[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 76 (Thursday, June 3, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H3757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING OUR NATION'S VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce two pieces of 
legislation in this House that recognizes and honors the service and 
sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces throughout the 
history of our great Nation.
  The first bill is H.R. 4425, called the Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of 
War Act. Currently, prisoners of war who die during their imprisonment 
of wounds inflicted in war are eligible for a posthumous Purple Heart 
recognition. However, those who die of starvation, for example, or 
beatings or freezing to death are causes which are not eligible for the 
Purple Heart.
  Can this be right? There should be no false distinction indicating 
more courage or more sacrifice by some who died and less by others. All 
POWs who died in service to our Nation should be eligible for this 
Purple Heart recognition, and H.R. 4425 will allow all members of our 
armed forces who die while a prisoner of war, regardless of the cause 
of death, to be awarded this honor. This will apply to all wars, past 
and present.
  I am indebted to Rick and Brenda Morgan Tavares of Campo, California, 
and to Wilbert ``Shorty'' Estabrook of Murrieta, California, who 
brought this issue to my attention. Shorty survived the Tiger Camp 
death march during the Korean War and was imprisoned for over 3 years. 
Brenda's uncle, Corporal Melvin Morgan, died of starvation and beatings 
he suffered in 1950 at the age of 20 in Korea. Surely Corporal Morgan 
is deserving of a Purple Heart.
  I am also introducing H. Con. Res. 434, a resolution to commend all 
persons who were inducted for service in the United States Armed Forces 
during World War II. I repeat, inducted into service. This is a 
particularly fitting time for such recognition. We all witnessed last 
Saturday the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC, being 
dedicated as a lasting symbol of our Nation's appreciation of these 
veterans. We are also approaching the 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 
6, 2004, when tens of thousands of inductees, or draftees as they are 
usually called, were among the Allied Forces invaded Normandy, France.
  To provide a bit of history, the Selective Training and Service Act 
of 1940 was enacted 1 year after Germany invaded Poland, and the number 
of men to be inducted into the Armed Forces was increased 5 days after 
the United States entered World War II in December of 1941. Of the over 
16 million uniformed personnel serving during World War II, 10 million 
were draftees. They distinguished themselves in war and peace, as we 
know, and Tom Brokaw has called them ``America's Greatest Generation.''
  The Blinded Veterans Association of San Diego, California, and its 
President William Montgomery have asked for my help in gaining national 
recognition for the draftees in our Armed Forces, and I am honored to 
do so today. H. Con. Res. 434 commends the millions who were inducted 
during World War II and who served with great courage to advance the 
cause of freedom throughout this world.
  Taken together, these two pieces of legislation remind us of the gift 
of freedom that we have been given through the service and sacrifice of 
men and women who came before us. I urge my colleagues to support both 
H.R. 4425 and H. Con. Res. 434.

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