[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 109 (Thursday, July 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2013

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                               speech of

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 18, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5856) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes:

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of Mr. 
Young's statement. As a fellow * * * as is Bill Young, and as a father 
of four sons currently in the military, I find the suggestion that the 
Department of Defense spends too much money recovering the remains of 
our military men and women who are killed in action to be absolutely 
offensive and insensitive to military families. As Chair of the 
Military Personnel Subcommittee I appreciate the extraordinary efforts 
of recovery worldwide.
  Our service members who are engaged in combat operations make a 
solemn vow to one another: ``I will never leave a fallen comrade 
behind.'' The military, consisting of all the branches of service have 
a similar responsibility to the families of our service members. When a 
service member is killed in action, the military service branch that 
they belong to has a responsibility to return the remains home to the 
family. They have a responsibility to return the remains to their final 
resting place with dignity and honor.
  The military men and women who are killed in action overseas are 
heroes who make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom that we 
all enjoy. The military rightly does everything necessary to return our 
service members' remains to their families. I believe that the military 
does a superb job under very trying circumstances, and I know that our 
military families are very grateful. I know firsthand of this * * *. I 
sadly was present for the return of a brother-in-law killed overseas as 
a Marine pilot. Our family appreciated the proven love of the American 
people, which has been promoted by Congressman Bill Young and his wife, 
Beverly.

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