[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5375-5377]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE TREMENDOUS SERVICE THAT MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
                        HAVE GIVEN TO THE NATION

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1020) recognizing the tremendous service that 
members of the Armed Forces have given to the Nation, especially those 
who have been wounded in combat, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1020

       Whereas United States soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, 
     and their families have made extraordinary sacrifices to 
     serve our country in Afghanistan and Iraq;
       Whereas more than 1,600,000 members of the Armed Forces of 
     the United States have been deployed in Operation Enduring 
     Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom since September 2001;
       Whereas more than 30,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and 
     Marines have been wounded in battle;
       Whereas advances in battlefield medicine have resulted in 
     hundreds of lives being saved; and
       Whereas both physical and mental injuries sustained during 
     combat have a life-altering impact on our servicemen and 
     women as well as their families: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the tremendous service that our soldiers, 
     sailors, airmen, and Marines have given to the Nation, 
     especially those who have sustained injury in combat;
       (2) is committed to providing wounded warriors with the 
     highest quality medical care available, and to supporting 
     wounded members of all Armed Forces and their families during 
     their recovery;
       (3) commends the actions of private citizens and 
     organizations who volunteer their continued support to 
     America's wounded warriors; and
       (4) encourages Members and all citizens to take steps to 
     show support and appreciation for returning troops, 
     especially those who have been wounded.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1020, recognizing the 
tremendous service that members of our Armed Forces have provided to 
the country, especially those who have been wounded in combat. I thank 
our colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for introducing this resolution.
  Soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and their families are making 
extraordinary sacrifices in service to our country. Over 4,500 
servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice in Operations Enduring 
Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Nearly 32,000 servicemembers have been 
wounded, of which a little over 17,000 have returned to duty.
  Today, servicemembers have an unprecedented chance of survival, 
unlike those who had similar wounds in Vietnam and the Second World 
War. The medical advances that have taken place on the current 
battlefield have made these significant achievements possible.
  However, while members are surviving their injuries and wounds at an 
unprecedented rate, they are coming home with more complex 
psychological injuries. These individuals who have honorably served our 
Nation may need medical care and assistance for the rest of their 
lives.
  House Resolution 1020 commits this Congress to ensuring that these 
brave, wounded warriors receive the best medical care available, and 
commends all Americans who volunteer to support these wounded warriors 
and their families.
  So, Madam Speaker, I again commend our colleague from Vermont (Mr. 
Welch) for his introduction of this resolution, and I urge my 
colleagues to support its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1020, as 
amended, which recognizes the tremendous service that members of the 
Armed Forces have given to the Nation, especially those who have been 
wounded in combat.
  Madam Speaker, throughout our history, America's sons and daughters 
have been called upon to fight our Nation's wars to preserve our 
freedom and our way of life. Each time we have gone to war, these brave 
men and women who answered the call, unfortunately, have been wounded 
and injured; 204,002 in World War I, 671,846 in World War II, 103,284 
in Korea, 153,303 in Vietnam, and 467 in Desert Storm.
  Today, Madam Speaker, as we continue to fight terrorism throughout 
the world, 30,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have been 
wounded and injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. As with previous 
generations, these men and women are our Nation's finest, and we owe 
them more than just our gratitude.
  Madam Speaker, since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and 
Afghanistan,

[[Page 5376]]

Congress and the American people have made it clear that our combat 
wounded deserve the best our Nation has to offer. To that end, Congress 
has worked hard to ensure that the needs of the wounded troops and 
their families are met. From the best health care to jobs, to education 
benefits, the Members of this House have and will continue to insist 
that the support to the wounded and injured is unsurpassed.
  Madam Speaker, there is no question that serving in combat is a 
profoundly life-altering experience. Men and women who survive the 
horrors of combat return home forever changed. Our Nation is eternally 
indebted to the brave men and women of the Armed Forces who fight to 
preserve our freedoms.
  It is right and fitting, Madam Speaker, that today we recognize the 
service and the sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces who have 
been wounded while serving this great Nation.
  I'd like to thank my friend and colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) 
for introducing this resolution, and I strongly urge all Members to 
support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins).
  Mr. HIGGINS. I want to thank the sponsor of this bill, Mr. Welch, 
from Vermont.
  Madam Speaker, I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of House 
Resolution 1020. Thanks to advances in modern technology, many American 
soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have lived through events that 
would have previously cost them their lives. Of the 1.6 million 
servicemembers that have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom, 
in Operation Iraqi Freedom since September, 2001, more than 30,000 have 
been wounded in battle.
  The numbers are staggering, but we are here today to acknowledge that 
these wounded warriors are not just statistics; they are men and women 
from across the country who have faced unique situations and struggles, 
and they have individual stories to tell.
  Last summer I had the honor to meet a young man from my district who 
was injured in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq that killed three 
other soldiers riding in the same HUMVEE. He suffered extensive 
injuries, including a broken back and elbow, and underwent two 
surgeries at a hospital in Germany before being transferred to Walter 
Reed Army Medical Center.
  Quick reaction by the medics meant that instead of being paralyzed, 
he can now walk again, but only after extensive surgeries and painful 
rehabilitation. This young man is actually a lucky one. He was able to 
recover with the help of a caring family and a supportive wife. There 
are many others that are not as fortunate, and it is our responsibility 
to provide them with the best physical and emotional support possible.
  Over the last year, Congress has taken many steps to enhance the 
quality of care of our veterans, including passing the largest increase 
in veterans' health funding in history, but there is still more to be 
done.
  With this legislation, we do a simple but necessary thing; we take a 
moment to thank the men and women of the Armed Services who have been 
wounded in the line of duty and for their service and their sacrifice.
  I urge my colleagues to support passage of House Resolution 1020.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), the original sponsor 
of this very important resolution.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
Guam, my cosponsor and traveling companion, the new Member, the 
distinguished Member already from Virginia, my cosponsors.
  You know, they have said it pretty well. There's nothing that we can 
say or do that will acknowledge our appreciation for the sacrifice that 
the men and women of the uniformed services have given to this country.
  What we are acknowledging here is that we have a common commitment to 
meeting the needs of those soldiers and sailors and airmen who return 
from active duty. What we are also acknowledging is that in this war, 
very much unlike past conflicts, our soldiers, benefiting from this 
extraordinary battlefield medicine, are returning with extraordinary 
injuries. That is what they will have to live with for the rest of 
their lives.
  Many of us have had the opportunity to visit some of these soldiers 
out at Bethesda, out at Walter Reed. We are trying, in this small 
gesture, to acknowledge the sense that all of us have in Congress of 
our debt and our obligation and our appreciation to them.
  Madam Speaker, next week, we are going to have a group of these 
servicemen and -women visiting us in the Capitol. I'm going to be 
joining with my colleagues here today to welcome those men and women of 
the uniformed services to this Capitol, and I will encourage all of us 
to join in welcoming them personally to thank them for their sacrifice.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Walberg) as much time as he may consume.
  Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleague from Vermont to 
voice strong support for H. Res. 1020, which expresses the commitment 
of this Congress to our injured heroes, ensures they're receiving the 
highest quality of health care available and encourages all Americans 
to show support and appreciation for our veterans.
  Today, I want to take time to thank all of the servicemen and -women 
and their families for their sacrifices. I know the pride of having a 
son serve in the United States military, and my wife, Sue, and I pray 
every day for the safety of our fighting men and women abroad and here 
at home.
  When our soldiers go into battle, we can all agree that they deserve 
the best training, equipment, and necessary resources to accomplish 
their mission. Congress has an obligation to care for America's wounded 
heroes when they return home from the battlefield. I believe the least 
we can do is to provide the highest quality medical care to the brave 
men and women of our Armed Forces when they're injured defending the 
freedoms that we enjoy.
  Right now, we have more wounded warriors returning home than ever 
before because of improved medical technology and advanced equipment to 
transport our sick and wounded. The thousands of men and women serving 
in the military who have been wounded serving in Iraq and Afghanistan 
and other wars deserve the best treatment and care available.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues in a nonpartisan manner 
to make sure Congress delivers on our responsibility. I urge my 
colleagues to support H. Res. 1020 and support our wounded warriors.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further requests 
for time. I am prepared to close after my colleague has yielded back 
his time. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, 
and I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to my colleague on the 
House Committee on Armed Services and Natural Resources, Mr. Wittman. 
I've enjoyed working with him on the floor this afternoon.
  Mr. TIAHRT. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1020, 
a resolution recognizing the tremendous service that members of the 
Armed Forces, especially those who have been wounded in combat, have 
given.
  As an original cosponsor of this resolution, I want to thank the lead 
sponsor, Mr. Welch, for bringing this resolution to the floor and his 
leadership on this important issue. I also want to thank Mr. Walberg 
and Mr. Higgins for joining Mr. Welch and me in spearheading this 
effort to honor those who have given so much in service to our country.
  Only 1 percent of Americans serve in the military. Only 1 percent 
have answered the

[[Page 5377]]

call to arms in defense of our Nation, our values, and our freedoms. To 
this 1 percent, we owe so much; so much that can never be fully repaid.
  Throughout our history, many Americans have given the ultimate 
sacrifice for this Nation, and many more have had their minds and 
bodies wounded for the same cause. In the current Global War on Terror, 
around 30,000 servicemembers have been wounded, including almost 400 
from Kansas. Their lives and those of their families have been 
dramatically impacted.
  I have had the honor to meet with many of these wounded warriors, 
both in Kansas and at Walter Reed. Though their lives have been forever 
changed, they continue their commitment to duty, country, and family. 
They are a great inspiration to me and those who are blessed to meet 
them.
  Every American has a responsibility to thank these brave Americans. 
We must vocally honor them. We must honor them by providing excellent 
medical care, access to quality jobs and education, support for their 
families, and the resources to live fulfilling and productive lives. 
But, we also need to remember to say ``thank you.'' ``Thank you'' for 
your service and your sacrifice. This resolution is just one more way 
the House of Representatives can say ``thank you'' to our Nation's 
veterans.
  In addition to this resolution, Misters Welch, Walberg, Higgins and I 
are helping organize an April 16th reception for Members of Congress 
and wounded warriors from Walter Reed. This reception will provide 
Members of Congress the honor to personally meet with these brave 
heroes. I encourage all my colleagues to attend. This reception will 
encourage you, humble you, and challenge you to push harder in support 
of our veterans.
  We can never fully honor or repay the sacrifice made by our Nation's 
veterans. Our veterans deserve so much, and, in comparison, we have so 
little to offer. But, I hope that this resolution and upcoming 
reception will take a step in the right direction. I ask that all my 
colleagues support this important resolution.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1020, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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