Americans Who Have Voluntarily Served and Sacrificed Deserve Our Deepest Gratitude and Recognition

Floor Speech

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Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, which I am very proud to have introduced along with my friend and colleague from Wisconsin, Congressman Mike Gallagher.

The global war on terrorism changed the course of American history and the lives of millions of servicemembers, first responders, and civil servants--including my own.

On 9/11 and since, we have learned that we can never take our democracy or our country's security for granted. It is a fight that, sadly, continues today.

The millions of Americans who have voluntarily served and sacrificed for our Nation deserve our deepest gratitude, but they also deserve our recognition.

Several generations of Americans have now come of age during the global war on terrorism. There are now Americans born after 9/11 who are serving today, overseas, in uniform in what has become our Nation's longest conflict.

That is one of the reasons why it is now time for us to recognize the several generations of Americans who have volunteered to serve our Nation: those of us who have served and who have worked to help our fellow veterans understand the important power of place, the transformational power of a sacred location where veterans and their families can come together to heal, to remember, and to reflect.

Memorials like those for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam have provided the opportunities for those generations whose lives and service were defined by those conflicts, and it is now time for the current generation of veterans to have that same opportunity. It is our hope that, by honoring them in the Nation's Capital, we will ensure a location befitting of their service and their sacrifice.

Over 2\1/2\ million Americans have served in uniform in the global war on terrorism, and millions more first responders, law enforcement, and civil servants have also supported global operations. To date, over 7,000 Americans have given the ultimate sacrifice and over 53,000 have been wounded. Many more bear the invisible scars of the war that will be with them for the rest of their lives.

If these feel like statistics to some, they are not to me and to many others. At a time when Congress feels more divided than ever before, I hope that this Congress can focus on what we do have in common and what does bring us together so that we can move our country forward.

We have a sacred duty to those who have selflessly served in our Nation's longest war, and it is a charge that we do not take lightly. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort by supporting the bill.

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