[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16455]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THE 2015 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Carter) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 2015 National 
Defense Authorization Act this House will consider later this week.
  I am very proud to represent Fort Hood, the largest military base in 
the world. On November 5, 2009, 5 years ago, our community suffered an 
unthinkable tragedy when a radicalized Islamic extremist named Nidal 
Hassan opened fire on Fort Hood and fatally shot 15 men and women and 1 
unborn child.

                              {time}  1045

  More than 30 others were wounded that day. Hasan's radicalization was 
well known to the FBI and the DOD as early as 2005. Hasan plotted with 
the known terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, and he expressed his radical views 
to his classmates. This administration dismissed these concerns in the 
name of political correctness.
  Five years ago the President promised to take care of the victims of 
this shooting, but shortly thereafter, he turned his back on them and 
declared the attack to be workplace violence. These victims and their 
families are still waiting for justice. Our communities have suffered 
long enough in the name of political correctness.
  I am very proud that my colleagues in the House and Senator Cornyn 
and Senator Cruz have not dropped the ball. We have stood for the Fort 
Hood community and the victims of this terrorist act even as the 
President failed to act. The House and Senate have agreed on this 
legislation that will allow these heroes to receive Purple Hearts and 
make them eligible for the benefits they deserve. The victims and their 
families will soon receive justice and closure. I am proud to support 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Texas, Roger 
Williams, my strong partner in this effort.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Congressman 
John Carter, for his words, but, more importantly, for the many years 
of hard work he has put forth to care for the soldiers at Fort Hood.
  Mr. Speaker, the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood was an 
unthinkable tragedy. At that time it was the only story the news 
reported for days. Who was this murderer? Why did he do it? Could there 
be more like him? Are our other military installations at increased 
risk of this type of attack too? How did we not see this coming?
  After the attacks on September 11 we asked these same questions. That 
is the difference between workplace violence and a terrorist attack. 
The Fort Hood shooter was not a disgruntled employee who took his anger 
out on his colleagues. He was a hate-filled, vengeful Islamic extremist 
who intentionally planned the horrendous terrorist attack and carried 
it out with no remorse.
  Islamic extremists like him want us to fear them every single day. 
They want to hit us where it hurts--by taking innocent American lives 
and waging war on our military members. They have zero regard for human 
life--not even their own. That is why our response to terrorist attacks 
on American soil must be consistently tough, precise, and without 
hesitation.
  At the memorial service honoring the lives of 13 Americans and one 
unborn, President Obama pledged to take care of those who were injured 
and the families of those killed. Yet 5 years later he has completely 
neglected them. Because President Obama designated the attack workplace 
violence, these men and women are not eligible to receive the benefits, 
treatment, and compensation that combat troops killed and injured in 
combat zones receive.
  This negligence has caused many injured victims to have to pay their 
own out-of-pocket expenses for treatment, costing some hundreds of 
thousands of dollars. One victim was pulled off Active Duty. Her 
paycheck went from $1,400 a month to $200 a month, and she lost her 
military health insurance. Others scrape by on disability payments but 
still have to pay the remainder of their medical bills from their own 
pocket. My friend Sergeant Alonso Lunsford was shot seven times but was 
turned away when he tried to check into an Army PTSD clinic due to the 
fact that he was not injured in combat.
  This is not my definition of taking care of our Nation's heroes. 
However, the National Defense Authorization Act gives the Obama 
administration yet another opportunity to honor his pledge to provide 
for these men and women who were victims of terrorism.
  This bicameral, bipartisan bill provides authorization for awarding 
the Purple Heart to members of the Armed Forces killed or wounded in a 
domestic attack inspired by a foreign terrorist organization. This is a 
commonsense solution that should have happened immediately following 
the attack at Fort Hood.
  I want to thank Chairman McKeon and again Congressman Carter for 
their tireless work on behalf of their troops, and the many of my Texas 
colleagues who have joined the fight to restore justice. Just as we 
united as a country after these senseless attacks, let's once again 
unite as Americans to fight for the truth and honor of our fallen and 
demand justice for the victims of terrorism. In God we trust.

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