[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 59 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3155-H3156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL AND ``THE WALL THAT HEALS'' EXHIBIT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Maxine Waters) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
recognition of the importance that Vietnam war memorials have in our 
Nation's remembrance and commemoration of Vietnam veterans and their 
distinguished devotion to duty and country.
  The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a symbol of honor, recognition, and 
remembrance of the more than 58,000 military servicemembers who 
sacrificed their lives or remain missing to this day and the over 8.7 
million brave men and women who served over the course of the Vietnam 
war. More than 5.6 million people visit the memorial each year.
  Not long after the memorial opened, it became clear that families 
across the country, not just those visiting

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Washington, D.C., greatly desired the opportunity to remember those we 
have lost and pay their respects to the approximately 7.3 million 
Vietnam war veterans living today.
  To accommodate, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund built an iconic 
replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This replica travels across 
the country as part of The Wall That Heals exhibit, stopping in 
approximately 39 communities each year. The replica is 375 feet in 
length, 7.5 feet high at its tallest point, and includes 140 panels, 
each engraved with the names of fallen United States Armed Forces 
servicemembers who served during the Vietnam war. It has been displayed 
at almost 600 communities nationwide.
  There are roughly 7,500 Vietnam veterans living in my district, the 
43rd Congressional District, alone, and over 570,000 in the State of 
California. California is home to more veterans than any other State--
almost 2 million. The residents of my district and the State of 
California deserve the opportunity to say thank you to some of the 
bravest Americans who have ever lived and remember those they may have 
lost.
  I worked with the city of Gardena and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 
Fund for 2 years to bring the replica to my district, and I am so happy 
to say that we recently succeeded. This past weekend, The Wall That 
Heals arrived in one of my cities, the city of Gardena, California, to 
a welcoming crowd of hundreds who came to pay their respects and honor 
Vietnam veterans.
  In my opinion, full and appropriate recognition of our Vietnam 
veterans is long overdue. The war often separated friends and families, 
both physically and politically, and created divisions which have taken 
years to heal. Many veterans have spoken about how difficult this was 
and how much harder this made the healing process.
  No matter what you may have felt about the war, we should all honor 
the sacrifice made by our veterans who answered their country's call, 
who served, and who sacrificed.
  This country should be and is honored to acknowledge and express 
appreciation for the sacrifices Vietnam veterans and their families 
made, both during their service and over the many years since. The 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall That Heals, and the dozens of local 
museums and memorials allow us to pay proper respect to and commemorate 
our Vietnam veterans.
  I have just introduced a resolution in recognition of the Vietnam 
Veterans Memorial, its traveling replica, which is one part of The Wall 
That Heals exhibit, and the Vietnam veterans for their devotion to 
neighbor, community, and country.
  I say once again: Welcome home, Vietnam veterans.

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