[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 22]
[House]
[Pages 30828-30829]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING OUR VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. How often do many Americans read the 
historic documents like the Declaration of Independence or our 
Constitution? The Declaration of Independence indicates that we hold 
these truths to be self-evident, that we all are created equal, with 
certain inalienable rights of life and liberty and the pursuit of 
happiness.
  In the opening words of the Constitution, it says that we have 
gathered to form a more perfect union. What better exhibit of a perfect 
union, of the opportunity for happiness, than the veterans and members 
of the United States military who serve us now on the front lines?
  So I rise today to pay special tribute to them. I look forward to 
returning to my district in Houston and joining the commemoration on 
this coming Sunday, and as well, marching with veterans, riding in 
military vehicles, getting the sense of their life and their 
dedication. I look forward to paying tribute to them in Houston's 
Freedom Fest and celebrating with some of the teary-eyed veterans, 
family members who have come to celebrate and to simply say thank you.
  My presence here today on this floor is an example of the free 
country in which we live. The discourse of democracy is protected by 
those who fight today and those who have fought in wars gone by. And so 
it is appropriate that I rise today and embrace all of our veterans 
from sea to shining sea, to be able to say to you, thank you, and thank 
you to your families for the sacrifice of being away from them, mothers 
and fathers, husbands and wives, children that you have missed because 
you have served our country.
  I rise in support of the homeless veterans. And today in Houston we 
have what we call a ``stand-down,'' where veterans come and celebrate 
those who walk the streets and are homeless.
  I look forward to the passage of the most timely and largest Veterans 
bill

[[Page 30829]]

in the history of this Nation. Democrats were the leaders on this, and 
we will get it passed, and we will provide a thank you for our 
veterans.
  I rise also to acknowledge that there are those still fighting on the 
front lines, and in particular, in Iraq. I claim today, as I have done 
from the very day that this war was pronounced, I want our soldiers to 
come home. I want our heroes to come home. And I have a memory of the 
great excitement, through pictures, of course, of the celebration of 
the World War II veterans. Who could ever forget that famous kiss in 
Times Square in New York? But since that time, I have not been 
satisfied by the way we have honored our veterans, our soldiers who 
have come home. And so I have filed H.R. 4020, the Military Success Act 
of 2007, that calls on the Nation to welcome home our Iraqi soldiers 
with a proclamation and celebration, with funding going to local and 
State jurisdictions so that we can have a day of celebration. I want to 
see those kisses in the town square. I want to see those colorful 
ribbons. I want to make sure that we understand that when a soldier 
comes home, it should not be in the dark of night on a lonely airplane 
or a lonely bus going into a lonely town.
  So I ask my colleagues and Americans, veterans organizations, to 
support H.R. 4020 to celebrate the soldiers and to provide a 
celebration for each returning battle group that comes home from any 
war that they fight on behalf of America and they have lost lives and 
they have dedicated themselves to this Nation.
  And because of that, Mr. Speaker, I also stand today to beg President 
Musharraf in Pakistan to release former Prime Minister Bhutto from 
house arrest. I acknowledge the Pakistani Army for the work that they 
have done on the border, some having lost their life, along with our 
soldiers in Afghanistan, but I ask the President of Pakistan, an ally 
of the United States, to understand that if you have democracy, it is a 
painful experience. And even when there are those against you, you must 
stand for democratic principles in your own way. Pakistan is a Muslim 
country that promotes democracy.
  And so I ask President Musharraf to release the former Prime Minister 
Bhutto from house arrest, to release the lawyers from detention, and 
the political prisoners, to restore the constitution, to restore the 
democratic rule, and to release the emergency rule.
  No, I don't expect for us to invade Pakistan, I don't expect for us 
to invade Iran, but I do expect for this State Department and this 
President to take this seriously.
  In this legislation, H. Res. 810, I have asked for a diplomatic team 
of those from the Defense Department, those from the State Department 
to form a team, fly to Pakistan, sit down with our ally, and demand, 
yes demand, because of the $11 billion we've given them, the right for 
democracy to return to Pakistan.
  I believe that this is the way to run our foreign policy. Bring our 
soldiers home, and celebrate them in honor.

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