[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H4072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REMEMBERING THE FALLEN THIS MEMORIAL DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this weekend marks one of 
our most solemn occasions, Memorial Day, where we mourn those we have 
lost in the defense of this Nation.
  Many in this House will attend ceremonies throughout the weekend and 
on Memorial Day, which is observed annually on the last Monday of May.
  The traditional Memorial Day dates back to 1864 in Boalsburg, 
Pennsylvania, my home county, where three ladies decorated the graves 
of fallen Civil War soldiers. The custom has continued every year since 
then. Boalsburg still puts on a traditional Memorial Day celebration, 
complete with a parade, a community walk to the cemetery, speeches, 
military reenactments, and much more.
  We must never forget the unthinkable pain for the families whose 
loved ones have not returned home, and this includes those missing in 
action and prisoners of war. Currently, there are more than 83,000 
American servicemembers who remain unaccounted for from World War II, 
the Korean war, and Vietnam.
  While several nations have worked to assist the United States in 
search and recovery efforts, many challenges still exist when it comes 
to negotiations and operations. That is why today I will introduce the 
Keeping Our Promise to MIAs/POWs resolution that expresses a sense of 
Congress that any nation seeking to potentially enter into a mutually 
beneficial trade agreement with the United States should provide 
reasonable access and cooperation to help us recover our unaccounted-
for servicemembers.
  This resolution sends a message that this Nation will uphold its 
eternal promise to our Armed Forces to always work to bring our men and 
women home, no matter the circumstances we face, no matter the time 
that has passed.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, especially in 
advance of Memorial Day weekend. Mr. Speaker, America will gather this 
weekend with family members, friends, and neighbors to remember those 
whom we have lost. As we raise the Stars and Stripes, as we lay wreaths 
at monuments and memorials and cemeteries, as we march in parades and 
attend services, let us remember that our freedom is thanks to those 
who died in sacrifice.
  May God bless them, and may God bless the United States of America.

                          ____________________