[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      EMERGENCE OF AMERICAN HEROES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, we are in interesting times. I think it was 
Confucius who said to live in interesting times is a great opportunity. 
It is.
  Unfortunately, the rule of law and democracy are at stake. And as 
they are and as the Intel Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and 
the Oversight and Reform Committee have hearings--and later, there will 
be public hearings--we are seeing American heroes emerge.
  Today, an American hero, a lieutenant colonel who earned a Purple 
Heart, will be testifying. Colonel Vindman listened to the conversation 
between President Zelensky and President Trump, and he will testify as 
to what happened. It won't be a memorandum; it will be what really took 
place on that call and why it alarmed him so much.
  The administration doesn't want Colonel Vindman to testify, but he is 
testifying because he is a patriot, because it is his duty, and because 
he knows what is at stake.
  What is at stake is democracy. What is at stake is our Constitution. 
What is at stake is our Republic.

                              {time}  1045

  We have had other people testify, the Ambassador who was removed 2 
months early because she refused to go along with what was taking 
place, and Ms. Fiona Hill. These are heroes. These are patriots.
  Unfortunately, on some news networks that are mouthpieces for the 
administration, they have had their patriotism questioned, and they 
have been vilified.
  This is the beginning of despotism. When heroes who come forth with 
proud careers of service in the State Department or the military, 
without a blemish on their record, and without trying to benefit 
financially from anybody at all, except doing their job for the United 
States of America, are questioned because they come forth to testify as 
to information that threatens our Constitution, that shows abuse of 
power and an effort to not comply with our Constitution and carrying 
out congressionally-mandated spending to protect a country fighting 
Russian aggression in their own territory.
  These are not people like Manafort, and Flynn, and Carter Page, who 
wanted and got money from Ukrainians, and Turks, and Russians, and 
others to benefit themselves from countries that do not have our 
interests at heart.
  So, as we live through these interesting times, let us appreciate the 
heroes that are emerging, giving testimony, and putting their jobs and 
their future security and their reputations at risk because, 
unfortunately, rather than being hailed as the heroes that they truly 
are, they are being vilified; and that is dangerous, and it is 
concerning to me.
  Some of the people that vilify them praise people like Flynn and 
Manafort, who sold our country out for their own personal advancement 
and riches.
  America, beware, and honor those who stand up for you.

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