[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14554]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORTING COLOMBIA'S MILITARY FORCES

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, last week three 
Americans, along with a dozen Colombian hostages held by FARC 
terrorists, were rescued by an elite team of Colombian soldiers. 
Included in the hostages was Ingrid Betancourt, a former candidate for 
president of Colombia; and three U.S. contractors, Keith Stansel, Marc 
Gonsalves, and Thomas Howes.
  President Alvaro Uribe, Ambassador Carolina Barco, and the Colombia 
military are to be commended for this extraordinary and well-planned 
rescue.
  I am grateful for the incredible effort the Colombian government has 
made to strike back at the FARC terrorist rebels and to bring greater 
stability and security to their country.
  I have visited Colombia, two of my sons were exchange students in 
Cali, and I know firsthand the hard work necessary to curb the drug 
trade, terrorist activity, and build Colombia's economy. America has 
been working to build a stronger strategic partnership with the people 
of Colombia for economic prosperity, led by U.S. Ambassador William 
Brownfield.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget 
September the 11th.

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