[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2141-E2142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HOUSTON, TEXAS, PROPERTY CONVEYANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 14, 2010

  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H.R. 6510. First, I would like to thank Ron Kendell, Elliot Doomes, 
Ward McCarrington, Johanna Hardy, Major Keithen Washington and 
Shashrina Thomas for their tireless efforts in moving this bill. I 
would also like to thank the co-sponsors of this bill and my 
colleagues: Representatives: Mario Diaz-Balart, Ted Poe, Ileana

[[Page E2142]]

Ros-Lehtinen, Charles Gonzalez, Henry ``Hank'' Johnson and Ralph Hall. 
I introduced this bill requesting that the Administrator of General 
Services convey land to the Military Museum of Texas.
  The Military Museum of Texas was formed to create, maintain and 
operate an institution to honor and perpetuate the memories of all men 
and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of 
America. The President of the Military Museum of Texas, Ed Farris, a 
former Marine sergeant, and a 22-year veteran of the Houston Police 
Department's motorcycle patrol and bomb squad, has worked tirelessly to 
preserve the memories of the men and women of the armed forces. They 
paid with their lives and their youth to ensure that the United States 
remains a free and prosperous nation. It is important that we support 
Mr. Farris and the board members of the Military Museum of Texas to 
honor and recognize the men and women, living and dead, who have served 
in the armed forces of the United States. The museum provides a way to 
hold them up as the heroes they are.
  Mr. Speaker, our freedom is intertwined with the sacrifices of our 
Veterans, whose devotion to our way of life is unparalleled. I am 
privileged to honor their sacrifices and the role they play in our 
nation by introducing House Resolution 6510.
  Our nation and veterans from the great State of Texas have a proud 
legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have 
worn the uniform in defense of this country. We must be united in 
seeing that every soldier, sailor, airman, marine, and coast guardsmen 
has a place of memory, pride and honor, in which the Military Museum of 
Texas provides.
  Today, we continue to be engaged in hostilities in Afghanistan, and 
young men and women will pay the ultimate price while wearing the 
uniform of our nation. Let us honor the memory of the 4,400 Americans 
who have died in Iraq and more than 1,300 who have died in Afghanistan. 
We also honor the sacrifices of our wounded: nearly 32,000 U.S. troops 
in Iraq and 9,000 in Afghanistan.
  Throughout the Military Museum of Texas, Americans will learn from 
the surviving World War II veterans to the veterans of Operation 
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  In the words of President John F. Kennedy, ``As we express our 
gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to 
utter words, but to live by them.'' It is not simply enough to sing the 
praises of our nation's great veterans; I firmly believe that we must 
demonstrate by our actions how proud we are of our American heroes. 
Join me and support H.R. 6510. I firmly believe that we should 
celebrate our veterans after every conflict, and I remain committed to 
both meeting the needs of veterans of previous wars, and to provide a 
fitting welcome home to those who are now serving.
  Currently, there are 23 million veterans in the United States. There 
are more than 1,626,000 veterans living in Texas and more than 32,000 
veterans living in my Congressional district alone. H.R. 6510 will 
allow Congress to express our appreciation to those who have answered 
the call to duty. As the great British leader Winston Churchill 
famously stated, ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much 
owed by so many to so few.''

  Our nation is founded on the principles, laid out in the Declaration 
of Independence, that ``all men are created equal,'' ``that they are 
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,'' and ``that 
among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'' At 
various points in our history as a nation, we have found need to send 
our sons and daughters, our most precious resources, overseas to fight 
in defense of these great principles. At times when the need is 
greatest, America's soldiers have always stepped up to protect our 
nation.
  And so, today, I hope we will all take time from our daily lives to 
reflect upon the sacrifices made by those who serve in our armed 
forces, and to resolve together that we will provide returning veterans 
with the welcome, services, care, and compassion that they deserve--a 
Museum of reflection. As we consider H.R. 6510, let us all remember the 
one thing that makes our nation truly great are the young men and women 
willing to fight to defend it, to defend us, and to defend our way of 
life. Join me and support H.R. 6510.
  Memories fade all too quickly, and we are losing about 1000 WWII 
veterans every day. It is important that we record and preserve the 
memories of these veterans so that future generations can understand 
the sacrifices of our veterans. The Museum is a place for preservation 
of military memorabilia, personal stories, artifacts and the history of 
past wars to remember American veterans and their sacrifices.
  It is remarkably easy for succeeding generations to forget why we 
enjoy the freedoms we do in our country. The Museum seeks to educate 
the public about the sacrifices of our veterans that gave us those 
freedoms.
  It is difficult for those who have not served in combat to understand 
the horrors our veterans endured and the trauma that still affects 
their lives. Veterans themselves conduct tours and convey their 
personal experiences to visitors.
  The Museum provides a place where veterans can congregate and discuss 
their experiences, and in the process, heal. It also permits them to 
talk about their experiences with museum visitors.
  Soldiers currently serving in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan 
need to know that the people back home in the great state of Texas 
support them. Volunteers at the Military Museum of Texas prepare and 
send care packages to troops who are serving overseas and are patients 
in military hospitals recovering from wounds. The Military Museum of 
Texas also hosts reunions, participate in parades and other events in 
the Houston, Texas area.
  The Military Museum is a pillar in the community, and a benefit to 
schools, veterans and military related groups. It provides educational 
programs, live reenactments from military personnel as well as 
interactive exhibits. Furthermore, the Military Museum provides 
internships in military history and preservation, and a research 
database available for education and historical institutions and the 
public.
  Let us continue to preserve and honor the memory of those who defend 
our freedom and liberty.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 6510, and ask for its immediate 
adoption.

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