[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PAYING TRIBUTE TO OUR TROOPS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise again to pay tribute and support to 
our troops, particularly in Afghanistan. We should be reminded that 
there is a lot of inordinate negative press and that Americans have 
been apprised of the situation in Iraq, and I think there is a lot of 
good things happening also in Afghanistan.
  Just one of the accomplishments is they are continuing to attack the 
narcotics trade to prevent proceeds from being used to fund terrorists 
and insurgents. We are helping the Afghans provide for their own 
security and rebuilding provinces shattered by more than 20 years of 
war, tribal fighting, and Taliban oppression. Afghanistan's 
presidential and parliamentary elections are slated for October 2004 
and 2005, respectively.
  Those are just a few of the accomplishments of our troops engaged in 
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. But there is one other 
thing: one of the accomplishments, obviously, is that their actions 
overseas and in Iraq have prevented another terrorist attack here in 
the United States.
  So I am proud of our courageous troops defending our Nation, and 
encourage my colleagues to join me in singing their praises also.

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