[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20262]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1120
                      AMERICA WELCOMES TROOPS HOME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join some of 
the calls of my colleagues and to indicate that I thought this a very 
special day, December 15, 2011. A few hours ago in Iraq, Secretary Leon 
Panetta performed the Casing of the Colors Ceremony, which is to 
acknowledge the colors--the red, white, and blue--that our brave men 
and women fought under in Iraq.
  We have soldiers still fighting around the world, and I was just 
speaking to my constituency. We know that one brave soldier from North 
Carolina even lost his life in the waning hours of the ending of this 
war.
  And so at the beginning of December, in Houston, I called for the 
Yellow Ribbon Campaign and for America to wrap herself in yellow 
ribbons, both in respect of our returning soldiers, to acknowledge a 
job well done, and to welcome them home to an unsilent America.
  I would like to thank Speaker Boehner, Leader Pelosi, Whip Hoyer, and 
Majority Leader Cantor for joining and indicating that they would 
support the wearing of yellow ribbons by our Members today and 
tomorrow, both in celebration and in recognition of the heroism of our 
troops and, yes, acknowledgment of our fallen heroes.
  This war was almost 9 years, one of the longest wars that America has 
ever fought. It was a war that used $800 billion, moneys that I hope we 
will invest in our returning troops and their families and all 
Americans as we go forward.
  The loss of life was very painful, the idea of the burden on 
families. So I believe these yellow ribbons, although meager, will 
symbolize this Congress being unified as Americans, saying thank you to 
our troops. And, frankly, we have many other challenges that we should 
be addressing and making sure that our troops come home to a place that 
is welcoming.
  This morning, our whip made a very important point about the maturity 
of America. Many remember the days of the Vietnam War. We know the 
passion in that war. But, unfortunately, it appeared that those who 
were called to battle by the Commander in Chief were the ones who 
received the ire of those who had a different opinion. America has now 
matured, and we recognize that whenever our soldiers accept the call of 
battle, they are for all of us. The treasure that they shed, the blood 
that they shed, has no respecting of anyone's political affiliation.
  So I am grateful to have the opportunity to call upon us in a 
bipartisan manner to wear these ribbons that were put together by the 
Young Scholars Academy in Houston. The founding principal is Dr. Anella 
Coleman. They worked very hard on these ribbons, and I think it is 
important to teach our children early on to appreciate the democracy 
that they live in and appreciate the freedom that they have and to 
recognize those who are on the front lines.
  I call upon the Iraqi Government as well. My point is that the 
soldiers have left them a gift--a gift which they can build on or they 
can undermine. A gift of democracy, freedom, the understanding of 
friendship, taking care of children, even in spite of what may be 
violent outbursts. Will they have a democratic government? Will they 
allow those who are in Camp Ashraf, who are stated to be in a camp that 
will close by December 31, will they resettle the refugees in this camp 
nonviolently, peacefully, Iranian exiles who fled to Iraq? They are 
concerned about their refugees in many countries, as they do these 
refugees. I will be calling upon countries to treat the Iraqi refugees 
fairly, as we all would. But it is a burden on the present Government 
of Iraq to live peacefully, to accept religious differences and promote 
religious freedom and the First Amendment and the right to the dignity 
of life.
  And so let me thank the leadership for joining us. Members will find 
these ribbons in their Cloakroom, each Cloakroom. Let us join together 
and say: Thank you. Welcome home to our troops, a job well done. God 
bless you, and God bless America.

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