[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4175-H4178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE VIETNAM CONFLICT

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 986) recognizing the courage and 
sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were 
held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling for a 
full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed Forces who remain 
unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 986

       Whereas recent world events have brought Americans closer 
     together, while reinvigorating our patriotism, reminding us 
     of our precious liberties and freedoms, and giving us a 
     greater appreciation for the men and women of the United 
     States Armed Forces who defend our homeland every day;
       Whereas the honor and valor of past and present members of 
     the United States Armed Forces inspire many young people to 
     serve their country;
       Whereas participation by the United States Armed Forces in 
     combat operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam 
     conflict resulted in more than 700 American military 
     personnel being taken prisoner by enemy forces;
       Whereas American military personnel who were taken prisoner 
     were held in numerous prisoner of war facilities, the most 
     notorious of which was Hoa Lo Prison in downtown Hanoi, 
     Vietnam, which was dubbed by prisoners held there as the 
     ``Hanoi Hilton'';
       Whereas on January 23, 1973, the United States and North 
     Vietnam jointly announced the terms of a cease-fire 
     agreement, which included the release of prisoners of war;
       Whereas the return of the American prisoners of war to the 
     United States and to their families and comrades was 
     designated Operation Homecoming;
       Whereas on January 27, 1973, the first group of American 
     prisoners of war were released at airfields near Hanoi and 
     Loc Ninh, and the last Operation Homecoming repatriation took 
     place on April 1, 1973;
       Whereas many American military personnel who were taken 
     prisoner as a result of combat in Southeast Asia have not 
     returned to their loved ones and their fate remains unknown;
       Whereas American military personnel who were prisoners of 
     war in Southeast Asia were routinely subjected to brutal 
     mistreatment, including beatings, torture, starvation, and 
     denial of medical attention and outside information, and were 
     frequently isolated from each other and prohibited from 
     communicating with one another;
       Whereas the prisoners, at great personal risk, nevertheless 
     devised a means to communicate with each other through a code 
     transmitted by tapping on cell walls;
       Whereas the prisoners held in the Hanoi Hilton included 
     then-Major Samuel R. Johnson, United States Air Force, now a 
     member of Congress from the 3rd Congressional District of 
     Texas, who was shot down on April 16, 1966, while flying his 
     25th mission over North Vietnam;
       Whereas Samuel R. Johnson spent more than half of his time 
     as a prisoner in solitary confinement, and conducted himself 
     with such valor as to be labeled by the enemy as a die-hard 
     resister, and, notwithstanding the tremendous suffering 
     inflicted upon him, demonstrated an unfailing devotion to 
     duty, honor, and country;
       Whereas during Samuel R. Johnson's military career, he was 
     awarded 2 Silver Stars, 3 Legions of Merit, the Distinguished 
     Flying Cross, a Bronze Star with ``V'' device for valor, 2 
     Purple Hearts, 4 Air Medals, and 5 Outstanding Unit awards;
       Whereas Samuel R. Johnson retired from active duty in 1979 
     in the grade of colonel, and personifies the verse in Isaiah 
     40:31, ``They shall mount with wings as eagles'';
       Whereas the American military personnel who were prisoners 
     of war during the Vietnam conflict truly represent the best 
     of America;
       Whereas the 35th anniversary of Operation Homecoming begins 
     on February 12, 2008, and ends on April 1, 2008;
       Whereas the world acknowledges that the words inscribed by 
     an American prisoner of war in a Hanoi Hilton cell, ``Freedom 
     has a taste to those who fight and die for it that the 
     protected will never know'', are bitterly true and eternally 
     appreciated; and
       Whereas the Nation owes a debt of gratitude to these 
     patriots and their families for their courage, heroism, and 
     exemplary service: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its deepest gratitude for, and calls upon all 
     Americans to reflect upon and to show their gratitude for, 
     the courage and sacrifice of the brave members of the United 
     States Armed Forces, including Samuel R. Johnson of Texas, 
     who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam 
     conflict;
       (2) urges States and localities to honor the courage and 
     sacrifice of those prisoners of war with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities;
       (3) acting on behalf of all Americans, will not forget the 
     1,729 members of the United States Armed Forces and the 34 
     United States citizens who remain unaccounted for from the 
     Vietnam conflict and will continue to press for a full 
     accounting of all of these members; and
       (4) honors all of the members of the United States Armed 
     Forces who have fought and died in the defense of freedom.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) 
will each control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. 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 California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume
  I rise today to urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 986 
which recognizes members of the Armed Forces who were held as prisoners 
of war during the Vietnam conflict, and calls for a full accounting of 
the 1,729 members who still remain unaccounted for from that conflict.
  ``Never leave a comrade behind'' is the motto of our Armed Forces. 
However, one of the regrettable results of war is the possibility of 
being forced to leave behind missing personnel or prisoners of war.
  At the conclusion of the Vietnam War, 2,646 members of the Armed 
Forces were considered prisoners of war or were declared missing in 
action. While many servicemembers were returned, 1,729 of our soldiers, 
airmen, sailors and marines remain unaccounted for to this very day.
  During the course of the Vietnam War, as many as 700 American 
military personnel were held by the enemy. One of the infamous prison 
facilities in Vietnam was referred to as the ``Hanoi Hilton.'' Located 
in downtown Hanoi, the prison held American servicemembers including 
then Lieutenant Commander John McCain, now

[[Page H4176]]

Senator McCain, and another of our esteemed colleagues, former Major 
Samuel R. Johnson. Sam Johnson was shot down April 16, 1966, as he flew 
his 25th Air Force mission over Vietnam.
  Bravery and passion filled the hearts of our servicemembers in 
Vietnam who willingly gave their life and liberty to protect the rights 
that Americans hold dear. We honor the sacrifice of those who gave 
their lives in defense of our Nation, and to those who were prisoners 
of war as they epitomize the very best of America.
  For nearly 7 years, Mr. Johnson and 700 servicemembers endured 
beatings, torture tactics, starvation, denial of medical attention and 
denial of contact to the outside world. January 27, 1973, marked the 
beginning of Operation Homecoming, the mission to end the brutal 
mistreatment of American troops following the cease-fire agreement 
between the United States and North Vietnam. Operation Homecoming 
concluded on April 1, 1973, when the last of 591 prisoners of war were 
released. However, it is clear that much work remains to be done in 
finding the 1,729 troops who did not return home.
  Since 1985, the Vietnamese Government has been working with the 
United States to help return our servicemembers back to their families, 
and we appreciate their efforts, and ask them to renew their efforts to 
help us bring these Americans home.
  On behalf of the American people, our deep appreciation and heartfelt 
thanks go to the prisoners of war from Vietnam and other conflicts and 
to their families.
  I urge my colleagues to join in support of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the gentlelady from San Diego, my seat mate, Mrs. 
Davis, in this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, the Bible tells us, greater love hath no man than he who 
lays down his life for a friend. Close behind are those who have served 
America in war, been captured, been held for long periods of time 
incommunicado sometimes, from their own colleagues in the particular 
prison or internment camp, and certainly from their loved ones back in 
the United States. Those who have to endure in this case, as our POWs 
did in Vietnam, beatings, brutality, harsh interrogations; and yet 
those Americans have, in most cases, come out of that furnace of 
incarceration strengthened.
  Indeed, as the gentlelady has mentioned, Pete Peterson, John McCain 
and our own Sam Johnson, who serves with us today, are examples of 
Americans who endured great difficulty and great hardship, and yet were 
strengthened and were inspired and had a certain energy that propelled 
them into this body, and in other cases into the other body, into the 
U.S. Senate, and they became national leaders.
  Mr. Speaker, James Michener wrote in his book, The Bridges at Toko-
Ri, when the subject of that book, the hero, the guy who had flown off 
to hit those bridges again and again didn't return because he'd been 
shot down, in the book, the commander of that aircraft carrier walks 
out on the deck after it's clear that this pilot's not going to return, 
and he reflects and asks himself the question, where does America get 
such men? People who will join the military, who will get into these 
high performance aircraft, in the case of a Navy pilot, fly off a 
carrier, which is a little postage stamp floating at sea, go through 
enemy air defenses and in a very dangerous situation, hit the target 
and then try to find that small floating postage stamp once again to 
recover.
  And of course the counterparts to those Navy pilots are Air Force 
pilots and Marine pilots who fly off that tarmac, and, in the case of 
North Vietnam, encountered new technology, Russian-made surface-to-air 
missiles which were extremely deadly, and knowing that if they didn't 
get back out to the ocean, where they could at least, if their plane 
was hit, where they could at least parachute into the ocean, they had a 
high likelihood of being captured. And again and again and again they 
got into those aircraft and undertook those missions.
  Sam Johnson was one of those guys and was shot down on his 25th 
mission. As the gentlelady said, he earned in his service to our Nation 
two Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, the Purple Heart, the Bronze 
Star with the V device. But he earned something more than that, and 
that's the gratitude of every American, certainly every Member of this 
body, and in a way he's very symbolic of this incredible group of 
heroes known as the American POWs from Vietnam, because he's a lot like 
a lot of the others that I've met, Mr. Speaker, and I know you've met a 
lot of them too. Self-effacing, modest, great character, and continuing 
to serve this country.
  So I think it's absolutely appropriate that on this 35th anniversary 
of Operation Homecoming that we honor everyone who served as an 
American prisoner of war, and especially honor the one who serves today 
in the House of Representatives, Mr. Sam Johnson.
  I would reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. I would yield to the Republican leader, Mr. Boehner, the 
gentleman from Ohio, as much time as he might consume.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to have introduced this 
legislation which marks the 35th anniversary of Operation Homecoming, 
and honors all Americans held prisoner of war in Vietnam.
  On February 12, 1973, the first wave of the longest held POWs from 
Vietnam left Hanoi for their first taste of freedom, dubbed Operation 
Homecoming. Our colleague and my friend Sam Johnson was one of the men 
who flew out of Hanoi after nearly 7 years in captivity.
  For me and any other American watching, Sam's return, and the return 
of all those heroes serving in Vietnam, was a bittersweet moment. Yet 
it was a moment that we must never forget because of what they did to 
defend the cause of freedom.

                              {time}  1130

  This resolution is just one more way for Congress and for our Nation 
to thank those who were held prisoner of war in Vietnam. And on a 
personal note, it gives me a chance to thank Sam, once again, for his 
service and his friendship.
  Mr. Speaker, America owes our Vietnam POWs and all of those who serve 
a debt of gratitude, and it is only fitting that Congress today should 
recognize their heroic sacrifices today and every day.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend 
and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty).
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure on the 
floor today because it's all about priorities. And what that means for 
me is I need to remember on a daily basis that if it weren't for all of 
the men and women who served in the United States military through the 
years, I wouldn't be able to go around bragging, as I often do, about 
how we live in the freest and most open democracy on earth.
  Freedom isn't free. We have paid a tremendous price for it. And I try 
not to let even a single day pass by without remembering with deepest 
gratitude all of those who, like my own brother, Bill, made the supreme 
sacrifice in Vietnam. And I need to remember people like my friend and 
colleague, Sam Johnson, who went to a far-off place, put his life on 
the line for us, endured torture on behalf of all citizens of the 
United States of America, but thankfully came back home and rendered 
outstanding service to his community and to his country.
  These are the things that I'm most grateful for today. I am proud and 
honored to look across the Chamber into the eyes of my friend, Sam 
Johnson, and to assure him that he is one of the reasons why, when I 
get up in the morning, the first two things I do are to thank God for 
my life, and veterans for my way of life.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the 
Republican whip, Mr. Blunt, the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, for his 
work to bring this bill to the floor, and for the moments the entire 
House is taking to recognize those who have sacrificed for us and the 
homecoming 35 years ago of our good friend, Sam

[[Page H4177]]

Johnson, and others. Those who have served in this way have served with 
particular challenges to their courage and have seen their faith and 
their families' challenged as well.
  Recently in another ceremony in this building reflecting on the 
Holocaust, the speaker at that ceremony, the White House chief of 
staff, mentioned his father, a prisoner in another war, World War II, 
who all the time he was in a prison camp in Germany refused to take off 
the dog tag symbol that identified him as a Jew.
  We all know that story of our colleague in the Senate who saw the 
guard draw a symbol of a cross on the ground as he had released him 
from the particular painful way he had been bound to be left overnight 
and then quickly erased that symbol of his faith.
  We've read, many of us, our friend Sam's story about not only his 
challenge and his strength and faith, but also how his own family 
didn't know for months and months whether he was alive or dead, and 
that was a story that was all too frequent among our heroes who served 
us and served in this capacity. They kept the faith, they honored their 
country.
  The stories go on and on and on about the flag that was found and 
destroyed and the man who had pieced that flag together in a Vietnamese 
prison camp was brutally beaten, and as soon as he could regain enough 
strength and consciousness, he began to get little pieces of cloth and 
put a flag back together again. That kind of service, that kind of 
honor, that kind of courage, that kind of patriotism is what we 
recognize today; and particularly those of us who serve with Sam 
Johnson get to recognize it every day as we see him come courageously 
to the floor serving his country again.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further 
requests for time. I am prepared to close after my colleague has 
yielded back his time.
  I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. I would like to yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Wittman) 2 minutes.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in strong support of 
this resolution recognizing the courage and sacrifice of American 
military personnel held prisoner during the Vietnam conflict, and I 
would like to thank those folks for their extraordinary bravery, their 
valor, and their commitment to our Nation. We will be eternally 
grateful for their sacrifice.
  I would also like to highlight the courage and the sacrifice of our 
own Representative Sam Johnson of Texas who was a prisoner of war in 
North Vietnam for 7 years. In the midst of our Nation's war against 
global terrorism, it's especially fitting that we now take the time to 
remember and honor our prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict.
  Not all of those who were captured returned to freedom in what was 
called Operation Homecoming some 35 years ago. Those events, watched by 
millions of Americans, helped focus the Nation on the ordeal endured by 
those proud warriors, the prisoners of war, who were routinely subject 
to brutal mistreatment including beatings, torture, starvation, and the 
denial of medical attention and outside information. Since the return 
of these Vietnam-era prisoners of war, America has learned much more 
about how remarkably special, smart, and strong these men were.
  The stories of their courage, heroism, endurance, and exemplary 
service inspires us all, and we must never forget their sacrifices.
  One of those remarkable heroes who came home 35 years ago is our own 
Sam Johnson of Texas. Shot down in 1966, he was a prisoner of war for 7 
years. Labeled by the enemy as a die-hard resister, he suffered 
tremendously and spent more than half his time in solitary confinement. 
That same indomitable spirit and commitment to serve our Nation 
continues today where he is an inspiration to all of us.
  Mr. Speaker, it is only right that we take time to honor men like Sam 
Johnson and the other prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict, and I 
urge all Americans to do so, not forgetting that more than 1,700 
American military personnel remain unaccounted for today.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like now to recognize the ranking 
member of the Veterans' Affairs committee, Mr. Buyer, for 2 minutes.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, the 
ranking member. Thank you for bringing this today to the floor.
  As all of us get to know Sam, and we see him daily, Sam's voice gives 
meaning to many who were held as prisoner and allows us to have a 
deeper appreciation of what it means to lose your liberty. And what Sam 
Johnson has been able to teach all of us is that someone may take away 
your freedom, someone may beat you and torture you, but they can never 
touch your character. And what Sam teaches us daily is it is about the 
power of the individual, and it comes from your character and it comes 
from who you are morally and spiritually as a person. It is about who 
you are with your values and your virtues that defines human dignity. 
When you define that and you're comfortable about yourself, it doesn't 
matter what someone ever does to you.
  When you think about and you read the book on Sam Johnson's life, you 
have a much deeper understanding of what this man went through, but he 
was able to endure because he was comfortable with who he was as a 
person.
  Now, what Sam does, and he is so humble, is that he then takes that 
and teaches all of us not only about what they went through, but how 
each of us, as Americans, should rise to understand each other with 
greater dignity.
  With that, Sam, I think this is so fitting that we honor you today. I 
know that you feel uncomfortable about doing that. But you are able to 
give great voice to a lot of your comrades, many who also never came 
home. And it is not just for those from the Vietnam war; when you 
speak, you give voice to anyone who was a prisoner of war.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. HUNTER. Thank you, Mr. Buyer, for your very eloquent statement.
  Mr. Speaker, at this point we have one speaker remaining, and that's 
the man from Texas who stiffens our spine, who gives us resolution when 
we start to lose our resolve in this House of Representatives, who 
reminds us that freedom isn't free and that we achieve peace through 
strength.
  I would like to yield the balance of our time to Sam Johnson, the 
gentleman from Texas.
  (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Republican 
Leader Boehner for his efforts to recognize the prisoners of war in 
Vietnam and those of us who are marking 35 years of freedom.
  As a former prisoner of war for nearly 7 years, more than half of 
that time in solitary confinement, I find great comfort that Americans 
support our troops 110 percent. Trust me when I say it makes a 
tremendous difference to return to your country with a warm welcome and 
homecoming party versus people spitting on you or worse. Thankfully, 
America does not have hundreds of men and women held captive as 
prisoners of war like Vietnam. For this, I can only say, ``Praise the 
Lord.''
  You know, celebrating a milestone of liberty like 35 years of freedom 
really puts life in perspective. I have thought about what my battered 
body felt like before the years of endless torture and extreme 
starvation, and I thank my loyal wife and family for sticking by me 
when I was gone.
  I also recall the high-caliber Americans held captive with me in 
Vietnam. By Christmas 1970, my captors ended my solitary confinement 
after 3\1/2\ years and placed me in a huge room full of American 
heroes, the Hanoi Hilton, now known as the ``Incredible Room Seven.'' 
The roster of Room Seven included 47 great Americans who spent a 
combined 108,116 days in captivity. That translates into just under 300 
man hours gone. As for me, I spent just under 2,500 days as a POW, and 
you can Google ``Incredible Room Seven'' to learn about the amazing 
list of war heroes I have the honor of calling friends, one of whom is 
John McCain.
  While held in captivity, most of us agreed that when, not if, we 
returned home to America, we would quit complaining about the 
government and do

[[Page H4178]]

something about it. Some of us ran for office. I served in the Texas 
State House and now in the U.S. Congress. Jeremiah Denton, who blinked 
the letters ``t-o-r-t-u-r-e'' in Morse code while reading a prepared 
message from the enemy into a video camera, became a U.S. Senator from 
Alabama. John McCain served in the House and then in the Senate. 
Clearly, the thread of public service in Room Seven extended well 
beyond the military code of conduct.
  I mention my 7 years in captivity for another reason as well. Today, 
for just about the last 7 years, our troops and their families have put 
their lives on the line, and many times on hold, to defend the freedom 
of this great Nation. The Nation has troops waging two different 
battles in two separate remote parts of the world, and our servicemen 
and women continue to stand up and be counted. Our troops have done an 
exceptional job. We all hope and pray they come home soon and safely 
when the time is right.
  I would like to close today by dedicating this statement to a dear 
friend of mine who did not make it home from captivity, Ron Storz. The 
enemy held me in solitary confinement in a place we POWs named 
Alcatraz. There were 11 of us held alone in small 3-foot by 8-foot 
cells, each one adjacent to another. Being the ingenious American 
servicemen we were, we could communicate with our fellow POWs by 
tapping on the walls.
  Of the 11 of us held in solitary cells, only 10 made it home. The 
North Vietnamese killed my friend Ron Storz, an Air Force captain, 
after he rebelled and went on a hunger strike to protest our harsh 
conditions. Ron Storz carried the banner of valor and heroism. This 
resolution includes him, too, and it includes all Americans.
  All I want to say is God bless America, and today I salute all ex-
POWs. Thank you for bringing this measure to the floor. I salute you.

                              {time}  1145

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. We have no more speakers and would yield back the balance 
of our time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say what an 
honor it is for me to serve with a great American, Mr. Sam Johnson, 
here in the House, and I thank God, as my colleagues do as well, that 
he is here to share with us his extraordinary experiences and to remind 
us of individuals like himself who serve this country with such honor 
and valor.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my 
wholehearted support of honoring members of the United States Armed 
Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict 
and to ask for a full accounting of those great Americans still listed 
as missing in action.
  The hardship bestowed upon our men and women in the Vietnam war 
prison camps is well documented. I have two dear friends who spent 
years as prisoners of war in Vietnam. One is a constituent of mine 
named Digger O'Dell who spent more than 5 years as a prisoner of war in 
Vietnam. The other, my colleague in the House, Congressman Sam Johnson.
  Their bravery, their commitment to our nation and their desire to 
fight for the freedom of every individual is unquestionable. I rise 
today in tribute to the service and sacrifice of Digger O'Dell, Sam 
Johnson, and that of their fellow POWs whose bravery under incredible 
circumstances did great honor to America.
  Additionally, we can never forget the 1,729 members of our Armed 
Forces that remain unaccounted for from this conflict. This is 
unacceptable to me. This number represents families, loved ones, and 
comrades who have been left wondering about their fate for the past 30 
plus years.
  Those families that still await word of the fate of their loved ones 
deserve the sense of closure this information would bring. I feel that 
it is our duty as Members of Congress to at the very least work to 
provide them the opportunity for that closure.
  My district is home to thousands of veterans of the Vietnam war and 
my husband is a member of one of the largest chapter of Vietnam Vets in 
the Nation. Each time I see a veteran of that conflict I say ``Welcome 
Home'' because too many were not welcomed properly when they returned 
from Vietnam.
  That ``Welcome Home'' means even more to those who spent time in 
captivity and endured unspeakable abuses because upon their release 
they returned to the loving embrace of family and friends. And they did 
so with their honor intact and love of country strengthened.
  For those who never returned and whose fate is unknown, we must never 
stop in our effort to leave no one behind.
  I urge you as my friends and colleagues to join me in honoring the 
courage and sacrifice of all those members of our Armed Services who 
valiantly served our great Nation in Vietnam. And to every Vietnam 
Veteran--Welcome Home.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 986, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HUNTER. 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 motion will be 
postponed.

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