[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 20581-20582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO VIETNAM VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KAREN L. THURMAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2002

  Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Speaker, in these troubled times when we in 
Washington are debating war, it brings us back to another time when the 
nation was debating its responsibility to preserve freedom throughout 
the world. It's hard to believe it has been more than a quarter century 
since the Vietnam War. Time has not healed all of the wounds. But time 
has allowed us to come together on one unmistakable conclusion--the 
soldiers who answered America's call in the Vietnam War are heroes by 
any measure.
  I have had a lot of respect for the military all my life. My father 
served in the Air Force, and I grew up benefitting from the examples of 
men and women willing to make any sacrifice for this country and the 
ideals for which it stands. That experience may be the reason I cannot 
help but be devoted to our veterans and our men and women who serve 
now, particularly those from Florida and those who have moved to 
Florida.
  Florida has a growing population of veterans including Vietnam 
veterans and I have been concerned that the rapid influx of these vets 
has strained the resources allocated in our state and has hindered our 
ability to keep the many promises that we have made to them. Due to 
that concern, I sponsored a measure that resulted in a funding 
allocation change for veterans' health care that has brought an 
additional $385 million to Florida and southern Georgia since 1997 and 
enabled the opening of additional community-based outpatient VA medical 
clinics in the 5th District and the state.
  These veterans' benefits, however, are nothing more than the least 
our nation can and must do to thank those people who answered the 
nation's call to defend our freedom. The respect I and all of my 
colleagues--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--feel for those 
who have served this nation is particularly strong for those who served 
in Vietnam. The Vietnam conflict was America's longest war and the 
burden it placed on those who answered the call to duty was 
immeasurable. Those who were there showed incredible physical courage. 
But they also showed incredible courage just to be part of America's 
armed forces at a time when people too often held our bravest men and 
women responsible for Washington's decisions which--whether right or 
wrong--they were sworn to execute to the best of their ability.
  These men and women dealt with challenges that most of us cannot 
possibly contemplate. They could not sleep through a night because 
that's when the Viet Cong attacked. They could not get supplies because 
ambushes blew up convoys. There were no front lines to fortify. The 
enemy frequently was unseen. A booby trap could kill a soldier's 
buddies without him having any capacity to shoot back. The frustration, 
fear, physical and psychological wounds that these men and women 
endured must never be forgotten by the people and the nation that 
benefitted from their sacrifices. As Americans who are here today, we 
must acknowledge that we enjoy our lives and our freedom in part 
because 58,000 of our fellow countrymen laid down their lives for us.
  Mr. Speaker, on October 18 through October 20, a 240-foot replica of 
the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be exhibited at North/
Meadowlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery in my Congressional District in 
New Port Richey, Florida. The replica is part of a traveling memorial 
called the Vietnam Wall Experience that is allowing millions who cannot 
come to Washington to experience some of the serene power of the 
memorial and reflect on the sacrifices that thousands of Americans made 
for us. Like the Washington memorial, the Vietnam Wall Experience is an 
interactive and living memorial. It contains the names of the 58,175 
Americans who never came home from Vietnam. However, the wall becomes 
the best memorial to them when it reflects the image of a living person 
who is remembering, mourning, and thanking these American heroes.
  I want to thank all of the people involved in bringing this tribute 
to our community, especially Joseph A. Magaddino, MacDill Air Force 
Base, the Florida National Guard, the Florida Department of Veterans 
Affairs, Vietnam Veterans Inc., U.S. Postal Service Military Veterans, 
Pasco County Veterans Services, Suncoast Vietnam Veterans, Marine Corps 
League #567, Navy Seabees Island X-17, and all of the churches, 
schools, and scout groups that have contributed so much.

[[Page 20582]]

  Of course, the greatest thanks goes to those who served our nation in 
Vietnam. We Members of Congress have a special obligation to remember 
the service of Vietnam veterans and provide decent health care, 
prescription drug benefits, educational assistance, and survivor 
benefits for their families. We must make every effort to fight for 
them just as they fought for us.

                          ____________________