[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LA COUNTY VETS RESOLUTION INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

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                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 2010

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce a resolution with my 
California colleague Representative McKeon and members of the Los 
Angeles delegation to honor the service and sacrifice of Los Angeles 
County soldiers and their families.
  In the midst of two of the longest engagements of U.S. forces in 
American history, our troops are enduring some of the most challenging 
and dangerous conditions imaginable.
  More than 6,000 Angelenos are now deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, 
serving with honor while enduring hardships and lengthy separations 
from their loved ones. Since the two wars began, more than 100 county 
residents have been killed in battle. More than 1,200 have suffered 
physical wounds, and many more suffer from PTSD.
  They fight a war unlike those of their predecessors, against an enemy 
who targets and brutalizes its own citizens--innocent women and 
children--to advance its agenda.
  While the enemy is cruel, our troops practice restraint. Where the 
enemy levels schools, clinics and businesses to demonstrate its power, 
our troops show even greater strength by helping to rebuild them. They 
do this to build trust and win the confidence of the people of Iraq and 
Afghanistan--the people who must ultimately stand up and fight for 
their own countries.
  This generation of troops shows a level of bravery and discipline 
every day few of us possess in the face of grave danger, and they face 
those risks to protect their fellow Americans.
  Thousands have returned home with physical and emotional wounds. Some 
heal, but other wounds remain with them and their families for a 
lifetime.
  We declare our support for providing veterans and their families with 
the best medical care, and our support for veterans' continuing 
education, vocational training, and opportunities to enter new careers 
as civilians.
  We support efforts to break the cycle of homelessness that haunts so 
many veterans, and to prevent more from suffering the same fate.
  We encourage all Americans to show their support and enduring 
gratitude for our returning troops, many of whom face a difficult 
adjustment to a life not at war.
  They answered a call for service in the midst of two brutal wars. We 
owe them and their families a great debt. Our resolution today is but a 
small testament to their dedication and valor.

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