Congratulating and commending the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support to this important resolution honoring the Veterans of Foreign Wars on its 105th anniversary. I was proud to introduce this resolution with Mr. Cole of Oklahoma, and I want to express my thanks to the distinguished chairman and ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for helping move it quickly to the floor.

In the wake of the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection, thousands of wounded veterans returned from war to find that there were no healthcare benefits or pensions provided for them. So, as people in the military do, they banded together to work as a team to provide care for each other by starting the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. This believe in service to fellow veterans is the core value of the VFW, and it continues this tradition today.

The VFW now serves more than 2\1/2\ million American heroes who answered the call when the Nation needed them. For 105 years, the VFW has fought for increasing veterans' benefit, improving veterans' healthcare, and ensuring that America's veterans receive the recognition they deserve for their service. The VFW continues to live up to its motto every day--honoring the dead by helping the living. I am proud that the House is passing a resolution honoring such an effective and dedicated advocate for our Nation's veterans.

I am also proud that this year the Veterans of Foreign Wars will be held by a son of Tennessee and a Nashville native: VFW Commander-in- Chief John Furgess. John fought for his country in Vietnam as a young man, and when he returned he continued to serve by working for the Veterans Administration for 20 years. Over the course of his distinguished career in the VA and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, John has helped thousands of veterans get the benefits they have earned and the care they deserve. John's dedication to his country and his fellow veterans is a model for all Americans, and I look forward to seeing the VFW flourish under his leadership in the coming year.

Finally, as we look back on the 105-year record of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, it is also important to look forward. I am also proud that in congratulating the veterans of Foreign Wars we are also honoring our Nation's future veterans--the troops engaged in combat overseas today in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. The brave men and women of our Armed Forces put their lives on the line for all Americans, most of whom they have never met. There is no higher expression of selfless service than the willingness to risk one's life for others, and for the ideals that this country holds dear. The troops on the front line today--who are tomorrow's veterans--deserve our repeated thanks for serving the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 108) congratulating and commending the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 108 which would congratulate and commend the Veterans of Foreign Wars on its 105th anniversary. Tracing its roots back to the Spanish-American war, the VFW is one of the Nation's oldest, largest and one of the most respected veterans service organizations. The VFW has a proud history of directly supporting America's veterans and their families. Over 100 full-time service officers work directly with veterans on claims for VA benefits and oversee VA's programs around the country as well. VFW's ``Buddy Poppy'' program is a symbol of their continuing tradition of caring for fellow veterans, and their community service programs have made VFW a valued partner for thousands of charitable and civic organizations around the country.

Mr. Speaker, I can attest to the valuable contributions of the VFW's legislative specialists who continue to provide expert advice and counsel to help us develop State and national veterans priorities and policy. Over the past 4 years, I have had the privilege, and before that for 6 years as vice chairman of the committee and the last 4 as chairman, of working closely with numerous VFW leaders both on the national level and on the State level back in my home State of New Jersey. My colleagues and I have benefited from the candid advice of VFW's Executive Director Bob Wallace from New Jersey, Legislative Director Dennis Cullinan, and past Commanders in Chief Ed Banas, Ray Sisk and John Gwizdak. We also look forward to working with the new Commander in Chief John Furgess.

I would also like to thank the leaders of the VFW in my home State of New Jersey, especially longtime leader and friend Mike Wysong. For the entire 24 years that I have served in Congress and on Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I have always been able to count on my State VFW leaders to lend their support and offer their ideas to help our State's veterans and also with national issues as well.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this resolution. It is a fine one.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 105th anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who for decades have been committed to securing the rights and benefits of veterans that have serviced this country with honor, dignity, and valor.

In 1899, after the Spanish-American War and the Philippine War, a group of veterans banded together founding the Veterans of Foreign Wars to ensure proper medical benefits for members of the military returning from foreign service. With a mission to improve the lives of veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars has lobbied for quality health care, education, and retirement benefits of veterans and their families for over 105 years. They have worked to protect the memory and legacy of those who lost their lives while in military service defending the freedom and values of our great Nation. In the state of Connecticut, there are over 26,000 members and 6,000 auxiliary members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Nationwide, this organization has more than 2.6 million members who served in World War I, World War II, Korean war, Vietnam, Persian Gulf war, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The Connecticut Veterans of Foreign War posts have been instrumental in raising awareness and fighting for better health care and benefits for those who risked their lives for our country.

I believe that the Veterans of Foreign Wars should be recognized for their proud service to the veterans of Connecticut and the nation. Therefore, I urge my fellow Members to vote with me in support of H.J. Res. 108 and honor the Veterans of Foreign Wars as an organization committed to the courageous veterans of the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure that I rise in support of this joint resolution to congratulate and commend the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 105 years of dedicated service. These congratulations extend not only to the current members of the more than 9,000 VFW posts worldwide but to all members since the beginning of this accomplished veterans service organization who served in wartime overseas.

I would also like to recognize the contributions the VFW has made in my State of Maine. From Fort Kent in the north to Kittery in the south, the 13,500 members of the VFW located in 83 individual posts have always worked to improve the lives of veterans and our communities and I am honored to call many of them my friends.

The VFW's origins extend back to 1899 with the founding of the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines, which merged in 1914 to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Originally the organization was created to help secure rights and benefits for veterans of the Spanish- American War and the Philippines War. They succeeded then as they do now, speaking with a loud and clear collective voice to serve veterans. This organization is to be congratulated and commended. The authors of this joint resolution are also to be commended for their efforts to recognize this great service organization.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we are incredibly blessed in this country to have a group of veterans service organizations looking out for the best interest of our veterans. For the last 105 years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars have been making a difference in the lives of those who have given so much to this country, our veterans and their families.

Through their foundation, the VFW supports programs that promote citizenship education and volunteerism and facilitate aid for veterans and their families in need of both medical, rehabilitative, educational and employment services. Additionally, their members and those of the VFW Auxiliary volunteer countless hours at our veterans and military hospitals. During this time of increased military deployments, it is so important to have a network of veterans our injured soldiers and families can turn to for help and assistance.

Throughout my 7 years in Congress, I have been fortunate to meet with VFW members in Washington as well as in my district on a regular basis as they advocate for increased veterans funding, services for homeless veterans, better education benefits for our veterans and many other issues. They have an incredible history. I would like to take this opportunity not only to thank them for all they do for our veterans but also to congratulate them on their 105th anniversary.