[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H1690-H1693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ESTABLISHING CAMPAIGN MEDALS TO BE AWARDED TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
 FORCES PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM OR OPERATION IRAQI 
                                FREEDOM

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3104) to provide for the establishment of campaign medals to 
be awarded to members of the Armed Forces who participate in Operation 
Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3104

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SEPARATE MILITARY CAMPAIGN MEDALS TO RECOGNIZE 
                   SERVICE IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND 
                   SERVICE IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

       (a) Requirement.--The President shall establish a campaign 
     medal specifically to recognize service by members of the 
     uniformed services in Operation Enduring Freedom and a 
     separate campaign medal specifically to recognize service by 
     members of the uniformed services in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
       (b) Eligibility.--Subject to such limitations as may be 
     prescribed by the President, eligibility for a campaign medal 
     established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be set forth in 
     regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned (as 
     defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code). In 
     the case of regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the 
     military departments, the regulations shall be subject to 
     approval by the Secretary of Defense and shall be uniform 
     throughout the Department of Defense.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Connecticut?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my support for H.R. 3104. I was 
pleased to join my colleagues, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) 
and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), in introducing this 
legislation last September.
  The legislation we are considering today authorizes campaign medals 
for military personnel who have been participating in the war on 
terror. Essentially, the legislation would authorize

[[Page H1691]]

separate medals to be awarded for service in Iraq and in Afghanistan. 
The President and the Pentagon would be charged with determining who 
would receive the medals.
  Mr. Speaker, those of us who have served in the military realize that 
the medals awarded and the ribbons worn on the uniform are essentially 
a biographic statement of the service of the military officer or NCO. 
Speaking for myself, when I take the ribbons that I have earned after 
over 30 years of military service and I look at them, I can recall 
where I was, what I was doing, and what I received credit for from my 
military chain of command.
  By the same token, military officers and NCOs observing each other in 
uniform with their decorations on their uniform realize whether an 
individual served in a theater of operations where they served. That is 
one of the reasons why we think it is important to differentiate 
between service in Iraq or service in Afghanistan, even though service 
in both locations involves the war on terrorism.
  Looking at the charts that I have here today on display, my 
colleagues will notice that there are certain other occasions where 
individual medals are awarded, even though the campaign has one 
consistent objective. For example, we have a Cuban Occupation Medal and 
a Puerto Rican Occupation Medal, as well as a Spanish War Medal and the 
Philippine campaign. Some would argue that each of these decorations 
goes to the issue of one concerted effort by the United States, yet 
service in those different locations has previously been determined to 
result in a specific or a special award.
  On another chart over here, we have, for example, the Korean War 
decoration, and I do not see it in front of me, but we all know that 
those members of the armed services who served in Korea were given a 
special award for that; but also if one served in Vietnam, as I did, 
one gets a special award, right here, the Vietnam campaign ribbon. As 
well, those who served in the liberation of Kuwait 10 years ago and 
those who served physically in Saudi Arabia, as those who participated 
in the liberation of Kuwait and were actually in Kuwait, have two 
different decorations, which are indicated here.
  So the point I am trying to make, Mr. Speaker, is that in the past, 
it has not been unusual to provide awards and decorations that are 
specific to a particular theater or country in which a military officer 
or NCO has served, even though those campaigns and those activities may 
have been part of a larger enterprise.
  It is on this basis, Mr. Speaker, that I believe that this 
legislation has great merit. I commend my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle for supporting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I also rise in support of H.R. 3104, which requires the President to 
establish separate campaign medals for servicemembers who participate 
in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and then a separate medal 
for Operation Iraqi Freedom. I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for the work he has done on this bill. As a 
career military officer, he recognizes the importance of providing 
proper recognition to our men and women in uniform.
  The bill we originally introduced allowed members of the armed 
services to receive separate campaign medals for Operation Iraqi 
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. As amended on the floor today, 
it also includes all members of uniformed services.
  Let me say, Mr. Speaker, the intent of our bill is not to replace the 
administration's Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, nor the 
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, rather, to provide separate 
campaign medals to recognize folks who have participated in the Iraq 
campaign and in the Afghanistan campaign. This follows the pattern that 
this country has done before in honoring its men and women in uniform.
  For example, we have a World War II Victory Medal, but then we also 
had separate theater campaign medals, such as the Asiatic Pacific 
Campaign Medal; and this bill leaves the regulations and eligibility 
for these two medals to be determined by the President and the 
Department of Defense.
  One of the issues that has come up is, well, who is the responsible 
party for establishing these kinds of medals? In fact, Congress has 
often taken the lead to do that. I would like to go through some of 
these bills, if I might.
  The battle of Manila Bay Medal, also called the Dewey Medal, was 
established by Congress in 1898. The Spanish War Medal authorized by 
Congress in 1918; the Mexican Border Service Medal authorized by 
Congress in 1918; the Philippine Congressional Medal authorized by 
Congress in 1906; the World War I Victory Medal in 1919, authorized by 
Congress; the Army Occupation of Germany, World War I, authorized by 
Congress in 1941; the Spanish Campaign Medal authorized by Congress in 
1905; the World War II Victory Medal authorized by Congress in 1945; 
the Prisoner of War Medal authorized by Congress in 1985; the Medal for 
Humane Action also known as the Berlin Airlift authorized by Congress 
in 1949.
  I would like to recognize another one too. In 1956, the Congress 
authorized the Civil War Campaign Medal, and the reason it was taken up 
in 1956, so many years after the Civil War, is because the Army had had 
a Civil War campaign badge, but a judge advocate general in the Army in 
1905 thought that the Army probably did not have the authority, that 
only Congress had the authority to do a campaign medal, and Congress 
rectified this in 1956 by authorizing the Civil War Campaign Medal.
  My point, Mr. Speaker, is that I believe the record is very clear 
that Congress not only has the authority to do this but, in fact, that 
has been the history of establishment of a lot of our medals.
  I would like to recognize too the leadership of the Committee on 
Armed Services who helped bring this bill forward. The gentleman from 
California (Chairman Hunter) has been a forceful advocate, both 
publicly and privately, in support of this bill, as has the gentleman 
from Missouri (Ranking Member Skelton).
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger).
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3104. This bill will establish separate campaign medals for Operations 
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Arkansas. (Mr. Snyder), the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the gentleman from Connecticut 
(Mr. Simmons), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) for their hard 
work, the Committee on Armed Services for reporting this bill to the 
full House, and the leadership for getting it to the floor so 
expeditiously.
  Upon returning from Iraq last fall, I introduced a similar bill to 
the one before us today. After visiting with soldiers on that trip, I 
became convinced that we needed to establish separate medals for 
service in Afghanistan and Iraq in order to give our troops the 
recognition they deserve. A number of the troops mentioned that they 
have served in both countries and would appreciate separate medals to 
distinguish their service. Many of our servicemen and -women who have 
served in these two very different campaigns in the war on terrorism 
feel the same way, and they deserve the recognition.
  Currently, the Department of Defense has established the Global War 
on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for those who have deployed to 
Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal is for those who have served in support roles 
since September 11. Our troops can only be issued these medals once, 
even if they have served in both operations.

                              {time}  1430

  I do not think these medals go far enough. The war on terrorism will 
be a long struggle with many major military campaigns and fronts.
  In my opinion, this fact warrants separate medals for the war's first 
two major campaigns. There is also precedent for these medals. During 
World War II, for example, three campaign medals were issued to 
recognize the different fronts of the war: the American Campaign 
Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the European-
African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

[[Page H1692]]

  During the 1990s, DOD issued the Southwest Asia Service Medal for the 
Persian Gulf war in 1991 and the Kosovo Campaign Medal for the 1999 
U.S.-led war in Kosovo.
  By awarding separate medals we simply recognize the specific 
contribution our servicemen and women have made in Afghanistan and 
Iraq. These medals would not take away from the significance of the 
global war on terrorism medal.
  I also think DOD should establish separate medals for future major 
campaigns in the war on terrorism.
  I want to conclude my remarks by saying thank you to the men and 
women of our armed services for their service and sacrifice. Moments 
like these always remind me that freedom is not free. Thank God we have 
men and women who are willing to volunteer their service to protect and 
fight for our great Nation. These medals are just one of the many ways 
we should recognize them.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Granger) for her leadership on this bill. She has been working on this 
issue for some time, also.
  I neglected to mention the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) who has 
his own Vietnam Service Campaign Medal for his work as a helicopter 
crew chief and is now a fine member of the Committee on Armed Services. 
And I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for his work.
  Let me repeat in closing that those of us who have worked on this 
bill, have sponsored and cosponsored this bill, do not at all intend 
this as a replacement for the global war on terrorism service medals 
and expeditionary medals. We support those medals. What we think, 
though, is we need to recognize that contribution, that camaraderie 
that comes from our men and women in uniform that are serving in Iraq 
so they can have their own campaign medal and our men and women in 
Afghanistan so they can have their own campaign medal in addition to 
the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
  So I urge support of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  George S. Patton, Jr., once said, quote, ``The results of decorations 
works two ways: It makes the men who get them proud and determined to 
get more, and it makes the men who have not received them jealous and 
determined to get some in order to even up. It is the greatest thing we 
have for building a fighting heart.'' I would only correct the great 
General Patton today by saying the men and women who receive them. 
Because, as we know, in today's military forces men and women are 
providing an equal contribution.
  As my colleague has indicated, service in uniform and service in a 
war zone is not simply about awards and decorations, it is about our 
national policy, and it is about working as a team with other men and 
women in uniform. But the awards and decorations they receive provide 
them with incentive and provide them with a living history which 
becomes their career in service to their country. That is why 
refreshing and upgrading the medals that are offered to our servicemen 
and women is so important.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton).
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Snyder), my friend, for yielding and for giving me this time.
  Actually, this is a very, very important bill; and I speak in favor 
of it. As you know, we have two major, ongoing conflicts in the Middle 
East regarding the American forces. The first is a guerrilla warfare in 
Iraq and the second is going after the genesis and the home of the 
terrorists in Afghanistan that caused us so much and continues to cause 
us so much international terror.
  I voted for the resolution regarding conflict in Iraq because I felt 
it was necessary, based upon the weapons of mass destruction 
allegation. We went in there; and, as a result of the very tremendous 
military field victory of our troops, we stayed. The ongoing guerrilla 
warfare has erupted which is an effort to do away with the stability 
and do away with transferring sovereignty to a stable, representative 
Iraq. The purpose of those are, whether they be Baathist or Fedayeen or 
jihadists or remnants of Afghanistan's al Qaeda, trying to destabilize 
that government. That is the purpose of guerrilla warfare. That is one 
war in and of itself.
  The second in Afghanistan, the purpose there, of course, was going 
after those who have been causing terror to the United States for quite 
some time, beginning 1993 in the World Trade Center; 1996, the Khobar 
Towers bombing; in 1998, the simultaneous bombing of the embassies in 
Tanzania and Kenya; and then the boat bombing of the USS Cole in the 
harbor at Yemen; and, of course, September 11, 2001, came along, was 
the culmination. The terrorists home base is Afghanistan.
  I think there should be separate ribbons for those separate 
conflicts, and I think this is very good. I compliment the gentleman 
from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) for introducing this. I thank the gentleman 
from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for the strong support. I think it is 
the right thing to do. It should happen. So then when we see someone in 
uniform wearing either or both of these ribbons, we can recognize it 
and say thank you.
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 2057 
and H.R. 3104. S. 2057 provides retroactive travel reimbursements for 
troops who returned home before December 19, 2003 from Iraq and 
Afghanistan for rest and recuperation leave. H.R. 3104 provides 
separate combat medals for the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I 
think you would be hard pressed to find a Member of Congress who 
opposes these low cost bills to benefit our troops. The only question 
is: What took us so long?
  During debate on the $87 billion Iraq supplemental last October, I 
introduced an amendment that would have provided for free travel all 
the way home from Iraq and Afghanistan for troops on R&R leave, and 
would have required separate campaign medals be issued for service in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, among other important personnel benefits. The 
Republican leadership in the House would not even let this amendment on 
the floor for a vote. So here we are six months later, and we are only 
just now revisiting the issues.
  Why so long? Quite simply, the Bush Administration opposed separate 
war medals for Iraq and Afghanistan, preferring instead to issue one 
service medal for the Global War on Terror. I understand the 
Administration's desire to put these operations in a larger context, 
but that does not translate to our troops on the ground. Circumstances 
leading up to and in Iraq and Afghanistan were very different, as are 
the challenges our troops face on the ground today. Furthermore, the 
Pentagon policy not only authorized a single medal for OEF and OIF, it 
does not prescribe service stars to reflect service in both conflicts 
or multiples tours of duty in the same conflict. This is blatantly 
wrong. Campaign and service medals proudly reflect military service in 
a particular conflict, enhance esprit-de-corps, and are a strong part 
of military history. It means a great deal to an infantryman to look at 
his fellow soldiers and say ``Iraq--yes sir, I was there.''
  The British established the Iraq Campaign Medal to recognize service 
in, and in support of, operations in Iraq. Australia established 
separate ``Afghanistan'' and ``Iraq'' clasp for their Active Service 
Medal to reward OEF and OIF service. So why would we deny our 
servicemen, who are sacrificing so much for our country, separate 
medals that can boost morale for such a small price?
  And if the Global War on Terror continues for many years on many 
fronts as the President has suggested it might, are we to expect that 
the Administration would prefer that we issue no new campaign medals in 
perpetuity? H.R. 3104 makes sure this will not be the case.
  S. 2057 and H.R. 3104 are low cost, long needed morale boosts for our 
troops in the field, and though it has taken us too long to get to 
them, I wholeheartedly urge their passage today.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Whitfield). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3104, 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.

[[Page H1693]]

  Mr. SIMMONS. 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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