[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19099-19100]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TAKING CARE OF THOSE AT HOME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Rangel) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RANGEL. I have been so moved by the preceding gentleman's remarks 
about the good work that Americans can do, especially when the argument 
is which side are we on, terrorism or freedom.
  I don't know how many cases in the world that the United States of 
America can intercede in, but I do know that, as we see these horrible 
examples of what people can do to their own people, that we have 
thousands of Americans who have volunteered to support our flag and the 
integrity of the United States who have been killed. And it just seemed 
to me that when we're talking about the protection of a human body, 
whether it's losing a limb or your sight or your face, no matter what 
it is--and especially your life--that if America is going to take this

[[Page 19100]]

 position, all Americans should be prepared to make the sacrifices as 
the gentleman before me has.
  I think it's so unfair and borders on corrupt when people talk about 
where our American men and women should be, defending freedom in 
foreign countries, when America hasn't spoken. Presidents haven't 
declared war. And we find ourselves talking about volunteers when it's 
abundantly clear that everybody does not assume the same sacrifices, 
whether we're talking about taxes or loss of life.
  So whether we're talking about Australia, Afghanistan, Iraq, before 
the people make a decision--and that's what we're for in the House--
before they make a decision, at least say that everyone has to 
participate in that decision and not those who, for economic reasons, 
find themselves in communities with the highest, the very highest 
unemployment.
  And I laud what happens to all of us who volunteered, because when 
that flag goes up, you salute the flag. The President becomes the 
Commander in Chief, and there is only one thing to do. And that's win 
and protect the integrity of the United States.
  But I submit that we have to have a draft that's a part of--what?--
the United States, and not a plea for those people, for economic 
reasons, who will have to protect themselves. I don't think I've ever 
said this before, but I was thinking that my brother volunteered long 
before Pearl Harbor, which today we commemorate, and so he was unable 
to say, nor I, that he volunteered because we were being attacked.

                              {time}  1040

  Several years later, in 1948, when the war was over, I volunteered, 
and that was before the North Koreans invaded South Korea. I would like 
to walk away by saying how patriotic we both were; but really what 
motivated me was the excitement my mother would get in receiving a 
check from my older brother. It wasn't a question of whether she loved 
him more; it was that she needed it.
  I was a teenager--11, 12 years old. The one thing I knew, I wanted to 
make my mother as happy as my brother did and send her that allotment 
check. Yet, today, I have medals, and I've been lorded by the Koreans 
and everyone else; but when I think about it, there were economic 
reasons that made me a ``hero,'' and there are economic reasons that 
make the heroes that we have who defend our country and our flag so 
well.
  I didn't expect to talk about that; but in hearing that, 70 years 
ago, we were attacked and of the American lives that were lost and then 
of coming back to what has happened in Afghanistan, I am reminded of 
how unfair this system is for the greatest country in the world and of 
the hope and division that we're losing and of what separates us from 
so many other countries in which you can be born into the pits of 
poverty, and yet you can always dream that, in this great country, you 
can succeed.
  So many Members of Congress and so many members of the Congressional 
Hispanic Caucus are the first ones who ever went to college--their 
parents were the first ones in generations who were able to become 
professionals--and then had the great honor to represent the United 
States of America in this Congress.
  I am sorry to have deviated from why I came to the well. What I can 
say to other Members is: God bless America. We have to keep fighting 
for equality and justice for all.

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