[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 21]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 29850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               APPLAUD AMERICA'S LOCAL BROADCAST STATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ED WHITFIELD

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2003

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud America's local 
broadcast stations for a program they recently launched to assist the 
families of our men and women in uniform who are fighting the war on 
terrorism abroad.
  As of today, there are more than 140,000 active-duty and reserve 
personnel serving our great Nation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the 
world.
  I have the privilege of representing the soldiers stationed at Ft. 
Campbell, Kentucky assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, the 5th 
Special Forces Group, and the 160th Special Operations Aviation 
Regiment. The men and women of these premier Army units have been 
deployed for extensive periods of time, often with little or no break 
between deployments.
  For the families left behind, these extended separations can be 
trying not only emotionally, but financially as well. In many cases, 
the primary ``bread winner'' is the person sent overseas, leaving wives 
and children to cope with unexpected expenses.
  The National Association of Broadcasters and its 6,000 radio station 
and 1,000 television station members recently partnered with the Armed 
Forces Relief Trust (AFRT) to help raise funds for those families that 
are facing financial challenges. The AFRT solicits contributions and 
then disburses interest-free loans and grants to family members of 
deployed personnel who are in need. To support this effort, the 
broadcasters produced and are voluntarily airing Public Service 
Announcements, so that AFRT can assist even more families in need.
  The AFRT provides important services. They may provide assistance so 
a soldier can fly home to attend their father's funeral. The services 
may include a special reading program for a sailor's daughter. They may 
assist with special medical attention for a pilot's spouse, or college 
tuition for a Marine's child.
  Mr. Speaker, our fighting men and women and their families are 
sacrificing a great deal on our behalf. It is the duty of all Americans 
to provide comfort and assistance in any way they can.
  I extend a special thanks to the radio and television station owners 
who are calling attention to this important cause. They are providing 
an important public service and I commend them for their efforts.

                          ____________________