[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H5896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR SOLDIERS INVOLVED IN BATAAN, CORREGIDOR 
                               AND LUZON

  (Mr. HEINRICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill bestowing 
a collective Congressional Gold Medal to our soldiers involved in the 
World War II battles of Bataan, Corregidor, and Luzon.
  This bill is particularly important to my State because nearly 2,000 
New Mexican soldiers were captured as prisoners of war and subjected to 
the Bataan Death March of 1942. More New Mexico families per capita 
were directly affected by this than any other State.
  American POWs were forced to endure a tortuous 65-mile, 5-day march 
in tropical heat, without food or water, followed by 3 years of brutal 
imprisonment. In the end, one-third of Bataan's 12,000 defenders never 
returned home.
  We must never forget the courage that these veterans demonstrated 
before any more of our heroes of Bataan, Corregidor, or Luzon pass on. 
I urge my colleagues to honor them with the Congressional Gold Medal 
that they have more than earned.

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