[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 19, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3251-H3256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING PAST AND CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED 
  STATES AND ENCOURAGING AMERICANS TO WEAR RED POPPIES ON MEMORIAL DAY

  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 424) honoring past and current 
members of the Armed Forces of the United States and encouraging 
Americans to wear red poppies on Memorial Day.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 424

       Whereas the red poppy was the first living plant that 
     sprouted in the battlefields devastated by fighting during 
     World War I;
       Whereas red poppies grew abundantly in the trenches and 
     craters of the war-torn battlefields in Northern France and 
     Belgium;
       Whereas during World War I, the bloom of red poppies each 
     year and the coming of the warm weather brought hope to those 
     still fighting in the trenches of France and Belgium;
       Whereas in 1915, the red poppy inspired Canadian Colonel 
     John McCrae to write the poem ``In Flanders Fields'' in 
     remembrance of the thousands of soldiers who perished during 
     the three battles of Ypres in Belgium;
       Whereas in 1918, John McCrae's poem inspired Moina Belle 
     Michael of Athens, Georgia, to write her own poem entitled 
     ``We Shall Keep the Faith'', in which she promised to wear a 
     red poppy to memorialize American soldiers killed in World 
     War I, and later to raise millions of dollars to support and 
     employ disabled American veterans of all wars;
       Whereas on November 11, 1921, the first Poppy Day was held 
     in the United Kingdom and was a national success;
       Whereas the red poppy is a symbol of sacrifice throughout 
     the world;
       Whereas the red poppy has been worn in the United States 
     for more than 80 years as a way to remember those individuals 
     who died fighting for freedom and democracy around the world 
     and to raise money to help disabled veterans; and
       Whereas in 2004, wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day is 
     especially timely considering the sacrifices United States 
     soldiers are making in Iraq and Afghanistan for freedom, 
     democracy, and security: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress honors past and current members of 
     the Armed Forces of the United States and their families by 
     encouraging every American to wear a red poppy on Memorial 
     Day as a sign of admiration and thanks to those individuals 
     who died to preserve freedom and democracy in the United 
     States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Schrock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 424, the concurrent resolution currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Shadegg).
  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 424.
  Mr. Speaker, many of those watching today's proceedings may notice 
that many of us here on the floor are wearing the red poppy. It is, in 
fact, a symbol of Memorial Day and an acknowledgment of the sacrifice 
made by armed services personnel in fighting for our freedom throughout 
the world.
  Next weekend, our Nation will celebrate Memorial Day. All too often 
we forget the purposes of those celebrations, but Memorial Day is a 
very important day set aside to honor and acknowledge the sacrifice of 
all of those who have served our Nation and died in their service to 
our Nation. It is a day, as we will hear during this debate, with a 
long and important history.
  It is a day which began as Decoration Day, following the deaths 
during the Civil War of so many soldiers, a day, as we will hear in 
this debate, civilians went to the fields to decorate the graves of 
soldiers who had died in battle and decorated the graves of all 
soldiers, both Confederate and Union.
  Mr. Speaker, it is most fitting that this year, in this resolution, 
we would call upon the American people to make a special point of 
wearing a red poppy and of acknowledging the ultimate sacrifice made by 
our troops. Because this year, on Memorial Day, we will have troops in 
the field in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and throughout the world, who 
are serving our Nation and who themselves have been joined by soldiers 
who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
  This resolution acknowledges the importance of the red poppy, which 
has been adopted by the American Legion and by the Auxiliary of the 
American Legion as the official flower honoring the sacrifice of those 
who have died in our Nation's service.

                              {time}  1245

  It seems to me, as Members will hear in this debate, there was a time 
in our Nation when all Americans on Memorial Day wore a red poppy to 
acknowledge sacrifices made by our Armed Forces personnel. It has now 
become a worldwide tradition.
  I commend the gentleman for offering the resolution, and I encourage 
my colleagues to join in this debate, and I thank them for wearing the 
red poppy today.
  Some 535 red poppies were donated to Congress, and every Member of 
the House and Senate has a red poppy to wear today and on Memorial Day 
in recognition of this grand tradition and in recognition of the 
sacrifice paid by our soldiers, including those who have lost their 
lives in the recent battles in Afghanistan and Iraq, one of those 
soldiers being Pat Tillman from my State whose life was tragically lost 
within the last month.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this resolution.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 424, introduced by the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg). This timely resolution honors the men and 
women who serve in uniform and calls on all Americans to recognize the 
sacrifices of those who have given their lives to protect our freedom 
by wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day, May 30.
  In 2 weeks, our Nation will observe Memorial Day. Sadly, the true 
meaning of Memorial Day seems to have faded over the years, and for 
many young Americans, Memorial Day is often seen as just another 
holiday or the beginning of summer. This is sad and unfortunate as 
Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who have died in 
service, defending our Nation.
  The resolution before us honors those who have given their lives in 
service to their country and encourages Americans to wear a red poppy 
on Memorial Day.
  A number of people have asked, ``Why wear a red poppy?'' The red 
poppy grew abundantly in the battlefields of World War I, and it was 
the inspiration for several poems at the time, including such notable 
poems as ``Flanders Fields,'' written by John McCrae in May, 1915, and 
a poem by Moina Michael, entitled ``We Shall Keep the Faith,'' written 
in November, 1918.
  The first Poppy Day was held in England on November 11, 1921, and 
since that time, the red poppy has been a

[[Page H3252]]

symbol of sacrifice. For over 80 years, the red poppy has been worn to 
honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to 
raise money to help our disabled veterans.
  A poem attributed to Don Crawford entitled, ``Why Wear a Poppy'' 
captures the significance of this special flower, and I would like to 
read the poem for the Record.

                            Why Wear a Poppy

     ``Please wear a poppy,'' the lady said
     And held one forth, but I shook my head.
     Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
     And her face was old and lined with care,
     But beneath the scars the years had made
     There remained a smile that refused to fade.
     A boy came whistling down the street,
     Bouncing along on care-free feet.
     His smile was full of joy and fun,
     ``Lady,'' said he ``May I have one?''
     When she pinned it on he turned to say,
     ``Why do we wear a poppy, today?''
     The lady smiled in her wistful way,
     And answered ``This is Remembrance Day,
     And the poppy there is the symbol for
     The gallant men and women who died in war,
     And because they did, you and I are free,
     That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
     I had a boy about your size,
     With golden hair and big blue eyes.
     He loved to play and jump and shout,
     Free as a bird he would race about.
     As the years went by he learned and grew
     And became a man--as you will too.
     He was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
     But he'd seemed with us such a little while
     When war broke out and he went away.
     I still remember his face that day.
     When he smiled at me and said `Good-bye,
     I'll soon be back, Mom, so please don't cry.'
     But the war went on and he had to stay,
     All I could do was wait and pray.
     His letters told of the awful fight,
     (I can see it still in my dreams at night.)
     With the tanks and guns and the cruel barbed wire,
     And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
     Till at last, the war was won,
     And that's why we wear a poppy, son.''
     The small boy turned as if to go,
     Then said, ``Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
     That sure did sound like an awful fight.
     But your son, did he come back all right?''
     A tear rolled down each faded cheek,
     She shook her head, but didn't speak.
     I slunk away in a sort of shame,
     And if you were me you'd have done the same,
     For our thanks in giving, is oft delayed,
     Though our freedom was bought, and thousands paid,
     And so when we see a poppy worn,
     Let us reflect on the burden borne
     By those who gave their very all
     And asked to answer their country's call,
     That we at home in peace might live.
     Then wear a poppy. Remember--and give!''

  Mr. Speaker, this Memorial Day each hometown across America will 
pause to remember the heroes of this generation as well as those of the 
past. Let us honor and pay tribute to the over 900 American service 
members who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with 
all those who die in service to their Nation.
  On Guam, we have lost three young men in Iraq: Specialist Christopher 
Wesley, Lieutenant Michael Vega, and Sergeant Eddie Chen. One officer, 
two enlisted men. Wesley, Vega and Chen, these three, are a microcosm 
of the American people, one Western name, one Hispanic name, and one 
Asian name.
  In these troubled times, it is worth reflecting on Memorial Day who 
we are as a Nation and what values we stand for. We are a Nation of 
immigrants whose parents and grandparents have come to these shores 
seeking individual liberty, prosperity and human dignity. The Nation we 
call our own is a Nation of compassion and justice. It is a Nation 
worth dying for. It is a Nation of opportunity and freedom.
  We on Guam know what freedom is all about because we also know what 
occupation is. We celebrate Liberation Day on Guam every year as the 
day of deliverance of enemy occupation and the return of freedom after 
32 months of enemy subjugation. We know what it means to thank Marines, 
soldiers, airmen and sailors for their sacrifices because it was not 
all that long ago that we were an occupied land.
  Tomorrow, I will be accompanying former Congressman General Ben Blaz, 
the veterans of the 5th Field Service Depot of the United States Marine 
Corps to Arlington National Cemetery. We will lay a wreath at the Tomb 
of the Unknown Soldier to express our deep appreciation to all those 
who serve and have served our Nation in uniform. We thank them, honor 
them, and will never forget them.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me thank the gentleman from Arizona 
(Mr. Shadegg) for introducing this resolution. I want to thank my very 
good friend of nearly 3 decades, the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo), for that wonderful poem. I know the sacrifices the folks on 
Guam made. I was privileged to serve in Guam during my Navy career, and 
I know what a great place that is and what a wonderful woman the 
gentlewoman is.
  Mr. Speaker, as our Nation struggles to answer threats to our 
security in this global war on terror, it is appropriate that we both 
remember and seek inspiration from the sacrifices of the generations 
that have gone before in defending our freedoms, our way of life and 
the ideals on which our Nation is founded. Their sacrifices changed the 
world in which we live and made possible the freedoms we enjoy in 
today's world. Ours is a continuation of their struggle.
  The red poppy is a symbol that even on the tortured soil of a war-
torn battlefield, our soldiers can be reminded that despite the death 
and violence which surrounds them, the world for which they are 
fighting is vibrant and future beautiful. This remains an important 
symbol for every American, both in and out of uniform, who may feel 
overwhelmed by the death and violence of today's world.
  It is important that we stop and consider the sacrifices of our men 
and women in uniform. Their service is an honorable one, and our Nation 
owes them a debt we can never fully repay. That our Nation takes a day 
to contemplate and remember their sacrifice is an appropriate tribute 
to their efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Israel), but first thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Schrock) for his very kind words.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and we 
should wear poppies to honor the sacrifices of our troops, but we 
should express our support not only on our lapels, but in our budgets.
  It is somewhat ironic to me that we would consider this bill, as 
important as it is, only a few moments after we had a rule on this 
floor on our defense budget, a rule that excluded an amendment that the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) and I advanced that would 
pay for our troops' life insurance.
  I have lost four constituents from my district in Afghanistan and 
Iraq: Raheen Tyson Heighter, Michael Esposito, Jacob Fletcher, and Nate 
Bruckenthal.
  Raheen Tyson Heighter was 19 years old when he joined the Army. And 
when he was told that he needed life insurance, this young man, being a 
fearless young man, chose the least expensive life insurance policy 
because the premium was all that he could afford, and the policy was 
all that he believed he needed because he believed he would be coming 
back home.
  He did not come back home alive; he was killed on July 24, 2003. His 
casualty officer called his mother and said, Your son's life insurance 
policy was $10,000.
  Mr. Speaker, $10,000 is not adequate. And what is even worse is while 
Mr. Heighter was taking bullets in Iraq, Uncle Sam was taking 80 cents 
a month from his gross monthly pay of $1,987, including hazard duty 
pay, for his life insurance.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that we all agree, when we send troops into 
combat to protect our national security, they should not have to worry 
about their family's financial security in the event they do not 
return.
  I know that all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree 
that we have an obligation to honor those who have made the eternal 
sacrifice every single day, that we must display our commitment and our 
reverence to them, display it; but also pay for what we owe them as 
well, not simply display, but pay to help their families.
  That would be the true mark of how we honor our heroes, the men and 
women who have made such heroic sacrifices, with poppies, but also with 
dollars.
  I, of course, will support and proudly vote for this bill, but I hope 
that my

[[Page H3253]]

colleagues in this Congress and that the President of the United States 
will understand that it is more than just poppies and it is more than 
just words, it is budgets that count ultimately.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) to refocus our attention on what this bill is 
really about.
  Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I can remember as a young boy, going to 
downtown Pontotoc, Mississippi, with my parents on Memorial Day to hand 
out poppies.
  I thought Members might be interested in a little history lesson 
about the origin of Memorial Day which began as Decoration Day. The 
facts, as I have come to understand them, are that in 1866 a group of 
Columbus, Mississippi, women met to decide on a way to honor the 
Confederate war dead in the local Friendship Cemetery.
  Once the ladies arrived at the cemetery, one of the women began 
placing flowers on the graves of Union soldiers, too, because they also 
had given their lives for their beliefs.

                              {time}  1300

  Other women followed suit and soon all of the graves, Confederate and 
Union, had flowers. This generous gesture was told and retold and 
finally made its way to the New York Tribune where the short article 
was seen by a young attorney named Francis Miles Finch. He was so moved 
by the generosity of the Southern ladies and their Decoration Day that 
he wrote the poem ``The Blue and the Gray'' and it was published in the 
Atlantic Monthly in September of 1867.
  Mr. Speaker, other towns may claim Decoration Day or Memorial Day 
perhaps earlier than the one in Columbus, but Columbus, Mississippi, 
was the first to honor former enemies. Here is what the Library of 
Congress said:
  ``Columbus, Mississippi, thus can rightly claim to be not only one 
day ahead of Columbus, Georgia, in its observance of Memorial Day but 
more generous in its distribution of the tributes of honor and 
mourning.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent Columbus, Mississippi, in the 
Congress, the place where Memorial Day first began.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I humbly suggest that if we want to make the 
poppy in our lapels more than a mere gesture, we should vote ``no'' on 
the previous question on the rule that will make in order the defense 
authorization bill. Because by voting ``no,'' we will make in order the 
consideration of an amendment that I have offered which contains two 
key elements that go to the very heart of what it is we are discussing 
here right now.
  We would take a little bit of money out of a huge increase in 
ballistic missile defense and put it in a place where it will do a lot 
of good, namely, in targeted pay increases to our enlisted personnel, 
particularly our NCOs and our junior warrant officers. It costs $300 
million. It is not something I pulled out of the air. It was 
recommended 3 years ago by the last quadrennial review. For 2 fiscal 
years we have done it; this year we have not in the bill before us. We 
can rectify that by voting ``no'' and then voting for the amendment.
  In addition, we do something else in the amendment that I would 
offer, that is, we say to every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine 
going into combat, into harm's way, Uncle Sam is going to see to it 
that you get the maximum in servicemen's life insurance, group life 
insurance, $250,000. The premium will be paid by an increase in your 
imminent danger pay, two things that will say volumes to our soldiers 
about how much we appreciate what they are doing for today, the risks 
they are taking; two things that we can say that will make more than 
just this mere gesture a sincere commitment to those who have gone in 
harm's way and laid their life on the line to make this the home of the 
free and the land of the brave.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, we really have had time to debate what the 
last gentleman has discussed. It is too bad we are saddening the debate 
on this for that kind of discussion. There was certainly plenty of time 
for that.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), one of the strongest 
advocates of the military that I have ever known.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the 
gentleman from Virginia and the gentlewoman from Guam, and I want to 
thank my friend from Arizona for bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important, whether we agree or disagree on whether 
our troops should be in Iraq or not, the fact is they are there. They 
have families that live in my district, the home of Camp Lejeune, 
Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base; and I think that probably 
this year as much as ever if not even more than ever that on Memorial 
Day we the American people wear the red poppy to show our appreciation 
and our allegiance to the men and women in uniform and those who have 
given their sons and their daughters to die for freedom.
  I brought with me today on the floor for my couple of minutes the 
faces of the real. To my left, Mr. Speaker, is a young man whose name 
is Tyler Jordan. Tyler's father was a gunny sergeant, Phillip Jordan, 
who was killed last year in Iraq. I bring this to the floor, Mr. 
Speaker, because this photograph speaks much better than I could ever 
speak. It shows a young man who is looking at the casket of his father. 
It is showing a young man who has a folded flag under his arm. These 
are the faces of the families who have given loved ones from the 
beginning of this great Nation through and including today.
  The other poster, Mr. Speaker, I have outside of my office, 12 of 
these posters that say ``May We Never Forget.'' The reason for that is 
why we are here today speaking on behalf of this resolution. The red 
poppy is a reminder of past wars, of past gifts, of a husband, a wife, 
a son, or a daughter. This Nation does owe those who have worn the 
uniform and their families. We should never forget those who wore the 
uniform for this Nation. We should never forget those who gave their 
lives.
  It so happens that this past Saturday night in my home district, a 
Reservist, Rodney Murray who died in Iraq 2 weeks ago, I went to visit 
and I had the chance to speak to the wife, a 24-year-old lady, whose 
husband, 28, died in Iraq 2 weeks ago. I said, Amanda, on behalf of the 
United States House of Representatives, I extend to you my deepest 
sympathy and my gratitude on behalf of my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, 
tears came to my eyes. I could not even complete the statement.
  I close today by saying to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, 
please support this resolution, as we will do, and let us not forget as 
we begin to debate the needs of our retired military and those who have 
served and their families. God bless America and God bless our men and 
women in uniform.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to go on record to thank the 
gentleman from North Carolina. I pass those posters every day on my way 
to my office. I think it is a wonderful tribute that he is paying to 
the men and women in service who have lost their lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Skelton), ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time, and let me compliment my friend and colleague from Arizona 
for offering this resolution.
  It was November 11, 1941. My father, another Ike Skelton, was the 
best known orator in Lafayette County, and he was invited to speak to 
the Odessa, Missouri, High School assembly on Armistice Day. By 
prearrangement with my teacher, he took me out of grade school and we 
drove to Odessa. I sat in the back of the Odessa student body while I 
watched the program. The students put on a skit in Army uniform with 
the leggings and the drill sergeant hat and bass drums simulating 
artillery, and then my father spoke.
  Being a Navy veteran of the First World War, he spoke as a veteran. 
He said to that student body audience, November 11, 1941, that there 
are those in this audience that may well have to fight for our freedoms 
once again. How prophetic he was, because not long thereafter, less 
than a month, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and Adolf

[[Page H3254]]

Hitler the following day declared war on our country. Two of the young 
men graduating from that high school class of May 1942 gave their lives 
in Germany on the battlefield.
  In the closing part of my father's speech to those students that day, 
he recited the poem that came out of the Great War written by a Major 
John McCrae:

     In Flanders fields the poppies blow
     Between the crosses, row on row
     That mark our place; and in the sky
     The larks, still bravely singing, fly
     Scarce heard amid the guns below.
     We are the Dead. Short days ago
     We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
     Loved and were loved, and now we lie
     In Flanders fields.

     Take up our quarrel with the foe:
     To you from failing hands we throw
     Our torch; be yours to hold it high.
     If ye break faith with us who die
     We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
     In Flanders fields.

  Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we pass this resolution and that 
we pay honor to those in uniform of yesteryear and that we express 
appreciation and gratitude for those who defend the freedoms of our 
country today.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi).
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I was privileged to grow up the son of Major 
General Gene Renzi out of Fort Huachuca, Arizona. I grew up in a home 
where our house was filled with veterans and troops who came back with 
great life stories of the sacrifices and the contributions that they 
made to our Nation.
  And so it is a great honor for me to stand before you and pay tribute 
today to those who have given their full measure, who have contributed 
so much to our society and who have allowed me to breathe free and to 
stand in the halls of Congress and to try and serve and give a little 
back.
  I am privileged to serve on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs where 
it is our obligation to hold and to care for the surviving families, 
the wives, the spouses, the husbands and the kids who have seen their 
moms and dads go off and who may have lost their loved ones in defense 
of our Nation.
  We are at a time of patriotism in our country, a real crossroads 
where our resolve is being tested, with the rise of patriotism and the 
showing of American flags. The wearing of the poppy flower symbolizes a 
remembrance of past days where we loved our Nation. That time is 
welcomed.
  Each year I have the great honor to walk in parades all around rural 
Arizona, small towns like Payson, Arizona. I love to stand behind and 
walk behind our veterans and our troops. It is so moving each year to 
see the moms and dads along the parade route rise up out of their lawn 
chairs and show great respect and deference to our flag by removing 
their hats, putting their hands over their hearts, and calling out to 
those veterans the great job, the love that they have for them. Again 
we breathe free because of the sacrifice our veterans have made.
  On this Memorial Day, I ask that we raise the flag, that we wear the 
poppy, and I give thanks and ask God's grace for our troops and our 
veterans.
  Ms. BORDALLO. 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, let me thank the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Guam for her leadership and also her eloquence. I have 
heard her often speak of the military personnel in her area, not only 
speak for them, but advocate for them; and I thank her for her 
leadership in this issue and many other issues. I thank the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) for his leadership as well, bringing us 
together on this day, because I believe it is important to announce to 
the world that there is not one moment of divide amongst us as it 
relates to the honor and commemoration of those who honor us by giving 
the ultimate sacrifice, but also taking the oath to serve in the United 
States military.
  Might I say to you that I come with a heavy heart, for I pay tribute 
today to a young private by the name of Sotelo. I visited with his 
family as they learned the tragic news just last year of this young, 
almost 21-year-old in my congressional district who lost his life on 
the front lines of Iraq.

                              {time}  1315

  His mother cried, his father cried, his family members cried, not 
because they did not recognize his willingness to give the ultimate 
sacrifice but because not only was it his sacrifice, but as the family 
looked into the future of his future, they knew that this bright light 
would be extinguished forever.
  We funeralized him at his beloved high school, Reagan High School, 
the wishes of his parents, on a very hot, very hot and solemn day in 
June; and then we looked to honor him on this coming Memorial Day. But 
also we honored him as his mother was able to spend Mother's Day 
together with other mothers, the Gold Star Mothers, who lost young 
people in this terrible thing called war.
  I was in Flanders Field, in the burial place of thousands of those 
from World War I, the graveyards near that area. And I simply want to 
say that death is a horrible experience for those families left 
longing, but it is for those brave souls who are willing to give their 
lives that we must stand together and fight for what is right.
  This is a day of honor, and I hope on Memorial Day we will honor them 
by wearing poppies. But I do believe it is important to bring honor 
today.
  I would have hoped that we would have had a bipartisan rule. I think 
we must also respect the living by keeping veterans' hospitals open and 
access to health care available, and by providing for the Spratt 
amendment to provide $414 million to be able to give an increase in 
salary. And, yes, I think it is important, even on this day as we raise 
this wonderful resolution up, to give honor to those who are in the 
armed services.
  We must recognize that accountability is important. As our line 
officers today are being prosecuted, this does not taint the entire 
military, for we respect them, but it does say that we hold those 
responsible at the top, for they are responsible too.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
yielding me this time.
  What a fantastic way to recognize the veterans of all of our wars, 
but of course this, as we know, the wearing of the poppy, it all 
started after World War I, and it is talked about in the resolution.
  But it was a physician from Canada, Dr. John McCrae, who had a friend 
who was killed in Belgium and was buried at Flanders Fields, and Dr. 
McCrae himself, later on, in that war to end all wars, died of 
pneumonia on the battlefield and never made it back to his practice in 
Canada. But before he died, of course, he wrote that great poem that we 
will know today ``In Flanders Field,'' and the last stanza of that poem 
I think went something like:

     ``To you from failing hands we throw
     The torch; be it yours to hold it high.
     If ye break faith with us who die
     We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
     In Flanders fields.''

  And what Dr. McCrae was saying to us and to future generations and to 
all generations was, never forget, no matter what battle it was, 
whether it was the Civil War or Operation Iraqi Freedom today, these 
young men and women are dying for a cause; and whether one agrees with 
them or not, they had no choice.
  In many cases, they were conscripted. Today, we have an all-volunteer 
military, but they are there defending our freedom, and many of them 
are paying the ultimate sacrifice.
  So that is what this poppy says. And for me to have a little 
opportunity today just before Memorial Day to talk about this and to 
support H. Con. Res. 424, I am very proud to do that. What a wonderful 
way to honor our men and women in the military.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  I want to recognize two Fourth Congressional District members of our 
military, Wilfredo Perez, Jr., from Norwalk, Connecticut; and Tyanna 
Avery Felder from Bridgeport, Connecticut; both lost their lives in 
Iraq fighting for freedom and fighting for justice and fighting for the 
United States of America on behalf of a better world.

[[Page H3255]]

  We have lost 773 in Iraq. We have lost 122 men and women in 
Afghanistan. And I think it is just absolutely essential we recognize 
all who have lost their lives by wearing this red poppy on Memorial Day 
and asking all Americans do that. I thank the sponsors of this 
legislation for advocating that kind of recognition.
  I close by saluting one community, in the 4th Congressional District, 
Greenwich, Connecticut. In Old Greenwich the community rings a bell for 
every American who has lost his or her life fighting for America, and 
that goes back before the Revolutionary War.
  We are a great Nation, with an extraordinary history. We must never 
forget those who served in battle and came home draped in an American 
flag.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Garrett).
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
this resolution as we honor both the past and current members of the 
armed services, and also their families, as we encourage every member 
of the American public to wear the red poppy on Memorial Day.
  To many people, especially the Nation's thousands of combat veterans 
on this day, history that goes back all the way to the Civil War, it is 
an important reminder of all those who died in service to their Nation, 
the brave, the proud, the strong who gave their lives so that so many 
of us today can have the freedoms that we have.
  And it is proper that we honor this today in light of all those men 
and women who find themselves in harm's way as we speak, risking their 
lives over in the Middle East. And it is proper also that this House 
does all that we can do as we continue to work on this side to provide 
services for our veterans, services of better health care, enhanced 
housing access, job opportunities, and benefits for their loved ones at 
home.
  So I encourage all Members and the constituency back in the district 
in the great State of New Jersey to wear a poppy on this day, and also 
to honor those men and women by going to the cemeteries, visiting 
memorials, and also by participating in the National Moment of 
Remembrance at 3 p.m. to pause and think on the true meaning of this 
day.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all of my colleagues who spoke in 
support of this resolution. Each of us will have a chance to spend some 
time with veterans from our districts on Memorial Day.
  We know we owe them more than words for their service, but the words 
spoken here today came from the heart. And I would like to express my 
heartfelt thanks to the liberators of Guam and all of our cherished 
veterans and outstanding servicemen and women in uniform.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg), the author; 
the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock); and I urge all of my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg), who introduced this resolution.
  Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  I want to close by thanking all of those who participated in this 
debate and who discussed the issue of this resolution. The issue of 
this resolution is not legislation as we debated the last hour 
regarding the defense appropriation. The issue of this resolution is 
the honoring of those American armed services personnel who have died 
in our Nation's service and of the great tradition of Memorial Day.
  We heard here today in this discussion that there is indeed a great 
tradition surrounding Memorial Day that all Americans should be 
reminded of and should remember; a tradition that, as the gentleman 
from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) reminds us, began as far as back as 1866 
where veterans who had died, soldiers who had died in the Civil War, 
both Union and Confederate, had their graves decorated by the wives of 
Confederate soldiers who had died; a tradition that carried itself 
forward all the way to this day, a tradition that inspired the poem 
``In Flanders Fields,'' read so eloquently by the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the ranking member of the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  There are indeed many poems that commemorate this great day in our 
history. One of them, ``We Shall Keep the Faith,'' written by Ms. Moina 
Michael of Athens, Georgia, the second city that supported and 
recognized Memorial Day, says:

     We cherish too, the poppy red
     That grows on fields where valor led,
     It seems to signal to the skies
     That blood of heroes never dies.

  We have heard in this debate a discussion of the heroes who serve our 
Nation today, those who have tragically died in combat both in 
Afghanistan and in Iraq. I think it is indeed fitting that this year 
all Americans would acquire a red paper poppy and would acknowledge the 
sacrifice of those who have died.
  As I indicated earlier, the red poppy is the national symbol of 
sacrifice all over the world, not just here in America. That was a 
tradition inspired by the fact that the red poppy was the first living 
plant to sprout from the devastation of the battlefields of northern 
France and Belgium during World War I; and its bright, vibrant color of 
red brought life and hope and reassurance to those still fighting and 
was the inspiration for the poem ``In Flanders Fields,'' which I would 
at this point like to insert in the Record, as well as the ``Poppy 
Poem'' by Doris Theiss, an American Legion member from Arizona, who 
brought this issue to my office.
  It seems to me that it is fitting that this year with so many 
Americans still engaged in battle and the risk that today or tomorrow 
or the day after tomorrow or indeed when we celebrate Memorial Day next 
weekend itself, some American soldier may lose his or her life in the 
service of our country.
  For our colleagues who are watching and for those around the Nation, 
this four-petaled crepe paper poppy became the official memorial flower 
of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary in 1923; and 
in 1927, at the Paris Convention, it was decided that only veteran-made 
poppies would be distributed by the American Legion Auxiliary. All of 
the poppies we see here on the floor today, and I would assume through 
the balance of this week are handmade by veterans.
  I think it is most fitting that we honor our veterans, most fitting 
in particular that we honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. And 
I would hope that by this debate and by this memorial, Americans across 
the Nation would remember once again the significance and the meaning 
of Memorial Day they would hopefully acquire from the American Legion 
or from the VFW, which also recognizes the red poppy, a red, four-
petaled poppy like this one, and this coming Memorial Day weekend 
recognize and honor the tremendous sacrifice made by all those who have 
died in our Nation's service.

                           In Flanders Fields

   (By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army)

     IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
     Between the crosses, row on row,
     That mark our place, and in the sky
     The larks, still bravely singing, fly
     Scarce heard amid the guns below.

     We are the Dead. Short days ago
     We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
     Loved and were loved, and now we lie
     In Flanders fields.

     Take up our quarrel with the foe:
     To you from failing hands we throw
     The torch; be yours to hold it high.
     If ye break faith with us who die
     We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
     In Flanders fields.
                                  ____


                               Poppy Poem

     A man walked down the street the other day.
     The ladies of the Auxiliary came his way.
     He took the poppy and gave them a dime.
     He mumbled ``Why do they take up my time?''
     He put the poppy in the bottom hole of his coat;
     Next to some pencils and other notes.
     When he went home, he placed the poppy on the table;
     The red paper flower with the little white label.
     As he looked at the flower, as if inspired;
     He wondered ``Who put this flower in this wire?''
     He's probably a man who once stood tall;
     And for his country he gave his all.
     Now gave his all just to walk with a cane.

[[Page H3256]]

     His strong hand were a sense of power,
     Now he makes this little red flower.
     In our world, we are busy with money and power,
     While this man's job is this little red flower,
     He still takes pride in what he has to do;
     Petal by petal he makes this flower for you.
     Next year when it comes to Poppy Day,
     I'll be glad to see the Auxiliary come my way.
     I'll cheerfully give them generously;
     For the veterans making this flower could have been me.

     May God Bless You,
     Doris Theiss.

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, as this country will shortly 
celebrate Memorial Day, we pay tribute to the veterans who have honored 
us with their service, and their sacrifice.
  As a Nation, we are united in honoring our war dead, we also need to 
be as united in honoring our living veterans.
  In the last paragraph of his second inaugural address, Abraham 
Lincoln uttered the words that would ultimately comfort untold numbers 
of veterans and their families for generations to come. Lincoln 
challenged the divided nation to ``Bind up the Nation's wounds; to care 
for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his 
orphan.''
  Mr. Speaker, the promise of lifelong health care that this country 
made to our men and women in uniform is being threatened, not by the 
aggression of a foreign power, but by inadequate funding. As our 
veterans grow older, they require increased dependence on health care 
services.
  Before elected for public office, I served as the chief psychiatric 
nurse at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Dallas during the 
70's. I was privileged to serve in the day care and rehabilitation 
center of that facility for 15 years. I know firsthand that caring for 
America's veterans is the ongoing cost of war.
  The Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center is an excellent example of 
how our nation can repay some of the debt it owes our brave veterans. 
The DVAMC operates 216 internal medicine beds, including a 28-bed 
pulmonary service. Moreover, a number of small VA hospitals and 
outlying community hospitals refer patients to the DVAMC for the 
diagnosis and treatment of complicated and unusual problems.
  Mr. Speaker, I am worried that the proposed cuts will adversely 
affect over 70,000 Texas veterans. This number includes more than 
18,000 veterans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It is estimated that 
5,200 active patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will drop out of 
the VA Health Care System.
  Mr. Speaker, how can Congress and this administration even consider 
slashing benefits at a time when our young men and women are still in 
harm's way in Iraq, Afghanistan and Southwest Asia.
  Veterans should not be expected to wait in long lines, and travel 
farther for health care services at a diminished level. If we fail our 
obligation to veterans, how can we justify sending more and more young 
service into harm's way?
  As we salute our veterans, we must also recognize the medical care 
provided by VA medical centers, clinics, and nursing home facilities. I 
applaud the efforts of the hundreds of compassionate men and women who 
have dedicated themselves professionally to our veterans. Let us say to 
them: We salute you and we thank you.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Washington). The question is 
on the motion offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. 
Con. Res. 424.
  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. SHADEGG. 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.

                          ____________________