Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that all Americans should participate in a moment of silence to reflect upon the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces both at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 698) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that all Americans should participate in a moment of silence to reflect upon the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces both at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 698 calls on all Americans to take a moment and reflect on the sacrifices that our young men and women in the United States military make every single day. I am honored to support this resolution.

Today we stand here, not as Republicans or Democrats, not as liberals or conservatives, but as Americans, able to put our differences aside and remember the commitment and sacrifices of those who are willing to go into harm's way to preserve the very freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I sometimes have

the great distinction of traveling with my colleagues and meeting and listening to these brave men and women; and in talking with these young men and women, I can never help but to come away inspired by the strength of their convictions.

Last year, I was honored to fly aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt as it was preparing for its recent deployment and spend the night aboard the massive aircraft carrier. It was there that I was able to see firsthand the thousands of 18- and 19-year-olds who transformed the Roosevelt from a floating piece of metal into the most powerful tool of American foreign policy.

I gained a deeper understanding of the sacrifices that these young sailors endure in defense of our Nation. Many of them will work on that flight deck and in the bowels of the ship for 17-hour days enduring a heat much worse than we ever experience on a summer day here in Washington. When they finally get some rest at the end of a long and grueling day, it is in cramped quarters with little or no privacy.

I was astounded by the dedication, professionalism, and heart of the young men and women who make up her crew. They truly show that the legacy of the Greatest Generation lives on in the spirit of our youth.

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, the Theodore Roosevelt came home to Norfolk, which I proudly represent, at the end of its 6-month deployment to the Middle East, where it launched over 5,000 sorties in support of the global war on terror. This resolution is for those brave sailors, as well as all the brave men and women who have time and time again answered the call and proudly served this Nation when its principles and values have come under attack. They have never wavered in their defense of freedom and their sacrifice should never be forgotten, least of all by us here in Washington.

I would like to thank Mr. Knollenberg for introducing this very important resolution and for his commitment and dedication to our fighting men and women.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for allowing me to speak on this very important resolution today.

Mr. Speaker, last month, I came across a story of a young constituent of mine, Alexandra McGregor, who started a grass-roots campaign for a National Support the Troops Day.

After watching a news report about a fallen soldier, Alexandra began to think of all the days set aside to honor great Americans. Her idea for a National Support the Troops Day was hatched because of her belief that our active duty troops should be honored in the same way as veterans, Presidents, and other great Americans.

Alexandra was inspired to contact local, State, and Federal officials about her idea. She even went so far as to write to one high school in each State to encourage them to participate in a National Support the Troops Day.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today because of Alexandra and those like her who wish to show their appreciation to the troops.

Currently, the U.S. officially honors the service veterans and patriots with designated national holidays. However, there is no official national day of recognition for active duty troops. We need to honor these men and women and show them that Americans across the country are appreciative of their hard work and sacrifice.

This resolution calls for Americans to participate in a moment of silence on March 26 to recognize our active duty troops. Mr. Speaker, this is no arbitrary day. Alexandra choose this day because it is the birthday of her late grandfather, a World War II veteran.

Today, there are over 1.3 million active duty troops both here at home and abroad. These men and women range from first-year military academy cadets to colonels and generals fighting in the global war against terrorism. Although we cannot thank them all individually, they all deserve our respect and admiration for their dedication to this great country. This resolution will honor our active duty troops as they deserve to be honored. On March 26, we will stand and salute these brave men and women.

With this resolution, it is my hope that our troops will know that the American people, from a 16-year-old girl in Waterford, Michigan, to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, are grateful for their service. With our country at war, it is more important than ever to show our appreciation for our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to ask for support of this resolution. I appreciate very much those that have joined in support of this resolution and for the support of the dedicated, courageous, heroic men and women of our Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in very, very strong support of this resolution offered by my colleague from the great State of Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg).

Mr. Speaker, since September 11, 2001, our Nation has been at war against the cowardly terrorists who attacked our Nation on that horrible day. The men and the women who served in our Armed Forces have made tremendous sacrifices to make America and the world a safer place.

They toppled the Taliban and they brought freedom and democracy to 25 million people in Afghanistan. Because of that service and that sacrifice, Mr. Speaker, Afghanistan today is a partner and an ally in the war on terror, instead of the friendly host of our enemy.

For the past 3 years, the Armed Forces have been engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom. That mission has been very long, very difficult, and the sacrifices have been many. But the mission is being achieved. The Iraqi people have gone to the polls three times and are now finishing the work on establishing a Democratic national unity government.

Once democracy takes root in Iraq, freedom will have gained another foothold in a part of the world where it is so desperately needed. None of these incredible accomplishments would have been possible without the sacrifice of our men and our women in uniform.

All of our volunteer military, made up of citizen soldiers, are the best emissaries of freedom our Nation has to offer. These are men and women willing to give up their lives to spread freedom and to make our Nation more secure. And for that we owe them a debt which can never be repaid.

The least we can do as Americans is to pause to reflect on everything that they have sacrificed, for the incredible service that they have given to the cause of freedom. And so to every soldier in the Army, to every airman in the Air Force, to every sailor in the Navy, to every Marine, to every member of the National Guard or the Reserves, to every brave member of the Coast Guard, thank you.

Thank you for your service and thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you all for serving the cause of freedom. Every American should observe the moment of silence asked for by this resolution and reflect upon all of our Armed Forces and all that they have done to protect our freedoms, our liberty, our democracy. And following that moment of silence, we should also personally thank every service member that we meet in our everyday lives.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very important resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of House Resolution 698, which expresses the sense of the House that all Americans should reflect upon the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces. I want to thank and recognize the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) for her leadership on this matter. I also want to acknowledge the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg) for bringing this measure forward.

Mr. Speaker, there are over 2.4 million men and women in uniform, who have volunteered to defend this Nation. Today, over 281,000 of these extraordinary individuals are deployed in over 120 countries around the world. Active and reserve component personnel are answering the call to duty in the global war on terror, as we, the homeland, defend challenges back at home.

It is only fitting, Mr. Speaker, that we recognize the service and sacrifice they make each and every day. The resolution before us calls upon all Americans to participate in a moment of silence and reflect upon the service and sacrifice that is being made by our Armed Forces, both here at home and abroad.

I would like to take this opportunity to also remind all Americans that in the coming months, May, in particular, the month of May, will be National Military Appreciation Month. It is another opportunity for us to recognize and honor those who serve and have served in our Armed Forces. I urge my colleagues to work with their communities to raise awareness and honor those who chose to serve their Nation in uniform.

Today we have thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and Coast Guardsmen who serve in harm's way.

I urge our communities throughout this Nation to reach out to those brave and honorable Americans and recognize their contributions by adopting a servicemember or unit or a family that is left behind. While we should take a moment to reflect upon these sacrifices these individuals are making, there are also tangible efforts that Americans can take to show their love and appreciation to our Armed Forces.

I urge all Americans to continue their strong support for our troops and to express their support in appropriate venues.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this great resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 698, offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg) to express the sense of this body that all Americans should participate in a moment of silence to reflect upon the service and the sacrifice of the members of the United States Armed Forces, both at home and abroad. Our Nation is unified in support of our men and women who sacrifice to keep us free.

This past year, Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Territory of Guam lost several servicemembers in combat. The toll seems unbearable to those who have lost loved ones, and in many ways it is. But the price that these men and women were willing to pay and ultimately did can be understood when one takes a simple moment to stop and notice what our way of life provides for us: liberty, freedom, and democracy.

Our Nation's fallen heroes know that freedom is not free. They died to protect our liberty so that we can remain

free. In many cases, they gave so others could also have a chance to live as we do, because we believe freedom-loving democracies will live at peace with us.

So as we honor all who serve with this resolution, I especially honor those who have made the greatest sacrifice. A moment of silence is especially appropriate for these fallen heroes, men and women, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude that is simply unpayable.

It allows us to reflect on our freedom; but mostly, Mr. Speaker, it captures the enormity of their individual sacrifices. Forever, each has fallen silent. For those who love them, there is consolation in knowing that our Nation will remember their sacrifice.

So let us take a moment to reflect upon and honor their memory. Today, as I read off the names of Guam's fallen heroes in the war on terror, I ask, Mr. Speaker, that we observe a brief moment of silence here today in this House on this floor to honor these men and women who sacrificed and continue to sacrifice like they did:

Specialist Christopher Wesley; First Lieutenant Michael Aguon Vega; Sergeant Yihjyh Lang Chen; Corporal JayGee Meluat; Sergeant Skipper Soram; Specialist Jonathon Pangelinan Santos; Staff Sergeant Steven Bayow; Specialist Derence Jack; Sergeant Wilgene Lieto; Specialist Richard Naputi; and Specialist Kasper Dudkiewicz.

Now for a brief moment of silence.

God bless our service men and women, and God bless our great country, the United States of America.