[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18237-18238]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              H.R. 6662: THE FALLEN HERO COMMEMORATION ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, throughout the history of our Nation, members 
of the United States Armed Forces have selflessly given their lives to 
secure and protect the freedoms Americans enjoy today.
  Today, members of the United States Armed Forces are serving our 
Nation in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other parts of the world.
  Without a loved one serving in our military, it is sometimes possible 
for Americans to overlook the sacrifices that have been made and 
continue to be made by members of the Armed Forces on behalf of our 
Nation. It is for this reason I have introduced H.R. 6662, the Fallen 
Hero Commemoration Act. This bill would permit media coverage of 
military commemoration ceremonies, memorial services conducted by the 
Armed Forces, and arrival services for members of the Armed Forces who 
have died on active duty.
  Currently, the Department of Defense does not permit arrival 
ceremonies for, or media coverage of deceased military personnel 
returning or departing from Ramstein Air Force Base or Dover Air Force 
Base.
  Mr. Speaker, this ban on media coverage has not always been the case. 
Many of my colleagues in the House will remember that during the 
Vietnam War, images of arrival ceremonies and the flag-draped caskets 
of our servicemembers appeared regularly on TV and in newspapers.
  In 1985, the media covered a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base for 
members of the Armed Forces killed in El Salvador. It was not until 
1991, during the Persian Gulf War, that the Department of Defense 
stopped permitting media coverage of the returns of the remains of 
fallen servicemembers.
  However, in 1996 the media was granted access to Dover Air Force Base 
to photograph the arrival and transfer ceremony for the remains of 
Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 32 other Americans killed when their 
plane crashed in Croatia. President Clinton was present to receive the 
flag-draped caskets.
  In 1998, the media also photographed an arrival ceremony at Andrews 
Air Force Base for Americans killed in the bombings of U.S. embassies 
in Tanzania and Kenya. The Department of Defense restated the ban on 
media coverage at Dover Air Force Base and Ramstein Air Force Base in 
2001.
  However, in 2002, the media was permitted to photograph the transfer 
of flag-draped caskets at Ramstein Air Force Base that carried the 
remains of four United States servicemembers killed in Afghanistan.

[[Page 18238]]

  In 2003, the Department of Defense expanded the no media policy to 
what it is today by stating, and I quote, ``There will be no arrival 
ceremonies for or media coverage of deceased military personnel 
returning or departing from Ramstein Air Force Base or Dover Air Force 
Base.''
  Mr. Speaker, the sacrifice and service of today's fallen heroes is no 
less significant than the fallen heroes of past wars. By once again 
permitting access to credentialed members of the media at military 
ceremonies, arrival ceremonies and memorial services conducted by the 
Armed Forces, this legislation would honor those who go to war.
  When people see a picture of a flag-draped casket, they will stop for 
just a minute and think a multitude of thoughts. One thought that 
always goes through my mind is, God bless that soldier. We can never 
thank them enough for what they have done for our country.
  Today, I call upon my colleagues to become cosponsors of H.R. 6662, 
so that we may properly commemorate the sacrifices made by U.S. 
servicemembers.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that I might submit for the Record a New York 
Times editorial in support of this legislation which ran in yesterday's 
paper.
  I ask permission, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  Mr. CONAWAY. I object.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Objection is heard.
  Mr. JONES. I will then, Mr. Speaker, continue and close.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that this is a short legislative year, but I hope 
that the Armed Services Committee will soon hold a hearing on what I 
think is a very important issue, remembering the sacrifices of our 
fallen heroes.
  Mr. Speaker, it's too easy for us not to see the sacrifice. And when 
anyone is offended by seeing a flag-draped coffin, God help their soul.
  I ask God to continue to bless our men and women in uniform and their 
families, and ask God to continue to bless America.

                          ____________________