[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7489]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, again let me offer my deepest concern 
and sympathy for our fellow Americans in Oklahoma--what an enormous 
tragedy and devastation--and also our friends in north Texas. America 
is embracing them, as we should.
  But I rise today to acknowledge, as we look toward this coming 
weekend, and honor those who have fallen in battle, and to be able to 
celebrate the experience that Members of Congress, women Members of 
Congress had this morning in commemorating the war memorial for women, 
and to salute Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, who was the founder and 
originator, along with Members of Congress, of this historic memorial.
  Today, we ascended to Arlington National Cemetery where we placed a 
wreath in honor of those women. 154 women have fallen in Afghanistan 
and Iraq. We had the privilege of honoring five women from the five 
military branches and to, again, pay tribute to those who are willing 
to sacrifice.
  Men and women sacrifice. They are parents. Mothers leave behind their 
children and families. Families depend upon women in many different 
ways, and it is greatly an honor to be able to honor those women and to 
say as well that we will never, ever forget those men and women who 
have fallen in battle. And we will be there on Memorial Day, as I will 
be in my Heights location doing a flag ceremony and at the Veterans 
Cemetery, because this is what America does. We never forget those who 
fell in battle for us.

                          ____________________