[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PAYING TRIBUTE TO OUR NATION'S PRISONERS OF WAR AND THOSE WHO ARE 
                           MISSING IN ACTION

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                     HON. JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2023

  Mrs. GONZALEZ-COLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to our 
Nation's prisoners of war and those who are missing in action.
  ``Though not here, their sacrifice is not forgotten'' is the official 
phrase for the 2023 POW-MIA day that this year falls on September 15.
  These heartfelt words serve as a reminder that there still are 
families that hope for the safe return of their loved ones that are 
missing in action and the wellbeing of those who were prisoners of war. 
Among those whose sacrifice will not be forgotten are over 130 Missing 
in Action service members and almost half a dozen of former Prisoners 
of War from Puerto Rico.
  For Puerto Rican families, these words are more significant when we 
remember that families extend beyond the immediate relations of the 
spouse and children of the service member. The pain of the loss and the 
hope that the loved one will return to the ``familia'' spreads from the 
immediate nucleus into endless tree branches of the extended family. 
Conscious of this feeling it is important that we remember that while 
the missing served the Nation, hundreds of families miss them and plead 
that the sacrifice of their loved ones is not forgotten.
  Puerto Ricans who were called to serve in distant lands under the 
most difficult conditions sacrificed everything, convinced that by 
fighting for the freedom of others they were preserving and 
guaranteeing the freedom, prosperity and democracy of their loved ones 
and of our country. Inspired by these ideas they performed feats of 
courage that surprised their enemies and earned them the respect of 
their brothers in arms and the recognition of their superior commands, 
creating a legacy of service that is difficult to emulate.
  As time passes and the memory of the POW and MIA begin to fade, we 
run the risk of forgetting the sacrifice of the Missing in Action and 
the scars of their time as Prisoners of War. I encourage my 
congressional colleagues to make a solemn pledge to continually strive 
to never forget the honorable legacy of our POW and MIA and ensure that 
future generations never forget their sacrifice.

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