[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14206]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TWO INDEPENDENCE DAYS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, as we depart for the Independence Day recess 
on Capitol Hill, families and communities across America will prepare 
for celebrations and remembrances of the 4th of July; and as I and my 
family and my heartland district in eastern Indiana prepare to do 
likewise, I could not help but feel that, in fact, in coming days we 
will celebrate not one, but two Independence Days: one for an 18th 
century colonial power born in violent conflict, aided by an ally in 
liberty to throw off the shackles of a despotic tyrant who beset its 
people for decades, and of that struggle, those people would write some 
228 years ago that they held truths to be self-evident, that all men 
are created equal, and that governments are instituted among men 
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that 
whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, that 
it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute a 
new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing 
its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect 
their safety and happiness.
  They went on to cite a long string of abuses and usurpations pursuing 
invariably the same object of absolute despotism, and claimed with 
their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor that it was their 
right and their duty to throw off such government. One independence 
day.
  The other will take place for the first time this coming Wednesday, 
not an 18th century colonial nation, but a 21th century modern power in 
the Middle East whose freedom is also being born at this very hour in 
violent conflict, aided by the armies of a liberty-loving ally to throw 
off the despotism and tyranny that has beset its people for decades and 
of their freedom the people of Iraq wrote these words in the preamble 
to their Constitution:
  ``The people of Iraq, striving to reclaim their freedom which was 
usurped by the previous tyrannical regime, rejecting violence and 
coercion in all its forms, and particularly when used as instruments of 
governance, have determined that they shall hereafter remain a free 
people governed under the rule of law.''
  Two Independence Days: One, 228th anniversary of ours on the 4th of 
July; and the other, the first-ever Independence Day for a free and 
democratic Iraq on a day that will live in history for the people of 
that great nation as a day of celebration, June 30, 2004.

                              {time}  1530

  Two independence days. We will celebrate in each of them the 
inexorable rise of freedom in the world, and its advance is ever to be 
heralded. And may we ever add to the calendar of this planet, until 
each and every month is filled with the anniversary of such freedom 
days.
  Until that great day comes, and the veil of tyranny is lifted from 
the four corners of planet earth, two independence days in the next 7 
days. Let freedom ring in the United States of America and in a free 
and Democratic Iraq.

                          ____________________