[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 109 (Tuesday, September 14, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H7076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         PROPOSING A TEMPORARY MEMORIAL IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 20, 2004, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, last week we passed the 1,000th casualty 
mark in Iraq. Since then, we have lost another 12 of our fellow 
citizens in service to their country and its ideals. 1,012 American 
families are grieving the loss of their loved ones; 1,140 when we count 
the theater of Afghanistan and its conflict.
  Mr. Speaker, we salute our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, 
Reservists and Guardsmen called to duty. We thank them deeply for their 
service and their sacrifice and that of their families. We must honor 
their service and pay tribute to their heroism.
  For these reasons, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) and I have 
written a letter to the Speaker asking that the Capitol Rotunda be used 
for a temporary memorial to honor the troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
  This memorial would display pictures of each fallen soldier, along 
with biographical information, and would give visitors to the Capitol 
Rotunda, the People's House, an opportunity to pay tribute to the 
troops. They could write notes, letters, anything they want to the 
families, so they know in this time that they have the thoughts and the 
prayers of their fellow countrymen.
  I have done this outside my office as an individual gesture, as the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), a colleague of mine from the 
other party, has done outside his office, so you could write a note, 
you could write a card, some way to let this family know, whether they 
are from your State or not, that in this moment of pain and grief they 
are not alone; they have the thoughts and the prayers of their fellow 
countrymen.
  The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is from the other 
party. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, it is not whether 
you were or were not against the war; it is a way of paying respect.
  Throughout our history, the Rotunda has been used for public viewing 
of our fallen heroes, bestowing upon them one of our Nation's highest 
honors. After World War I, we saluted fallen soldiers in the Rotunda. 
For World War II, Korea and Vietnam, we did the same. It is only 
fitting that we use the Capitol Rotunda to honor those who have fallen 
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  The war in Iraq is not over, and there will certainly be more lives 
lost, unfortunately. But this tribute is for all Americans, to show 
their respect for the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice, as 
well as to their families.
  I do not often agree with President Bush, but I do agree with the 
sentiment he expressed in his Saturday radio express. ``Since September 
11, the sacrifices in the War on Terror have fallen most heavily on 
members of our military and their families. Our Nation is grateful to 
the brave men and women who are taking risks on our behalf at this 
hour, and America will never forget the ones who have fallen, men and 
women last seen doing their duty, whose names we will honor forever.''
  I agree with the sentiments expressed by President Bush, and I hope 
that the Speaker and the Republican leadership would take up those 
sentiments and do a temporary memorial. I am now doing it outside my 
office. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), as I mentioned, 
is doing it outside his office. I would ask that it no longer be an 
individual gesture, but it be an institutional gesture of that 
sentiment that the President expressed Saturday in his radio address.
  Mr. Speaker, since this Congress convened, we have found time to name 
no less than 70 post offices, and we named another one just yesterday. 
I think we can, indeed, it is our duty and responsibility, find the 
time to properly honor those who have sacrificed everything in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, this tribute was initiated by an individual Member of 
the House. We should make an institutional decision today in the 
People's House to expand it to an institutional gesture for all people 
who come to the People's House to remind those families that they have 
our love, our respect, our prayers and our thoughts in this time.
  I hope that all this body will join me in saluting their families.

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