[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25700]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              VETERANS DAY

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Veterans Day. On this holiday, it 
is certainly appropriate that we recognize the sacrifice of our brave 
veterans that have fought to protect our freedom in years past.
  But Veterans Day also provides a good opportunity to note the 
progress our military is making today. Today, we are at war. Our troops 
are fighting in the cause of freedom. Just 3 years ago, Saddam Hussein 
wielded a brutal totalitarian regime over an oppressed people. Today, 
Saddam is in jail and Iraqis have adopted a constitution upholding the 
rule of law.
  Our effort to train and deploy new Iraqi security forces is also 
progressing. As of October, over 206,000 Iraqi forces have been trained 
and equipped. Similar progress has been seen in Afghanistan. Each day 
we continue the rebuilding of these war-torn countries. As a veteran, I 
am proud to say our military is not about occupation; it is about 
freedom, our freedom and freedom around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, as we take time tomorrow to remember our living 
veterans, let us also recognize the noteworthy accomplishments of our 
troops serving today and not forget the words on the Mall--``Freedom Is 
Not Free.''

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