[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H3232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SECURING CITIZENSHIP FOR THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, to all those that are going to be 
celebrating this Memorial Day weekend, my special condolences go to the 
soldiers and their families that have given their lives so bravely and 
courageously. In fact, in my district in Los Angeles, 11 soldiers were 
killed, the first soldier being Francisco Martinez Flores, who is a 
green card soldier.
  He was not a full-fledged citizen, but he honored us by fighting for 
us and defending our freedom in Iraq. I found out later that his 
parents were not here legally. But through the work of some of the 
Members on our side of the aisle, we worked very diligently to secure 
citizenship for those serving in our country.
  Why could we not honor these soldiers beforehand, when they enter in 
and help to define who we are as a country? He was granted posthumous 
citizenship. When I read about that, I moved quickly to see how we 
could assure that no other soldier who came home in a coffin or a body 
bag would be given just that identification on their grave, that they 
be granted full citizenship, and that their families have every right 
to the same securities that any other citizen has in this country.
  Let's remember Francisco Flores and the 10 other soldiers that have 
given their lives, most of whom were Latinos from my district, proud 
Latinos, who carried their uniform and their bravery with them.

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