporting
Operation Enduring Freedom for their patriotism, their bravery and
their professionalism will never be forgotten.
I also wish to express my appreciation to the British and Australian
troops and other members of the coalition who are fighting alongside
Americans in combat and to all the personnel from other allied
countries who are providing support to our troops. I support our
government's effort to prosecute this war swiftly and successfully with
a minimum of military and civilian casualties. Our soldiers deserve our
fullest support, and they can count on all of us for that, no matter
how long it takes.
Mr. Speaker, may God bless our troops and God bless America. I thank
my good friend for yielding me the time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) the
majority whip.
Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my gratitude to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Bereuter) as well as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) and the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) for bringing this resolution on
the floor and doing it so quickly after the latest round of atrocities
that we see from Saddam Hussein and his regime.
Once again, he showed us just how evil his regime is by the treatment
of American POWs in this war. What has happened to Iraqis for decades
now we have seen happen to Americans, torture, murder, setting examples
so that a tyrant can continue to subjugate his people.
This regime has clearly violated the Geneva Convention. They have
apparently murdered imprisoned American soldiers. They have exploited
POWs and their families by broadcasting images of these captives on TV
and in a broadcast where they also display the bodies of those who died
at their hands.
Saddam Hussein's actions in this war demonstrate, once again, just
how depraved he is. He has ordered the murder of his own people. He has
attacked his neighbors. He has used weapons of mass destruction. Every
day that passes in this war unearths a new atrocity from this tyrant.
Iraqi citizens were fired on today as they attempted to throw off
their oppressors. News reports were that anti-aircraft weapons were
turned on people in the streets to take one more step in a series of
steps by Saddam Hussein to take freedom away from his people.
Our young people continue to fight courageously for the liberation of
Iraq. My thoughts and prayers, the thoughts and prayers of so many in
our country go out to everyone involved, those who have given their
lives and the families of those who have given their lives in this
effort already, the families of those who are prisoners, the families
of those who are injured. They should take pride in the commitment that
these brave men and women who serve us so well have made, and made, as
we have so often done, not selfishly on our part but selflessly
reaching out to try to secure freedom for others.
I applaud our troops. I join in this resolution that condemns the
behavior of this regime as it violates the standards of civilized
society once again.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the distinguished ranking member
of the Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
I first wish to compliment the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston)
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for this resolution and
bringing it to the floor. So I rise in support of this resolution,
which demands that the Iraqi authorities abide by the principles and
obligations of the Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of
prisoners of war.
Our Nation is at war with Iraq. Service members on both sides of this
conflict have been taken prisoners of war. Yet while the United States
has held up its obligations under the Geneva Convention, recent news
reports from the Middle East suggest that the Iraqi government and its
leaders are not following the requirements of international law.
Mr. Speaker, I recently saw the Al Jazeera tape that has been played
regarding the American prisoners of war and those who were killed.
Words cannot express my disgust.
The United States has allowed representatives from the International
Committee of the Red Cross free access to Iraqi prisoners, as required
under the Geneva Convention. The Iraqi government so far as not
provided any access to American prisoners of war by the Red Cross.
The Geneva Convention also requires that prisoners of war not be
exposed to fire in combat zone, not be used as human shields and not be
held up to public ridicule. The United States has fully complied with
all these obligations. It is unknown if the Iraqi government has used
its American and British prisoners as human shields or exposed them to
fire in the combat zone, but as those of my colleagues have seen the
videotape that ran on Al Jazeera TV knows, the Iraqis have permitted
American casualties to be filmed and have held up our prisoners to
public interrogation and ridicule. This is simply unforgivable.
American allies have lost several of their sons and daughters in
uniform in this conflict. Our Nation mourns their loss, and the
thoughts and prayers of all Americans are with their families and loved
ones.
Mr. Speaker, we must demand needed compliance with the Geneva
Convention by the Iraqi authorities. Representatives from the
International Committee of the Red Cross need to be provided immediate
and unfettered access to our prisoners of war. And let there be no
misunderstanding, Mr. Speaker. We will give no quarter to those who
would blatantly violate the laws of war. They will be held accountable.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the Chairman of
the Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Kingston) for his great work in bringing this to the floor and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Reyes) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for
accommodating and working this resolution and, of course, the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), my partner on the Committee on Armed
Services.
Mr. Speaker, Iraqi officers today must consider one thing, the United
States will win this conflict. Iraq may have the ability to delay that
victory for a short period of time, but they cannot stop it.
Secondly, after we win this war, and we will win it, all Iraqi
officers will be held accountable for their actions with respect to
POWs and the Geneva Conventions. So if prisoners of war are abused in
any way, if bodies are displayed, if POWs are displayed or humiliated,
or if you abuse women POWs in any way, as they have been abused in the
past by Iraqi service personnel, you will be held accountable. That
means that those Iraqi officers will be identified, the people who are
in charge of that particular operation, and if you go to the far
corners of the globe, you will be found by Americans. Just as we have
found dozens of terrorists in very remote niches of the world, we will
find you; and at that point you will be brought to justice.
So the message for Iraqi military officers right now is a very clear
one. If you want to protect your own future after this war is over, you
had better protect POWs today.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).
Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Kingston
resolution. I want to recognize the brave men and women of our Armed
Forces who are valiantly serving our country in the war in Iraq.
[[Page H2340]]
Over the weekend, seven of our soldiers were taken prisoner by the
Iraqi government. One of the POWs is within my district and lives in
Elgin; and I want to take this opportunity to indicate to my colleagues
that I wanted to express my support to his family, to his mother and
the rest of his family.
I know that his mother, my constituent, has indicated and had asked
me to send a message to her son. The family has indicated that the
whole community is supporting and praying for his safe return. She is
asking him to be strong and to not lose faith in the Lord. The family
has faith that you will return home safely.
I hope and I expect that the POWs and our troops that are being held
in Iraq will be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve
under international law. Iraq and the United States are both parties to
the Geneva Convention, and they are required to treat POWs both in a
humane way and to protect them against any violence, any intimidation
and to avoid insults and public ridicule. The actions of the Iraqi
government that we have seen so far of displaying our captured soldiers
on television is unacceptable.
I support our troops who are in Iraq, and I want them to know that
the country is fully behind them, and we pray for their safe return. In
these times of conflict is when I want the families of the soldiers to
know that they have our prayers and assurance that we will do
everything we can.
{time} 1800
My sympathies go out to the families of our soldiers who have lost
their lives, have been wounded, are prisoners of war, or are missing in
action. I hope that this war ends soon and successfully and all our
soldiers will return home safely.
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair must remind Members that remarks
in debate should be addressed to the Chair and not to others in the
second person.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), a senior member of the
Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos),
and certainly the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) and the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) for offering this resolution.
I represent Camp Lejeune Marine Base, Cherry Point Marine Air
Station, New River Air Facility, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base;
and I stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I am
offended on behalf of our men and women in uniform by the way that the
POWs have been treated. It is unacceptable. I want to take my limited
time by making a point on a part of this resolution that joins the
President in warning all Iraqi authorities that any individual who
mistreats any prisoner of war in violation of the convention shall be
considered a war criminal and shall be prosecuted as such to the full
extent of United States and international law.
Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the first bill that I had the opportunity to
introduce was called the War Crimes Act of 1996. I worked with a former
POW of the Vietnam War, Mike Cronin, a Navy pilot shot down, and he
spent 6\1/2\ years at the Hanoi Hilton. I know the agony that our POWs
are going through in the hands of the Iraqis, and I want the Iraqis to
know that we are not going to allow mistreatments in violation of the
Geneva Convention.
I want to mention the bill that Mike Cronin helped me and other
Members of the House and Senate pass. The War Crimes Act of 1996 and
the Expanded War Crimes of 1997 carried out the obligation the United
States incurred after it signed the 1949 Geneva Convention for the
protection of victims of war. This legislation allows for prosecution
of war criminals in the absence of a specific international tribunal or
military judicial proceedings with penalties which could include fines,
life imprisonment or death in circumstances where the act resulted in
the death of the victim.
Mr. Speaker, I mention that because I want people to know that this
country is not going to allow our men and women in uniform to be
mistreated.
I close by asking God to please bless our men and women in uniform,
please bless the families, and please, God, bless America.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that each side be
given an additional 10 minutes so that Members who choose to speak on
this important resolution may have the opportunity to do so.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding me this time.
I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the original
sponsor of this resolution, for his vision and his willingness to
ensure that we stand united on this question of our POWs, as well as
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), whose district is most pointedly
impacted. I also thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), who has been a champion on
the issue of human rights, along with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Bereuter), who has been on the forefront of the issue of human rights;
and these are questions of human rights.
I come to the floor today to show truly to the world that the
Congress stands united in support of our troops and demand that they be
treated humanely and with great cause of concern. I am reading from the
provisions of the Geneva Convention, article 12; and it says prisoners
of war are in the hands of the enemy power, but not of the individual
enemy unit that captured them. Irrespective of the individual
responsibilities that may exist, the detaining power is responsible for
the treatment given to them. Article 13 says prisoners of war must at
all times be humanely treated.
I stand before this House not calling the names of those who are
missing or the names of POWs except to say that a large number of them
have come from the State of Texas and the 507th Maintenance Company in
Fort Bliss, Texas. To all of the families, some of them who have lost
loved ones now as the war is raging, and those who are missing and
those who are POWs, we stand united to demand that the Geneva
Convention be adhered to. This resolution is a loud sound that gives a
clarion call to the Iraqi Government and to the Iraqi military that we
will not tolerate the inhumane treatment of our brave young men and
women. And it also states that the United States, as we capture the
Iraqi military, also adhere to the Geneva Convention; and we have been
told by our military leadership that that is the case.
Mr. Speaker, as I stand here united, let it be clear there is no
divide between us in our support of the United States troops. They are
valiant young men and women. Their families are standing by. Our
prayers are with them; but most of all our resolve for them to come
home safely, that they be treated humanely and that the international
law of the Geneva Convention be adhered to. We stand united, undivided,
and we will prevail.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
(Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the
resolution offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston). It is
incumbent on the Congress to send a warning to Saddam Hussein and his
regime of their obligation to treat prisoners of war humanely and abide
by the rules of the Geneva Convention.
Mr. Speaker, the State of Georgia received sad news yesterday that
one of our brave sons, Army Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young, Jr., of
Lithia Springs was captured and taken prisoner by enemy forces in Iraq.
His capture and detainment by Iraqi forces troubles me greatly, and I
know the entire House joins me in sending my strongest prayers and
thoughts to his parents, Kaye and Ronald, Sr., as well as his wife,
Stephanie, and their infant son. We pray for his safety and his quick
return home.
[[Page H2341]]
Mr. Speaker, our goal is the swift and safe repatriation of all
prisoners of war at the earliest possible moment, but I want the
warning to Saddam Hussein and his regime to be clear: Any individual
who mistreats a prisoner of war in violation of the Geneva Convention
will be considered a war criminal and prosecuted to the full extent of
United States and international law.
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this resolution today and to
remember the young family in your hearts and prayers.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).
(Mr. COLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, this is the first occasion I have had to speak
in the well of the House, and I do not expect to ever have an
opportunity to speak on a more important issue on a more important
occasion.
I keep in my office a picture of my uncle who was liberated from an
axis prison camp in August 1945 after spending over 3 years in enemy
captivity. He is surrounded by another group of brave Americans, and I
keep that picture to remind me of the sacrifices people paid so that we
have an opportunity to come here and debate and argue and discuss the
great issues of the day.
I often asked my uncle when I was growing up if he ever thought that
he would be left behind or forgotten. He told me never, that he knew no
American would ever leave another American in captivity. I knew some
day my fellows would come for me.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure those brave men and women in captivity
tonight that their country has not forgotten them. We will come for
them. We will make sure that they come home safe, sound and free.
I also want to join the Members in this House in warning their
captors that if they are not treated with respect and with the dignity
that they not only deserve but that we extend to our enemies in this
particular conflict, there will be a terrific price to pay in terms of
being war criminals.
Finally, I want to say how proud I am to be in this body at this
moment, where we have differences occasionally on policy, even this
policy; but we have absolutely no difference when it comes to our
regard for the men and women in uniform that serve and protect us, and
absolutely no difference in our determination to reach out to them to
protect them and to see that they are dealt with fairly when they are
in captivity and they come home safely.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) to pay special tribute to women soldiers.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I associate myself with the
remarks of the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) regarding Members'
differing views on the policies of this war, but that we are united
behind the idea and the efforts of our troops.
I do want to acknowledge that one of the POWs from Texas is a woman
who happens to be a single parent. I want to say on behalf of the women
of the United States military, to thank this Congress for its support
of women in the military, recognizing their talents and contributions,
and not one of them has refused to serve their Nation.
In particular, I think it is important to lift up the Geneva
Convention so that none of our troops, whether or not one happens to be
a woman, and may be violated, that none are subjected to inhumane
treatment and that we stand united on this. There is no difference on
how we will fight for our troops and how our troops' bravery will show
themselves well on behalf of the American people. God bless them and
God bless the United States of America.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy.)
(Mr. MURPHY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I am here to voice strong support for the
resolution offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston). By
passing this resolution, we in Congress will call upon the Iraqi regime
to abide by the obligations of the Geneva Convention by treating
prisoners of war with dignity and humanity. We are also making it very
clear that any individual who mistreats a prisoner of war in violation
of the Geneva Convention will be considered a war criminal themselves
and prosecuted to the full extent of United States and international
law.
The Geneva Convention requires the humane treatment of prisoners of
war and that prisoners of war be protected against acts of violence,
intimidation, insults, and public curiosity. Furthermore, the Geneva
Convention prohibits the infliction of physical or mental torture and
other forms of coercion on prisoners of war to secure from them
information of any kind whatsoever, and provides that prisoners of war
who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to
unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.
U.S. service personnel have confirmed several prisoners of war, and
we have to make sure we protect them. I would like to mention as an
aside that I ask the American media, television, radio, newspapers, to
also avoid any exploitation of family and friends of captives.
Information that may be released for the sake of trying to present a
good story may be played before our prisoners to try to break their
will or manipulate them. I ask Americans if they see such exposures and
exploitations, they will speak out.
The thoughts and prayers of all Americans are with the families and
loved ones of those soldiers who are captured or missing in action. We
owe a debt of gratitude to all servicemen and women who are sacrificing
to defend our freedom.
Let me leave this final message to the Iraqi military and their
leadership. Soon, very soon, you will be surrounded. Soon, very soon,
you will be defeated. Soon, very soon, you will be captives, and the
fate you will face will be decided by how you treat our POWs.
{time} 1815
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).
(Mr. PEARCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I do rise in support of the resolution
concerning our POWs and appreciate the sponsors of that bill and the
bipartisan support that is coming today.
Mr. Speaker, the hometown of one of the POWs is in my district. Last
Monday I had the opportunity to visit with his wife and discuss the
situation as she understood it. I was pleased to note that she seemed
comfortable and confident that the military had communicated well with
her and was very aware of the potentials that she brought to the table
by making public statements and was very careful to not draw too much
attention to her husband.
Mr. Speaker, I remember a generation ago, 30 years ago, in a
different war, in the Vietnam War where an entire segment of the
population spoke out in favor of the opposition. One actress even went
to Hanoi with prisoners of war there. I would remind the public that
there is still pain and an entire Vietnam generation. I speak for that
generation urging those who are opposed to the war to please stay here
and not take the side of the opponents in this very difficult
situation.
I ask the prayers of our country for the young men and young women
who are serving in that theater but especially for those who are POWs.
And for Specialist Joseph Hudson from Alamogordo, New Mexico, I send my
special prayers to you and request the prayers of the country for your
family and for you.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 118. I am proud
to be an original cosponsor of this concurrent resolution and I thank
Mr. Kingston for introducing this important resolution.
First, I would like to commend all of the U.S. troops participating
in Operation Iraqi Freedom. All of you are in our thoughts and prayers
and especially those who have been captured by the Iraqi regime.
One of the soldiers captured by Iraqi forces is Army Specialist
Joseph N. Hudson of the 507th Maintenance Company stationed at Fort
Bliss, Texas. Specialist Hudson is a resident of Alamogordo, New
Mexico. Hudson is 23 years old. A 1998 graduate of Alamogordo High
School, Hudson is described by his principal as a ``good kid.'' ``He
took care of business. He went through the system and took
[[Page H2342]]
care of what he needed to,'' the Principal said. Hudson has a wife and
daughter--and a very concerned family.
Specialist Hudson, along with the other soldiers currently held by
the Iraqi regime, represent the best of our country. These are
courageous, young soldiers who were captured during an ambush while
fighting to bring freedom to a people who have not known it for a very
long time.
It is important that we speak on this issue on a bipartisan basis.
This House must condemn the actions taken by the Iraqi regime and hold
them accountable for their actions.
We must let Saddam Hussein and his regime know that we expect them to
treat our soldiers in accordance with the Geneva Convention or else
they will be dealt with accordingly.
It is time.
I pray for the prompt and safe return home of Specialist Hudson and
the other American soldiers held captive by the Iraqi regime.
I ask all of my colleagues to support this concurrent resolution.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).
Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in
support of H. Con. Res. 118, sponsored by the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Kingston), urging the Iraqi government and military to treat our
troops humanely and our POWs also in accordance with the Geneva
Conventions.
Our prisoners of war should be protected by the standards the Geneva
Conventions outline, which prohibit persons engaged in warfare from
humiliating, televising or harming prisoners of war.
Mr. Speaker, we probably all remember the news stories about our POWs
from the conflict in Afghanistan at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The POWs
there were made to kneel; and people around the world erupted in
protest, claiming that we were being unfair to them.
This is nothing compared to what our prisoners of war in Iraq are
having to endure. The Iraqi soldiers have not followed the traditional
rules of warfare. They have dressed their troops in civilian clothes
and hidden them in crowded public places and placed troops in hospitals
and schools and fired upon our troops who cannot fire back, and they
have instructed their troops to ambush Americans while attempting to
surrender.
Mr. Speaker, just today I had the unfortunate experience of calling a
family in my district whose son was killed in the line of duty in Iraq.
Lance Corporal Brian Rory Buesing, who was only 20 years old, was
ambushed by Iraqi troops who were pretending to surrender. These kinds
of unfair, inhumane, indecent actions are happening, unfortunately, all
the time in this conflict. I urge the Iraqi government to treat our
prisoners of war with the respect we treat theirs. We urge other
nations in the world to be as outraged at their practices as I am and I
am sure all my colleagues are, and I urge them to also support this
resolution.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the
Committee on Rules.
(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding time. I want
to begin by congratulating the authors of this resolution, the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Reyes) and, of course, my good friend, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Bereuter), and my dear friend and neighbor, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos), who has spoken so eloquently on this issue of
the war. I want to especially congratulate him because of his life
experiences which he brings to this entire question and challenge.
During the 1980s, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to serve on the
POW/MIA Task Force. I first was privileged to join this great body in
1981. I came, in fact, with my friend from California (Mr. Lantos).
Shortly after arriving I met with a woman. Mrs. Masterson was her
name. Her daughter looked at me and said, ``Congressman, please tell me
that my father is dead.'' It was one of the most incredible things said
to me because this young woman lived daily with the uncertainty as to
whether her father had survived or not. He was missing in action, and
still is, in Vietnam.
That is why this resolution is so important and the message which has
come forth as I have listened to the eloquent words of our new
colleague, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), who talked about his
uncle, as I have listened to so many people talk about this, this
challenge we face will, I believe, lead every American to redouble our
efforts to ensure that we bring about justice. This is a war of good
versus evil. We are on the side of good, and the courageous men and
women who have sacrificed and stepped up to the plate are in fact on
the side of good. That is why our effort to underscore the importance
of the safe return of those prisoners of war and any missing in action
is of the highest priority for all of us. I congratulate my friends and
look forward to their safe return.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Before yielding back my time, I would like to make one observation.
We have paid tributes to our military who have been captured. We have
expressed our determination that they be treated with dignity and
within the confines of the Geneva Convention, and we have expressed our
commitment that those who do not will be punished however long it takes
us to find them and to bring them to justice.
There is only one item that has not yet been mentioned in this
debate. The Arab television network Al Jazeera has become part and
parcel of Saddam Hussein's propaganda machine. I call on the government
of Qatar and others who are capable of doing so of rectifying the
outrageous policies of this television network which is being used to
humiliate and intimidate our military. It is unacceptable that an
international television network be used as part of Saddam Hussein's
propaganda machine, and we expect action to be taken on that issue.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of our colleagues for
their insightful and heartfelt comments. I am pleased to yield the
balance of my time to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Kingston), the author of the resolution, a member of the Committee on
Appropriations.
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the
cosponsor of this, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the gentleman from Missouri
(Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) for all
the work that their committees did in bringing this to the floor today.
I am wearing, Mr. Speaker, a patch of the Third Infantry Division.
This particular emblem, and we all get many lapel buttons in Congress,
but it means probably more to me than any that I have ever received. It
was given to me by retired Lieutenant Colonel Robin Webber, whose
husband is General-promotable Joe Webber. He is over in the theater
right now from the Third Infantry Division.
In communities like Fort Stewart, Georgia, which I have the honor of
representing where the Third Infantry is headquartered, and Fort Bliss,
Texas, and other military communities around the country, we see these
young soldiers and some of the older soldiers and all the soldiers and
the support personnel as friends and neighbors. When we have an
international conflict, we look at it both on a personal level and, of
course, on an international level.
I was there at the dockside when the Mendonza ship was loading up the
equipment from Fort Stewart, 500,000 square feet worth of tanks and
personnel movers and helicopters.
I was there at the DAG at Hunter Air Base when we were shaking hands
with the soldiers and standing by the USO as they put the deodorant and
the Bibles and sometimes the pocketbooks and other items in bags for
them, shaking hands with these soldiers as they went off to mission.
I was at the luncheon meeting with the military wives' organization
when Ms. Webber gave this patch to me. They were talking about their
own personal struggles and how this conflict affects their lives. Yet
to a person and to an experience, everybody who was
[[Page H2343]]
involved in this great human chain of activity was very proud of the
work of the Third Infantry Division; and indeed now, as they sit on the
banks of the Euphrates River, our hearts and thoughts remain with them
more than ever.
The men and women who make up the Third Infantry Division, of course,
come from all over the country. They come from Mission, Texas;
Alamogordo, New Mexico; Park City, Kansas; Pennsauken, New Jersey;
Lithia Springs, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; and all over. In that way
they are so much members of the American fabric that we all are with
them, even the people who did not see the horrible film which Members
of Congress saw today, which Members of Congress saw some of our
bravest and finest young men dead in apparent execution. We saw other
soldiers, men and one woman, who were detained as prisoners of war.
It is with this outrage that we all come together on a bipartisan
basis and support H. Con. Res. 118. We believe it is very important to
send a signal not just to the soldiers and the members of the Iraqi
military but the international community that we believe in the Geneva
Convention and we expect any nation that we are at war with to abide by
the Geneva Convention.
The four Geneva Conventions, Mr. Speaker, were agreed upon in August,
1949, and they were signed by 164 different nations, including Iraq.
The International Committee of the Red Cross oversees the
implementation of the conventions. The conventions include the
following:
Article 13 states that prisoners of war must at all times be treated
humanely, they must be protected against acts of violence or
intimidation and against insults and public curiosity.
Article 14 states that prisoners of war are entitled in all
circumstances to respect for their persons and their honor.
Article 17 states, in part, every prisoner of war, when questioned on
the subject, is bound to give only his surname, first name and rank,
date of birth, and army, regimental or personnel serial number or
equivalent information. No physical or mental torture, nor any other
form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from
them information of any kind whatsoever.
Article 19 states that POWs shall be evacuated as soon as possible
after their capture to camps situated in an area far enough from the
combat zone for them to be out of danger.
And article 23 says no POW may be sent to, or detailed in, areas
where he may be exposed to the fire of the combat zone.
These articles, Mr. Speaker, seem to be totally ignored. We have
soldiers over there now that are captured, seven that we know of, that
we have confirmed. Yet we have 4,000 Iraqi soldiers, and we are abiding
by the Geneva Convention. How easy it would be to manage for the care
of seven prisoners compared to 4,000. Yet the United States, just like
Iraq in 1949, signed these conventions; and we intend to stick by them.
By passing this resolution today, which we will, I hope, on a
bipartisan and unanimous basis, we are sending a strong signal, three
of them, Mr. Speaker, one to the troops, to say that you are foremost
on our minds, so are your families and so are the other soldiers who
are fighting to regain your freedom. Number two, we are sending a
signal to the government and the military of Iraq that if you do ignore
the Geneva Convention, then we intend to give you a criminal trial as a
war criminal when this conflict is over with or as soon as possible.
{time} 1830
And, number three, we are sending a signal to the international
community because we know there are many who have opposed this action.
We know there are many nations who do not like the United States of
America, and yet since there are 164 nations that have signed the
Geneva Conventions, we hope that all 162 others, excluding the United
States and Iraq, would join us and say this is an outrage, we insist
that Iraq abide by the Geneva Conventions. And this is an opportunity
for France, for Russia, for China, for Germany, or any other critics
that we have in this action to come together, as have Members of
Congress, to say this is not right, we want these conventions followed.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield the floor and close with the
remarks of so many other colleagues. God bless these prisoners, God
bless our troops, and God bless America.
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, we have brave men and women in harms way in
Iraq. They are risking their lives for the cause of freedom and
security for our Nation. We have lost soldiers in this war, and now we
know that Iraq has taken prisoners.
Two of those brave soldiers that have been taken prisoner are from
Fort Hood, in my district--Apache pilots from the 1st Battalion, 227th
Aviation Regiment. These men and their families are in my prayers. I
know they have a very difficult road in front of them.
We stand here on the floor of this House to speak for these two
pilots, and for all the men and women who may be prisoners of war
during this conflict. Iraq, as a signatory of the Geneva Convention,
has an obligation to treat American prisoners humanely.
We have already received indications that Iraq is not adhering
strictly to the Convention. This is outrageous and must change
immediately.
If I could speak to the prisoners and their families for a moment . .
. the whole country is behind you right now. We're thinking of you and
praying you will be reunited soon. Your sacrifices for your country
will not be forgotten.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud American to
commend the brave men and women of our armed services who are carrying
out the mission to provide hope and freedom to the Iraqi people held
captive by Saddam Hussein and his regime.
I also join my colleagues in praying for the continued safety of the
Prisoners of War from the United States: five members of the 507th
Maintenance Company, taken from their convoy during the confusion of
war, and the two pilots of an Apache helicopter shot down while on a
mission. Sadly, the fates of several others are still unknown.
I am disgusted by the Iraqi regime's blatant disregard of the Geneva
Conventions implemented after World War II to protect soldiers on
either side of any conflict. The regime of Saddam Hussein, which rules
over a signatory nation of the treaty, is responsible for the safety of
our soldiers. If they ignore this serious responsibility, they will
bear the consequences when they are prosecuted as Prisoners of War
after this conflict. The United States will not allow Iraq's failure to
abide by international law go unpunished.
Finally, I wish to add my voice to those commending all our men and
women in uniform, praising them for their efforts and praying for their
swift and safe return to us.
Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, two days ago, horrifying video broadcast by
the Arab satellite station Al Jazeera filtered back to us here showing
tortured and murdered American troops.
I want Saddam to know that here in America we are angry, and we want
justice.
The brutal treatment of our unarmed troops has produced in America a
wave of defiance; Absolute disgust of Saddam; Magnified the
determination of our American military; and Hardened our commitment to
remove this barbaric regime.
This treatment provides a sharp reminder of the past cruelty American
prisoners of war suffered during the Second World War, Korea and
Vietnam.
As a nation, we endured these hardships then--we will endure them
now. However, we will endure this pain only until we have Saddam and
the generals who ordered these killings--then we will seek the justice
our murdered servicemen deserve.
Deliberately killing our men will not weaken our resolve or change
our goal to free Iraq. The regime of Saddam Hussein will be removed--
the outcome of the conflict is determined and settled. We will win, we
will bring our troops back home and we will punish the Iraqi murderers.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution demanding
Iraq abide by the Geneva Conventions in the treatment of prisoners of
war. While war is hideous and deadly, civilized nations of the world
over 50 years ago came together to make the situation of POWS less
awkward and more humane.
Iraq is a signatory to the conventions. The Geneva convention
Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War requires the humane
treatment of prisoners of war, and that POWS be protected against acts
of violence or intimidation, insults, and public curiosity. The
convention also explicitly prohibits the infliction of physical or
mental torture; provides that POWs may not be exposed to fire in a war
zone; and requires that a government holding such prisoners grant
representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross free
access to all POWs.
Congress demands that Iraqi authorities abide by the principles and
the obligations of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of
Prisoners of War, and we condemn
[[Page H2344]]
the failure of Iraqi authorities to treat prisoners of war in strict
conformity with the conventions. Congress also demands that Iraqi
authorities permit the International Committee of the Red Cross to
visit all U.S. prisoners of war and any other prisoner of war at the
earliest possible time, in accordance with the requirements of the
conventions.
The U.S. government has informed the Iraqi authorities that we will
treat all captured Iraqi prisoners in accordance with the Geneva
Convention. We are a peace-loving nation roused to war, but we are not
inhumane; we will treat the prisoners of Iraq with respect and decency.
We demand no less from the other signatories of the convention.
This resolution warns all Iraqi authorities that anyone mistreating
any POW is in violation of the conventions and will be a war criminal
this country will chase down and prosecute to the full extent of U.S.
and international law.
I join my colleagues in commending the bravery and professionalism of
the members of the U.S. armed forces and its coalition partners. My
heart is heavy for the families and loved one of those who are killed,
wounded, missing in action, or taken prisoner by Iraqi authorities.
Know that we do not leave our men and women on the battlefield, we
will fight to find them and bring them all home.
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on April 16, 1966, during my
second tour of Vietnam I was shot down. I spent nearly 7 years as a
prisoner of war--more than half of that time in solitary confinement.
During my 25th mission I weighed about 200 pounds. During my
captivity in Vietnam, I got down to 120 pounds. My captors beat me,
tortured me, starved me, and interrogated me.
When I ejected out of the plane, I broke my back and right arm. It
was these injuries my captors would use to push me to the brink. One
time they put me in front of a firing squad and said, `we're going to
kill you.' They readied their AK-47s. Now I started praying harder than
I ever prayed in my life. In a few seconds, the guns went click, click,
click, click, click. I laughed at them--big mistake. It is only because
of the grace of God I survived.
When I heard about American P.O.W.s in Iraq, my heart skipped a beat.
And when I saw pictures of them--I was furious!! That is a flagrant
violation of the Geneva Convention. That's just wrong.
It is my hope that this Congress and the international community will
send a strong signal to the Iraqis that if they do not uphold the
Geneva Conventions and treat our troops humanely . . . the Iraqis will
be sought . . . they will be caught . . . and they will be punished
as war criminals.
I just hope that those Iraqis see the writing on the walls that
they're working for a falling regime and that if they don't adhere to
these international laws they will be punished.
Now my heart goes out to the family and friends of our troops and
especially our P.O.W.s. You're in our thoughts and prayers. And to our
soldiers--all I can tell you is that what you're doing is the greatest
job in the world and America will be there for you!
To the P.O.W.s--we will find you and we will come and get you! And
when we do--trust me--it will be the most incredible day of your life.
God bless you and God bless America.
Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of both the
important resolutions we are considering today. These resolutions are
two ways that we in Congress can express our appreciation for our
troops in Iraq, share our condolences with the families of those who
have been lost and increase support around the country for our men and
women in uniform who are serving their country with bravery and much
success.
H. Res. 153 calls for observance of a day of prayer and fasting in
our country. People in our country and our leaders have a long history
of turning in God in times of need, especially war situations. We need
to again take time, regardless of our religious traditions, to ask for
guidance and strength for our military leaders and the future of our
Nation. We have been threatened by terrorism, and we are acting now to
prevent future threats. We pray for the knowledge to make the right
decisions and the ability to help advance peace and safety around the
world.
I also strongly support the Concurrent Resolution regarding the
treatment of our prisoners of war. We know how poorly Saddam Hussein
has treated his own citizens over the years, so there is reason to be
concerned for the safety of our POW's. I join the Congress in sending a
clear message to the Iraqis who are holding our prisoners: treat them
with respect and dignity, in the same manner we are treating your
prisoners. Any one who violates the law and mistreats our POWs will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent.
As we witness our U.S. and coalition troops serving with bravery and
resolve in their mission to disarm Iraq, I have great confidence in
their ability to get the job done. They are focused on the mission at
hand. They have the advantage of precision weapons, and we have seen
their ability to select and hit targets. Their commanders have planned
and executed an aggressive strategy in the air and on the ground.
Here at home, we need a showing of support for our troops and their
families. Many in Kentucky have loved ones serving our Nation in Iraq,
especially with the deployments from Fort Knox and Fort Campbell. As
our men and women in uniform fight in order to improve security in the
world, their anxious and proud family members keep faith and await
their safe return. This military effort to provide for future security
has not come without loss of life. We pray for those who have been
lost, for their families and for our troops' safety.
We will be successful in disarming Saddam Hussein of his weapons of
mass destruction, no matter how long it takes. We will eliminate the
threat he poses to our country and to our allies. The Iraqi people are
more than ready for liberation from Saddam.
A liberated Iraq with a leader who no longer threatens peace and
security is a goal all nations can agree on. The United States is
providing the military means to that goal, and our country and the
Congress have the highest support and appreciation for our troops.
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bass). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
118, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. BEREUTER. 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 until tomorrow.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on House
Resolution 153 also will resume tomorrow.
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