District of Columbia Servicemembers and Veterans Post Office

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Maloney for marking up my bill and helping to bring it to the floor.

This bill would name the post office at 400 Southern Avenue Southeast in the District of Columbia as the District of Columbia Servicemembers and Veterans Post Office. While it is important that our country honor all servicemembers and veterans, our country owes a special debt of gratitude to D.C. servicemembers and veterans, who serve or have served their country without voting representation in Congress or full local self-government. It is remarkable that they serve a country that denies them basic democratic rights, rights they have often been sent overseas to defend.

D.C. residents have served in every war since the Revolutionary War. There are approximately 30,000 veterans who live in the District of Columbia, and almost 200,000 D.C. residents have served in the military since World War I. This bill is one way to recognize their service and sacrifice.

635 D.C. residents were casualties of World War I, a casualty figure greater than that of three States during that war. 3,575 D.C. residents were casualties of World War II, a casualty figure greater than that of four States during that war. 547 D.C. residents were casualties of the Korean war, a casualty figure greater than that of eight States during that war. 243 D.C. residents were casualties of the Vietnam war, a casualty figure greater than that of 10 States during that war.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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