[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 192 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6116-H6119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING AMERICA'S BELOVED VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Bergman) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I am proud and honored to host today's 
Special Order in light of Veterans Day being just around the corner on 
November 11.
  Here in D.C. and back home in Michigan, I stay closely connected with 
all my fellow veterans, and I can tell you this: From the Afghanistan 
debacle to lingering backlogs at the VA, it has not been an easy year 
for veterans and their families.
  But I want to remind you all, veterans, you are not alone. We are 
here with you; we are listening; and we are working through the 
difficult times to get things done. You are going to hear today from 
many of my colleagues who not only share this feeling but want to 
remind you that we are working every day on your behalf, not for any 
political reason but because we strive to thank you and honor you for 
your service to our Nation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), who 
is my friend, colleague, and fellow marine.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. General 
Bergman is doing a great job.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to join my friends and fellow veterans here 
today to honor the generations of men and women who have served this 
great Nation. From the Greatest Generation of veterans to the youngest 
generation of veterans, we are undeniably lucky to have men and women 
who are willing to lay down their lives for others.
  This Veterans Day comes exactly 2 months after the 20th anniversary 
of the 9/11 terror attacks.

                              {time}  1945

  In that sense, it is an even more poignant reminder than usual of the 
sacrifices veterans have made so that we can be free. For 20 years, 
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, guardsmen, reservists, and Special 
Forces units, in and around Afghanistan prevented another terrorist 
attack on the homeland. For 20 years, they made the world safer. For 20 
years, they gave the Afghanistan people a taste of freedom; the freedom 
for Afghan women and girls to pursue education and a career; the 
freedom to play sports, the freedom to be Christian; the freedom to 
live without oppression and terror.
  Like generations of veterans before them, they spent days, months, 
and years thousands of miles from home. They missed births, birthdays, 
weddings, funerals, anniversaries and holidays. They protected those 
they will

[[Page H6117]]

never meet. They looked our enemies dead in the eye and refused to 
accept defeat.
  As a veteran, a father, and a grandfather of Active Duty 
servicemembers, and the lead Republican on the House Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, I could not be prouder of the millions of men and women who 
selflessly answered our country's call throughout our history.
  This Veterans Day, I encourage all Americans to pause and remember 
those who have defended our way of life. Their service should always, 
always be honored and celebrated. We owe them a debt of gratitude that 
can never be repaid.
  Last, and certainly not least, I want to share a message for those 
who may be struggling. If you are a veteran or you know someone who is 
a veteran who is going through a tough time, please reach out and ask 
for help. It is the right and brave thing to do. Your service mattered. 
You matter. The Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential support 
to all veterans. Simply call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. Once again, 
that is: 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. Or you can text, 838255. Once 
again, you can text 838255, or visit www.veteranscrisisline.net.
 May God bless our veterans, their families, and the United States of 
America. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Bost for his comments, and I 
yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), my friend and colleague 
and fellow Air Force veteran.
  Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I thank General Bergman for having this 
very worthy Special Order tonight on veterans. On the eleventh hour of 
the eleventh day of the eleventh month, patriots will come together to 
celebrate America's brave protectors, past and present.
  As a son of a World War II veteran, a veteran myself, and the father 
of a decorated Navy SEAL, it is sometimes very difficult for me to 
adequately express the deep-rooted gratitude that I hold for our 
military; the same gratitude historically held by a majority of our 
great country.
  This year, however, something is different. The people of this Nation 
still honor our servicemen and -women, but unfortunately, some in the 
White House don't seem to do that. This administration would rather 
focus on our military being woke rather than being prepared and ready 
for a potential war with our enemies.
  My heart especially goes out to our veterans of Afghanistan. The 
Biden administration and our military leadership failed you and the 
Afghan allies that you worked so closely with for decades. To the men 
and women of our Armed Forces who sacrificed so much over the last 20 
years, I say this: Hold your head up high. Your service protected 
countless freedom-loving people and prevented terrorism from thriving 
in the United States and in our post-9/11 world.
  Ronald Reagan once said: ``Freedom is never more than one generation 
away from extinction. We didn't pass it onto our children in the 
bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them 
to do the same.''
  No one understands this truth more than our vets. I promise to 
continue using my position in Congress to serve those who have served 
us and to all of our current and former soldiers, sailors, airmen, 
marines, guardians, and coasties, I gratefully and humbly say thank 
you.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Kelly).
  Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
great men and women who serve and have fought in our military and 
risked their lives to protect this great country of ours.
  Each November, we are reminded of the heroism our veterans displayed 
both at home and abroad. My Congressional District, Pennsylvania's 16th 
Congressional District, is among the largest constituencies of military 
veterans in our Commonwealth. More than 45,000 veterans call PA-16 
home. That is 1 in 15 of my constituents, and it would be hard to go to 
any home anywhere in the district that I serve and not find people who 
have served in the military.
  Our office has a dedicated veterans' outreach program. Some of our 
representatives--right now it is Francis ``Chookie'' LaCamera; 36 years 
he served. We also had John ``P.K.'' Galanski, a Vietnam vet who never 
stopped serving. After he came home, he has been part of our service 
outreach program and has dedicated his entire life to taking care of 
our veterans.
  Also, a good friend and a guy who has done such a great job, Tony 
``Gunny'' Digiacomo, another Iraqi war veteran who served in our office 
taking care of our veterans and now is a Crawford County VSO.
  And last, but not least, John Cuneo, who is an Afghani war veteran. 
When I talked to John about the Afghanistan withdrawal, I said: John, I 
just want to make sure you are okay. And he said: Mike, I haven't slept 
for 5 days. I lost friends in Afghanistan. I held them as they died. 
Some of them came back home, but they were deeply wounded and injured 
and probably will never fully recover. And I just don't understand how 
we arrived at this type of a withdrawal.
  I keep thinking to myself: Was it worth it? The loss of lives, the 
loss of limbs; was it really worth it?
  All I can say to him is: John, for 20 years our men and women in 
uniform have kept the home country safe. I don't know what more you 
could have done. I, too, have the sense of what your loss is and how 
deep it is. But please just remember that the American people will 
always be indebted to you for what you have done. And we know how 
difficult these last few months have been.

  We look back at what happened in Afghanistan and our withdraw from 
Afghanistan and I keep wondering, why? Why, this true 1 percent of 
Americans go and serve? How can they look at what is happening and 
think things are all right?
  That is why this month, this November, this Veterans Day, it is 
absolutely critical that we take time out of our daily lives and 
anybody we know that served, we thank them for their service. We thank 
them for their sacrifice. We thank them for everything they have done 
for this great country.
  I ask people to please remember: When they left to go serve us and to 
protect us, some of them never came home; never got a chance to 
celebrate another Thanksgiving; never got a chance to celebrate a 
Christmas. Most never had a chance to get married, have children, and 
enjoy the American life.
  They did it because they love this Nation. They gave everything they 
could possibly give. And there is a saying out there that all gave 
some, but some gave all. That is so true and that is why on November 11 
every single American should stop and say a prayer for those who not 
only lost their lives but those who came home injured, and some injured 
in a way that they will never be able to have the life they had before 
they left.
  They are entitled to everything they have been promised, and, more 
importantly, they deserve it. They deserve that.
  So on this date, November 11, let's all stop just for a minute and 
think just how much this country, this Nation meant to those who 
served. I thank the gentleman so much for having the Special Order.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I am proud to yield to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce), my friend.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Michigan for holding this Special Order tonight and for his service to 
our Nation as a general in the United States Marine Corps.
  As Veterans Day approaches this year, we should all take time to 
recognize and honor the men and women in uniform who served our Nation 
in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Two of our colleagues, Representative Brian 
Mast from Florida and Representative   Dan Crenshaw from Texas served 
in Afghanistan and now serve their country in the United States Capitol 
as our colleagues.
  Please know that your commitment and your sacrifices were not in 
vain. Over the past two decades, our Nation has been more safe and more 
secure because of your vigilance and because of your service. In 
November, we also recognize National Veterans and Military Families 
Month. During this month and every month, we must be committed to 
providing the services that

[[Page H6118]]

all of our veterans need. Please know that if you or a loved one is 
struggling, there is help and there are resources that are available 
through the Veterans Administration.
  Congress must always remain committed to supporting our veterans, and 
I am proud to be supporting legislation to ensure that the Department 
of Veterans Affairs returns to full staffing levels to handle the 
backlog of requests that have been created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  This Veterans Day I ask all of us to renew our commitment to the men 
and women who have served our Nation. I ask that we ensure that they 
have the care and the resources that they need. I want to take special 
note to thank my wife, Alice, who served in the United States Navy for 
more than 12 years; and her sister Julia Shocker who served in the 
United States Army.
  I want to thank the general from Michigan for holding this Special 
Order that allows us to recognize the importance of our freedom, our 
freedom that was given to us by the veterans who served our country. 
General, semper fi.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I accept that 
for all the veterans who served, especially the marines.
  Now, it is my honor to yield to the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Rouzer), my friend and colleague.
  Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan for 
yielding.
  With Veterans Day just around the corner, I am pleased to join my 
colleagues to honor the brave men and women who valiantly answered the 
call of duty to serve and protect the United States.
  In North Carolina, we have a rich tradition of military service, and 
we are blessed to have a large community of veterans in the Seventh 
Congressional District. It is because of their selflessness and heroism 
that the United States remains free and continues to be the greatest 
light for liberty mankind has ever known.
  Their families have devoted just as much to this noble cause. Over 
the past year and a half many of our citizens across this great land 
have struggled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but none have 
been more affected than our veterans and their families.
  Those veterans who have seen the horrors of war carry scars. Some are 
physical scars; others are emotional scars. Mental health has always 
been a need for many, given what they have been through. The botched 
withdrawal from Afghanistan has further exacerbated that mental anguish 
for so many who have served.
  This is why now, more than ever, it is important that Congress pay 
tribute to our country's servicemembers and our veterans. It is also 
important for them to know that America supports them. To every veteran 
across this great land and their loved ones, we thank you and we are 
forever indebted to you. It is my honor to serve as a voice for North 
Carolina veterans in Congress, and I will continue to support vital 
measures to honor, provide support, and deliver results for our 
Nation's heroes. May God always bless them.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Gohmert), my friend and Army veteran.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I certainly appreciate my friend General 
Bergman for using this time to pay tribute to veterans. I have seen the 
statistics from an article in 2018, 71 percent of young Americans 
between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the military; 24 million 
out of 34 million people in that age group. The demographics of the 
military as of 2018 indicate that there is just under 1.29 million 
people serving, men and women serving in the military. That is less 
than 0.5 percent of the U.S. population.
  We owe our military the deepest amount of appreciation and thanks. 
And I just went back to the office this afternoon and got another plea 
from another servicemember. These people are the very tiny, few 
volunteers willing to step up and defend America at all costs, 
including their own lives.

                              {time}  2000

  Jesus said that is the greatest love there can be. They love their 
country. They love those they serve with. They are willing to face 
anything, except corrupt, high-ranking officers who are so busy 
sticking their heads up the atriums of the White House that they are 
not concerned enough about their own men.
  We saw that in the exit of Afghanistan. We saw servicemembers die 
because commanding officers didn't care enough about their own troops.
  This notice says: You either take the vaccination--without regard to 
whether you have had bad reactions to things in there, like the 
warnings say--we want to experiment on you like we did the Tuskegee 
Airmen. This is wrong, and we should be standing up for our 
servicemembers, not only saying thank you, but thank you and you 
shouldn't have to serve and follow orders that are experiments that we 
have outlawed such experimentation on our servicemembers.
  Thank you, we owe you a debt of gratitude, and we are going to be 
fighting for you here.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Walberg).
  Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, with Veterans Day approaching, I am 
pleased to join my good friend from Michigan, General Jack Bergman, and 
all of my colleagues tonight in paying tribute to those who served. 
What we say tonight will be totally inadequate to express what needs to 
be expressed, but we must say it anyway.
  Veterans Day is a moment to pause and say thank you to the men and 
women who chose to defend American's freedoms and the families who 
supported them from home. We have an obligation to display our deepest 
gratitude and make sure we care for the physical and mental health of 
those who served.
  In Congress, we have advanced a number of bipartisan initiatives. 
Last year, the Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act was signed 
into law to help ensure no veteran slips through the cracks. More 
support will be available through the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-
Living Adjustment Act, which helps veterans and their families keep up 
with ever-increasing inflation.
  These laws, and many others like them, are important steps forward, 
taken by a grateful Nation. But the work must carry on so that we 
continue to keep our promises to those who have heroically served.
  That is why this week I will be introducing a bipartisan piece of 
legislation, Prisoner of War Priority Care Act, that will assign the 
highest priority status for hospital care and medical services provided 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who are former 
prisoners of war.
  For the wounds both seen and unseen, we owe an eternal debt of 
gratitude to our veterans. We say it with profound sincerity. We can't 
make up for the cost, but we can support, as the days go by.
  Today, just like every day, we thank you.
  God bless our Nation's veterans.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller).
  Mr. KELLER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for 
hosting this Special Order and thank him for his distinguished service 
in the United States Marine Corps.
  America's military is the most powerful fighting force on the planet, 
and it draws its strength from the determination and might of its 
members, the men and women who have answered freedom's call.
  This Veterans Day, we recognize the many sacrifices our veterans have 
made in order to defend our way of life and secure the blessings of 
liberty for all to enjoy.
  From the dawn of our Nation, valiant Americans have risen to confront 
every threat we face. For generations, America's veterans have served 
our country with honor, beating back tyranny to the ends of the Earth.
  We also recognize America's military families: the wives, husbands, 
children, parents, and siblings who share in their sacrifice.
  We are fighting for them in Congress, pushing for policies like the 
RECORDS Act, which would expedite requests for the records our veterans 
need so they can access the benefits they have earned.
  A grateful Nation salutes your service. May God bless our veterans 
and the United States of America.

[[Page H6119]]

  

  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Tiffany), my friend and border colleague.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, I thank so much Representative Bergman 
for yielding. It is a great pleasure to be a neighbor to the wonderful 
Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
  Veterans Day has been celebrated under different names since World 
War I, but the premise remains the same: We pause to honor the men and 
women who have selflessly served our Nation and have kept us free.
  We honor their love of country, their patriotism, and their 
willingness to sacrifice for our greater good. Our country has faced 
many challenges in the last 100-plus years. From Belleau Woods to 
Normandy to the global war on terror, every time, our warriors have 
answered the Nation's calls.
  This year, as we close the chapter on Afghanistan, we are again 
reminded of the sacrifices they have made, the kindness in their 
hearts, and their dedication to the mission.
  This Veterans Day, reflect on the gift they have given us, respect 
their service, and thank them for their sacrifice. Because of them, we 
live in the greatest Nation on Earth.
  On behalf of my constituents, thank you, and may God bless all of 
you.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Clyde), my friend and colleague and Navy veteran.
  Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, it was indeed the eleventh hour of the 
eleventh day of the eleventh month in the year 1918. World War I, the 
war to end all wars, was finally over. It was called Armistice Day. 
Today, it is called Veterans Day, and it is the day we honor the 
service and sacrifice of all veterans, those living and those who have 
gone before us.

  This coming Veterans Day is not about having another day off work. It 
is not about enjoying another Federal holiday where we have an 
opportunity to uncover the grill. It is about honoring those who have 
served our country and sacrificed so we can live in freedom in the 
greatest Nation on the Earth.
  Madam Speaker, I grew up in Canada. My mom was Canadian and my father 
was a U.S. citizen and a U.S. Navy officer in the Korean war. In 
Canada, we didn't call November 11th Veterans Day, we called it 
Remembrance Day; and we always wore a red poppy to remind everyone of 
the sacrifices made for freedom.
  This is a picture of one right here.
  The poem ``In Flanders Fields'' from World War I talks about those 
poppies. As an elementary school student, I was required to memorize 
that poem. I think everyone should know that poem, because it is so 
powerful. The symbol of the poppy for remembrance, however, did not 
come from Canada. It came from my home State of Georgia, from a 
professor at the University of Georgia named Moina Michael.
  In fact, the highway between Athens, Georgia, and Monroe, Georgia, is 
called the Moina Michael Highway to honor her efforts. In 1917, she 
took a leave of absence from the university to volunteer with the Young 
Women's Christian Association to assist overseas workers in the war 
effort.
  In November of 1918, inspired by the poem ``In Flanders Fields'' by 
John McCrae, she vowed to always wear a poppy as a remembrance of those 
who sacrificed in the war.

     In Flanders fields the poppies blow
     Between the crosses, row on row,
     That mark our place; and in the sky,
     The larks, still bravely singing, fly
     Scarce heard amid the guns below.
     We are the dead. Short days ago
     We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
     Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
     In Flanders fields.
     Take up our quarrel with the foe:
     To you from failing hands we throw
     The torch; be yours to hold it high.
     If ye break faith with us who die
     We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
     In Flanders fields.

  We are so blessed to live in a country where men and women willingly 
put their lives on the line for our liberty. We must not, we cannot 
break faith.
  As we celebrate Veterans Day 2021, let's honor their service and 
remember their sacrifice by asking one simple question: How can we 
carry the burden for liberty?
  May God bless America and may God bless our military.
  Soli Deo gloria.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, in closing, during my 40 years in 
uniform, and now here in Congress, and also even before uniform, being 
raised in a family of World War II veterans, I feel as though because 
of my parents' guidance and example, I have dedicated my life to our 
military community, in one form or another.
  Through all of that and all I have learned, there is one thing about 
Veterans Day that I really want to make sure that I talk about; all of 
you, talk to a veteran. Don't just say ``Thank you for your service,'' 
but engage them, find out about their story.
  Veterans, to you, share your stories, because we don't know how many 
more days that we might have to walk the face of the Earth. It is so 
important for us to share our stories as veterans with the next 
generations.
  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
  We live in the greatest country in the world because men and women 
have sworn an oath to give their lives for our country. Never forget 
that. That is what makes us the United States of America.
  May God continue to bless our troops, all of our veterans and their 
families.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________