[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 20, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4228-H4231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 731) commending the Patriot Guard Riders for
shielding mourning military families from protesters and preserving the
memory of fallen servicemembers at funerals, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 731
Whereas in 2005, a small group of American Legion Riders in
Kansas calling themselves the ``Patriot Guard'' began a
movement to shield the families and friends of fallen service
members from interruptions by protesters appearing at
military funerals;
Whereas individuals from Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas
later brought together diverse groups of motorcycle
organizations across the country who rode to honor fallen
service members, forming an organization known as the
``Patriot Guard Riders'';
Whereas the Patriot Guard Riders have since grown into a
nationwide network, including both veterans and nonveterans
and riders and nonriders, and is open to anyone who shares a
respect for service members who have made the ultimate
sacrifice for the Nation;
Whereas Patriot Guard Riders attend military funerals to
show respect for fallen service members and to shield
mourning family members and friends of the deceased from
protestors who interrupt, or threaten to interrupt, the
dignity of the event;
Whereas across the Nation, Patriot Guard Riders volunteer
their time to come to the aid of military families in need,
so to allow the memories of the deceased service member to be
remembered with honor and dignity;
Whereas regardless of one's opinion of the Nation's
military commitments, the families, friends, and communities
of the Nation's fallen soldiers deserve a peaceful time of
mourning and should not be harassed and caused further
suffering at a funeral;
Whereas Patriot Guard Riders appear at a funeral only at
the invitation of the fallen soldier's family and participate
in a nonviolent, legal manner; and
Whereas the members of the Nation's Armed Forces willingly
risk their lives to protect the American way of life and the
freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its
deepest appreciation to the Patriot Guard Riders who--
(1) attend military funerals across the country to show
respect for fallen members of the Armed Forces and, when
needed, shield mourning family members and friends of the
deceased from protestors who interrupt, or threaten to
interrupt, the dignity of a funeral; and
(2) in so doing, help to preserve the memory and honor of
the Nation's fallen heroes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Virginia (Mrs. Drake) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Butterfield) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia.
[[Page H4229]]
General Leave
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 731
offered by my friend and colleague from Kansas, Representative Jerry
Moran.
Just last month, this Congress responded magnificently to the
deplorable acts of a few who celebrate the deaths of our fallen
soldiers when it passed the Respect For America's Fallen Heroes Act. In
doing so, we sent a strong message to those who would hide behind the
first amendment while using hate speech to dishonor the memories of
those who have honorably served their country in the Armed Forces
simply because they disagree with policy.
However, this resolution tells the other side of the story, the
positive side. In response to these so-called protesters, an all-
volunteer group known as the Patriot Guard Riders was formed to shield
those who mourn the death of their loved ones from those who celebrate
it; and since last year, these patriots have seen their membership rise
to the tens of thousands. Now the threat of protest at a military
funeral is met with the roar of hundreds of motorcycles bearing
American flags thundering down the street providing both a visible and
audible barrier between the families that are trying to honor their
loved ones and those trying to disrespect them.
Mr. Speaker, the families of our fallen heroes should be allowed to
bury their loved ones with the respect and dignity they deserve, not
with the ridicule and disrespect that seem to dominate today's
political and cultural landscape. For defending that right, the Patriot
Guard Riders are true patriots, and I believe it is both fitting and
proper that we honor their service here today.
Yet the mission of the Patriot Guard Riders can best be summed up in
their own words. In answer to the question, Why do we ride? They
respond: Never again will they return home in shame. Never again will
wearing their uniform cause them pain. Never again will we forget why
they serve.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Kansas for introducing this
resolution and urge all my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I will be managing the time on behalf of the
Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee. And I
certainly want to thank Mr. Moran for bringing forth this resolution
and thank Mrs. Drake of Virginia for managing the time and urging the
adoption of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, in 2004, my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, suffered
its first casualty of war since Vietnam. Our community is a rather
small community of 43,000 people, and all of the residents of my
community including myself felt the sting of this terrible tragedy.
It is abhorrent to me to denigrate this honorable ceremony; yet
somehow a few people have found a reason to justify the terrible act of
picketing a military funeral. That in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, is
despicable. A military funeral is a farewell; it is a farewell for
loved ones and a final act of thanks from a grateful Nation. Every
soldier in our history, no matter who the enemy has been, has been
granted this one simple act which has tragically been repeated so many
times and too many times during this and other wars, but always with
pride.
Every parent deserves to lay their child to rest as a soldier and as
a hero, a person to whom servicemen and servicewomen can look with
reverence. Every wounded veteran, Mr. Speaker, can look to these fallen
men and women and draw strength from their memories.
To those who are grieving and most vulnerable, the protest must be
utterly devastating to them. They are nothing more than cowardly
attacks on members of our communities most deserving of our gratitude
and our respect.
Today, Mr. Speaker, we come to the floor to honor those who have
shown courage in response to cowardness. I commend in the strongest
possible terms the Patriot Guard Riders. These volunteers have come
forward in defense of our military families, including a dear friend of
mine from Greensboro, North Carolina, Mr. Steve Winsett. These men
perform selfless acts in memory of servicemembers who will never be
able to repay them. It is an act of compassion and is a part of what
makes our great Nation strong.
Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it, I support the first
amendment's guarantee of free speech, but this sacred moment in the
life of a family is out of bounds. I urge the members of the Westboro
Baptist Church to find another venue to express themselves.
We express our deepest gratitude from the House Armed Services
Committee and from this body; we express our deepest gratitude to the
Patriot Guard Riders. And I want to thank again Mr. Moran for bringing
forth this resolution, because it is most appropriate at this time.
I urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1200
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Moran), the sponsor of the resolution.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from
Virginia, and I also thank the leader of the Armed Services Committee,
the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), as well as my chairman from
the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer)
for their support of this resolution, as well as my colleagues from
Kansas.
Many good things come from Kansas, including the Patriot Guard, but
in response to something that is less than desirable, and that is a
radical Topeka, Kansas-based church has been disrupting funerals of
servicemembers now for several years, with picketers that appear at
those funerals during and holding signs that read, ``Thank God for
IEDs,'' and, ``Thank God for dead soldiers.'' No Kansan, no American
can respond to that in any way but the way that it has been described
by my colleagues today.
But in 2005, the American Legion Riders of Post 136 in Mulvane,
Kansas, responded by bringing their motorcycles and themselves to those
funeral services where they provided a buffer between the protesters
and the families of those deceased service men and women. They decided
to take action and called themselves the Patriot Guard, and they
organized their supporters from across the country to attend those
funerals and shield our military families. They waved the American
flag, sang patriotic songs, and took lawful and peaceful action to
serve as a barrier between the families and protesters. Their actions
preserved the dignity and honor of these funeral services and allowed
the families a peaceful time of mourning on that day of service that
they so much deserved.
This movement has now spread across from Mulvane, Kansas, across the
State and around the Nation. The Patriot Guard Riders now include
thousands of members who volunteer their time to come to the aid of
military families at funerals to show their respect and, when needed,
to shield families from disruption. Members include veterans and
nonveterans, riders and nonriders, and they have successfully performed
hundreds of missions across the country not only supporting the fallen
and their families, but also providing comfort to those who serve
today, knowing that their families would be protected should they fall.
The significance of these volunteer actions is realized when you read
letters of appreciation written by family members and friends of the
deceased. I would like to mention a letter that the Patriot Guard
received from the family of Corporal Peter Wagler. I attended that
funeral in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the Nazarene Church on February 10,
2006. Corporal Wagler was killed in Iraq at the age of 19, having
served only a month in Iraq, and his family wrote the Patriot Guard
Riders:
Thank you so much for your amazing support at the funeral
of our son Peter Wagler.
[[Page H4230]]
Despite the cold north wind, you rode many miles to
participate.
I have never seen such a display of flags as we encountered
when leaving the church. Many people have told me how
meaningful the flags were to them; many shed tears as they
drove through the tunnel. As for your protecting us from the
demonstrators, when we arrived we looked for them, but we
could not see them, and we never did.
Peter loved motorcycles and planned to get one when he
finished his term in Iraq. He will not get to do that, but he
would have loved the tremendous display you put on. Our
family feels inadequate in expressing our thanks, but please
know that we deeply appreciate what you did for us.
God bless you,
David for the Wagler family.
Mr. Speaker, I urge that we adopt this resolution and that we, as a
House, commend the Patriot Guard Riders.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers at this
time, but I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 731. I
want to thank my colleague Mr. Moran and Mr. Ryun of Kansas for their
leadership. I offer my deepest appreciation to the men and women of the
Patriot Guard Riders, dedicated and committed Americans who will not
wait for others to act, but they took upon themselves the solemn
responsibility of right action.
On Memorial Day, before President Bush attended the Memorial Day
ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, he signed into law the Respect
for America's Fallen Heroes Act. This new law prohibits disruptions of
military funerals at national cemeteries and Arlington, which is owned
by the U.S. Army.
Standing behind the President as he signed the bill in the Oval
Office was the executive director of the Patriot Guard Riders, Jeff
Brown, and five of his Patriot Guard Riders. They stood beside the
families of two soldiers who had made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq,
that of Sergeant Rickey Jones of Kokomo, Indiana; and the family of
Sergeant Joshua Youmans of Flushing, Michigan. Both families had
endured harassment by protesters who were cheering the deaths of their
sons.
Patriot Guard Riders, acting out of decency, compassion and respect
for the law, often place themselves between the families and the
hateful perversions of those who would sharpen the pain of a mourning
family's unspeakable loss.
The mission of the Patriot Guard riders is simple: Show sincere
respect for our fallen heroes and their families, their communities;
and shield the mourning family and friends from interruptions created
by any protester or group of protesters. Patriot Guard Riders attend
the funerals at the invitation of the family, and they adhere to
strictly legal and nonviolent means. These patriots use their vacation
time and fund their own expenses to stand with the grieving families.
Among the hallmarks of the American character is our compassion and
human decency. It is how we care for each other in difficult times. In
towns across this country, this is evident in the thousands of
Americans who line the roads in condolence at the passage of a loved
one to attend the military funeral. The independent action, I think, is
another of America's sacred traits.
The Patriot Guard Riders, seeing an injustice, chose to rise up and
not permit the desecration of the sacred. Their courage, their
conviction, and their simple decency on behalf of families grieving at
the loss of a loved one represent the very best of our Nation.
In return, we as a Nation offer them our gratitude for unselfishly
serving to protect the sanctity of military funerals and for easing the
burden of mourning families and their communities, thereby setting a
worthy example for everyone.
I urge adoption of this resolution.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Ryun).
Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the
Patriot Guard resolution put forth by one of my fellow colleagues from
Kansas. I rise in support of H. Res. 731.
This group of American Legion riders from Kansas provides an
honorable service by protecting military families from protesters at
funerals. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, 200 Patriot Guard Riders
were at a funeral in my district, and they effectively protected the
family from unwelcome protesters. I heard that even one of the riders
came from as far away as Memphis just to be there and do what he could
to help the family.
It is a remarkable show of gratitude and service that the Patriot
Guard Riders have taken to honor the courageous and sacrificial actions
of helping our service families and their servicemembers and their
families pay tribute to those that have fallen.
I am disappointed that these people who are protesting at military
funerals dare, but I am grateful to the Patriot Guard Riders, and the
fact that they even need to be there is unfortunate. Regardless of
anyone's particular political view on the global war on terrorism or
any other issue, we should give the utmost respect and honor to those
who have died serving our country.
The Patriot Guard Riders recognize that, and I commend them for what
they are doing, and I encourage them and urge my colleagues to support
H. Res. 731.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Garrett).
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be able to
come to the floor today and that we can honor a group of Americans who
have gone literally out of their way to see that our heroes in this
country are given the respect that they are due. Our fallen soldiers
are to be the most honored of all Americans, since they have given
their very lives to protect all of our freedoms.
It really is a great shame that any American would seek to disrupt
the funeral of one who died to protect the liberty of all. While the
actions of a few have been disheartening to us, there are so many who
are willing to stand up to show their love and support for the families
of the fallen. The Patriot Guard Riders, they show their love of our
country, and they do that by drowning out the protests of a few with
the rumblings of their motorcycles of the many.
So, today we come to the floor to honor our fallen soldiers, and we
do that always here on both sides of the aisle by providing for their
families, by mourning for their loss, by remembering their high goals
for which they all stood. So it is fitting and proper that we come here
today to hold up the Patriot Guard Riders as examples of devotion to
the country and encourage them to continue their ride across this
Nation to protect the loved ones of our fallen servicemen.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, today we have two funerals occurring in
Nebraska in my district. The two soldiers being buried are 22-year-old
Specialist Benjamin Slaven, Plymouth, Nebraska, a reservist who was
killed south of Baghdad on June 9; a 19-year-old Corporal Brent Zoucha
from Clarks, Nebraska, who was killed in al Anbar province on the same
day, June 9. Both are being buried June 20, today, and their funerals
are occurring as we speak. This makes more than a dozen soldiers, all
young, all from rural small communities, that have been killed in my
district.
Funerals, Mr. Speaker, should honor and dignify the sacrifices of
those soldiers and their families. It should not be disrupted and
dishonored by protesters with a political agenda, and unfortunately,
some of those protests that have been mentioned previously have
occurred in Nebraska. You can imagine how devastating those are to
those families who are suffering greatly.
I spoke recently to the mothers of both of these soldiers from
Nebraska being buried today. You can sense their pain and their
anguish. And so I commend Mr. Moran for offering H. Res. 731 and also
want to thank and commend the Patriot Guard Riders for what they have
accomplished.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
gentleman.
Having just come back from Iraq, and recognizing the valiant effort
of our
[[Page H4231]]
soldiers on the front line, both in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I thank
the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina for his leadership in
yielding, and I thank the proponent of this legislation.
I have the greatest respect for our families, and I offer to say that
the decisions of the family to be able to be protected is utmost, and
so there will be no disagreement on legislation of this kind. I rise to
support it, as well as I raise with my colleagues the need for families
to also be able to mourn with a fallen soldier ceremony or be able to
have their loved ones come first to this soil at Dover Air Force Base.
We hope to be able to allow that mourning in the manner that families
desire and a public honoring as they may desire. Their fallen heroes
deserve to be honored properly in their hometown and at Dover Air Force
Base.
But as we pay tribute to those who have fallen, we want to nurture
and support our families, provide them with the privacy that they
desire and the respect.
At this moment, Mr. Speaker, I ask for, in the course of my debate on
the floor today in support of H. Res. 731, a moment of silence and
recognition of the three soldiers who lost their lives this past
weekend, in particular at the checkpoint in Baghdad: David J. Babineau
of Springfield, MA; Thomas Tucker of Oregon; and our own Kristian
Menchaca, age 23, of Houston, TX, who grew up in a near northside
neighborhood whose family now mourns his loss and the loss of others,
recognizing that these brave young men, 25, 23, 25, are all heroes, and
I ask for a moment of silence as we ask that they may rest in peace.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Jerry Moran
for his leadership in introducing H. Res. 731, commending the Patriot
Guard Riders for shielding mourning military families from protestors
and preserving the memory of fallen service members at funerals.
I am proud to join in the bi-partisan support shown by the House of
Representatives for this important legislation.
As you know, the main mission of the Patriot Guard Riders is to help
maintain dignity and respect at the funerals of service members who
have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They are invited as
guests to block protestors through strictly legal and non-violent
means. Like dedicated sentinels, the Patriot Guard Riders line the
streets shielding the grieving family and community from any disruptive
protesters.
I want to thank personally the Patriot Guard Riders for their
nationwide commitment to this cause. The Patriot Guard Riders have paid
homage to fallen heroes in my congressional district of El Paso, TX,
making a positive impact on my community.
On April 12, 2006, the Patriot Guard Riders traveled to Clint, TX,
for the funeral of Sergeant Israel Devora Garcia, who was also made a
U.S. citizen at his funeral. Sergeant Garcia's friends and family were
left to mourn his passing in peace, free from protest. More recently,
on June 16, 2006, the Patriot Guard Riders congregated at the funeral
procession of Specialist Oliver Oropenza at Fort Bliss National
Cemetery in El Paso, TX. They were welcomed by grieving friends and
family who were able to honor SPC Oropenza free from disruptions.
You may recall that I was the primary Democratic sponsor of H.R.
5037, the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act, under which
demonstrations are restricted within 150 feet of methods of ingress and
egress from such cemetery property or within 300 feet of such cemetery
in a manner that impedes the access to or egress from the cemetery.
This bill guarantees the families and friends of fallen heroes the
right to grieve in peace, while also protecting the freedom of speech.
I am very proud that, with strong bi-partisan support this bill was
passed by both chambers of Congress and signed into law by the
President on Memorial Day 2006.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Patriot Guard Riders, who have been
physically present at the funerals of our fallen heroes since August
2005, to protect and guard the families and friends of the fallen from
protest. I stand in strong support of their honorable mission, and I
ask for all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 731.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 731 to
commend the Patriot Guard Riders for their valiant efforts to shield
mourning military families from protesters at the funeral services of
their loved ones.
I recently had the honor and privilege to attend the funeral of Army
Sergeant Lonnie Calvin Allen, Jr., who was killed along with three
other servicemembers when a roadside bomb struck his Humvee in Baghdad.
Over 500 people attended the standing-room-only service to honor the
life of this brave young man.
The Nebraska Chapter of the Patriot Guard Riders--decked out in
leather and holding American flags--lined the walkway into the church
for the protection and peace of mind of friends and family members. I
felt proud to be an American as I witnessed this unforgettable display
of honor and respect for one of our fallen heroes. The personal
dedication and commitment of the Patriot Guard Riders is an inspiring
example of true American patriotism.
The Patriot Guard Riders also shielded the surviving family members
of Army Captain Joel Cahill, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq
when he was killed late last year by an Improvised Explosive Device,
IED, that struck his vehicle. As protesters held signs such as ``God
sent the IED,'' and ``thank God for dead soldiers,'' Patriot Guard
Riders outnumbered them by at least five to one on the other side of
the street, shielding Capt. Cahill's wife and two young daughters.
Captain Cahill's 59-year-old father also took action in his own style:
he handed the protesters sheets of paper containing biblical verses
such as ``Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love
one another.''
Sgt. L.C. Allen and Capt. Joel Cahill were buried with full military
honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Their valor and courage will
stand the test of time, while the protesters dishonoring their noble
sacrifices will fade into the annals of history.
I commend Nebraska State Captain Mike Smith and all the members of
the Patriot Guard Riders, both in my State and nationwide. I join them
in thanking the families of our servicemembers who have made the
ultimate sacrifice for freedom at home and abroad. I urge all of my
colleagues to support this resolution to recognize the outstanding and
selfless contributions of the Patriot Guard Riders--protectors of our
fallen American heroes and their families.
{time} 1215
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 731, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mrs. DRAKE. 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 question will
be postponed.
____________________