[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 192 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2255-E2256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MARKING THE END OF THE WAR IN IRAQ

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 14, 2011

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of this 
great day in American history--the day that marks the end of the Iraq 
war. Although for years we all hoped and prayed that this day would 
come, there is an overwhelming feeling of relief when hope becomes a 
reality. Today we stand together as a nation and rejoice as we look 
forward to the return of thousands of men and women whose countless 
sacrifices, remarkable service, and enormous achievements in the name 
of our great Nation will never be forgotten.
  Nearly 1.5 million Americans served in the war in Iraq, with 30,000 
wounded and nearly 4,500 casualties. In my district, we suffered the 
loss of 12 remarkable servicemen. We remember Long Beach residents: 
Pfc. Stephen A. Castellano; Sgt. 1st Class Randy D. Collins; Sgt. 
Anthony J. Davis, Jr.; Sgt. Israel Garcia; Pvt. Ernesto R. Guerra; Pfc. 
Lyndon A. Marcus, Jr.; Spec. Roberto L. Martinez Salazar; Spec. Astor 
A. SunsinPineda; Pfc.

[[Page E2256]]

David T. Toomalatai; Pfc. George D. Torres; and Staff Sgt. Joshua 
Whitaker, as well as Carson resident Pfc. Daniel P. Cagle of Carson who 
were all killed in action.
  Perhaps the most consequential victory of the War on Terror came 
earlier this year when Osama bin Laden's life was finally ended by a 
group of Navy SEALs who deftly carried-out a covert operation at bin 
Laden's secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. I am extremely 
thankful for President Obama and his Administration's firm leadership 
in the effort to bring bin Laden to justice. With a renewed sense that 
justice has been served, we must return our focus now to protecting our 
citizens at home, and assuring our veterans a prosperous future.
  As President Obama said earlier today ``It's important for us to 
express our thanks in words, but it's even more for us to express our 
thanks in deeds.'' It is now our turn to stand up for our troops at 
home as they courageously stood up for us in battle.
  Our troops are returning home to a tough economy. They are returning 
home to an unemployment rate for veterans that is 2.5% higher than the 
national average. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
put aside our differences and come together in our commitment to ensure 
veterans returning home receive all the resources they need. No measure 
of action we take in Congress can ever truly repay our troops for their 
sacrifices, but I vow to do all that I can to ensure that the country 
they fought and sacrificed for gives back to them all that they 
deserve.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, while keeping the American people safe should 
always be our top priority, now we must refocus our priorities and our 
resources into protecting our homeland, educating, training and 
employing the American workforce, and ensuring our veterans a 
prosperous future in the nation they fought to defend. Over the last 
ten years, American taxpayers have spent billions rebuilding Iraq. We 
must now be willing to make the same investment of time and resources 
to rebuild our economy so that it provides a standard of living and 
quality of life worthy of the heroic sacrifices made by the men and 
women who risked their lives to defend our way of life and freedom.

                          ____________________