[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14632]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    APPRECIATION TO AMERICA'S TROOPS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time. And just having 
returned from Fort Bragg, the epicenter of the universe, home of the 
82nd Airborne, I want to relate to you and others the speech that the 
President made tonight. And let me begin by saying that our heartfelt 
thanks and appreciation go out to the men and women in uniform 
everywhere tonight: Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever they may be. The 
President outlined very clearly tonight that this is a war against 
terror and terrorists that we are winning, that we must win, and that 
we will win. His resolve, as well as his appreciation for the troops, 
was most apparent.
  Mr. Speaker, interestingly, I received a message early this morning 
from a good friend, 82nd trooper in Iraq, in which he said, we are 
winning. We will win. We must win. But he also cautioned us, the 
American people, that this is a difficult fight and we must be patient. 
His closing words were, a time line is a terrible idea and we must not 
rush to failure. Patience, honoring the sacrifice and the men and women 
who have given their lives so that Iraq could be a free and sovereign 
Nation is vitally important.
  As we look at the upcoming drafting of their Constitution, starting 
on August 15, followed by ratification October 15 and then elections 
held by and for Iraqis on December 15, it is very clear that what we 
are doing is the right thing.
  As I shared the night with Senator Dole, the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), Senator Burr, and those wonderful troopers of 
the 82nd Airborne Division, it was just so clear to me how vitally 
important this mission is. The Western way of life and freedom itself 
is at stake in this war against bloodthirsty, ruthless, ideologically 
incredibly wicked killers. That is the stake.
  We are winning. We can win. The timetable is clear. We owe it to the 
members and to the families with whom President Bush spent several 
hours tonight consoling, praying, and, yes, shedding tears with them 
for the sacrifices they made so you and I and all Americans and others 
around the world can be free.
  So, Mr. Speaker, my sincere love, gratitude, and appreciation to the 
men and women in uniform who serve us now who have given their lives to 
the families that support them, the heartfelt thanks of a Congress, a 
grateful Nation, and freedom-loving men and women around the world. God 
bless these men and women.

                          ____________________