[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 161 (Friday, November 7, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF ``THE MEMORIAL TO NONCITIZEN PATRIOTS ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 7, 2003

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague from 
California, Mr. Cunningham, to honor our nation's veterans with 
introduction of the ``Memorial to Noncitizen Patriots Act.''
  George Washington once said, ``The willingness with which our young 
people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall 
be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier 
wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.''
  Honoring our veterans is a process that begins on the battlefield 
through ensuring that our troops have the best training, equipment and 
other support. It continues as we welcome them home upon returning from 
war, when we fly the POW-MIA flag, when we care for them and their 
families and, ultimately, when we lay them to rest with appropriate 
remembrance and tribute.
  Our country, while divided in its views on specific military actions, 
is united in its support for our service men and women who are prepared 
to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom.
  Many American military heroes, past and present, were born outside of 
the United States. From the thousands of noncitizens who fought for the 
Union Army during the Civil War, to the 36,177 noncitizen members of 
today's Armed Forces, these men and women have sacrificed for our 
country and the preservation of our precious freedom.
  To date, we have lost 17 noncitizen service members in Iraq. Marine 
Lance Corporal Jose Gutierrez from Lomita, California, in my 
Congressional District, was born in Guatemala and lost his life this 
spring. Like Corporal Gutierrez, all of these men and women have fought 
just as bravely as their American-born counterparts and have dedicated 
themselves to serving the country they are proud to call their own.
  It is time that we appropriately recognize their bravery, valor, and 
patriotism.
  I am pleased to pay tribute to Corporal Gutierrez and other foreign-
born noncitizen patriots who died in combat with the introduction of 
the ``Memorial to Noncitizen Patriots Act.'' This legislation would 
authorize construction of a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery 
honoring the service and sacrifice of noncitizens killed in the line of 
duty while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
  Arlington, the nation's premier military cemetery and shrine honoring 
the men and women who served in the Armed Forces, is a particularly 
fitting place for this tribute. I hope that my colleagues will join me 
in supporting this bill.

                          ____________________