[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 108 (Monday, September 13, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY

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                            HON. JACK QUINN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 13, 2004

  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is National POW/MIA recognition day. 
This annual day of recognition honors those brave soldiers who served 
valiantly to protect our liberties but remain unaccounted for. America 
remains vigilant in its effort to see that each one of these nearly 
93,000 brave soldiers are identified, accounted for, and returned to 
their families. Recently, I met with representatives from the 
Department of Defense Prisoner of War--Missing Personnel office and was 
pleased to learn of the Department's steadfast dedication to see to it 
that each one of these POW/MIA cases is resolved.
  America owes an enormous debt of gratitude to those who have answered 
the call to defend our freedoms and there is no better way to honor 
that debt than to remain committed to bringing closure to the suffering 
for each of their families. We will never forget the sacrifices that 
thousands of American Soldiers have made throughout the world in the 
name of liberty and freedom, and we must do everything we can to help 
bring the POW/MIA soldiers home.
  To date, the Department of Defense lists 1,854 Americans as missing 
and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. There are 1,415 in Vietnam, 
377 in Laos, 55 in Cambodia and 7 in PRC (People's Republic of China) 
territorial waters.
  I display the POW/MIA flag outside my office as a constant reminder 
to those who visit, that there are heroes who have not yet made it 
home. I encourage my colleagues to join me tomorrow in honoring these 
brave soldiers by renewing our resolve to close these cases and end the 
suffering caused by the uncertainty of their fate.

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