Recognizing the tremendous service that members of the Armed Forces have given to the Nation, especially those who have been wounded in combat.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1020) recognizing the tremendous service that members of the Armed Forces have given to the Nation, especially those who have been wounded in combat, as amended.

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

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 1020, recognizing the tremendous service that members of our Armed Forces have provided to the country, especially those who have been wounded in combat. I thank our colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for introducing this resolution.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and their families are making extraordinary sacrifices in service to our country. Over 4,500 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Nearly 32,000 servicemembers have been wounded, of which a little over 17,000 have returned to duty.

Today, servicemembers have an unprecedented chance of survival, unlike those who had similar wounds in Vietnam and the Second World War. The medical advances that have taken place on the current battlefield have made these significant achievements possible.

However, while members are surviving their injuries and wounds at an unprecedented rate, they are coming home with more complex psychological injuries. These individuals who have honorably served our Nation may need medical care and assistance for the rest of their lives.

House Resolution 1020 commits this Congress to ensuring that these brave, wounded warriors receive the best medical care available, and commends all Americans who volunteer to support these wounded warriors and their families.

So, Madam Speaker, I again commend our colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for his introduction of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), the original sponsor of this very important resolution.

Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close after my colleague has yielded back his time. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, and I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to my colleague on the House Committee on Armed Services and Natural Resources, Mr. Wittman. I've enjoyed working with him on the floor this afternoon.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1020, a resolution recognizing the tremendous service that members of the Armed Forces, especially those who have been wounded in combat, have given.

As an original cosponsor of this resolution, I want to thank the lead sponsor, Mr. Welch, for bringing this resolution to the floor and his leadership on this important issue. I also want to thank Mr. Walberg and Mr. Higgins for joining Mr. Welch and me in spearheading this effort to honor those who have given so much in service to our country.

Only 1 percent of Americans serve in the military. Only 1 percent have answered the call to arms in defense of our Nation, our values, and our freedoms. To this 1 percent, we owe so much; so much that can never be fully repaid.

Throughout our history, many Americans have given the ultimate sacrifice for this Nation, and many more have had their minds and bodies wounded for the same cause. In the current Global War on Terror, around 30,000 servicemembers have been wounded, including almost 400 from Kansas. Their lives and those of their families have been dramatically impacted.

I have had the honor to meet with many of these wounded warriors, both in Kansas and at Walter Reed. Though their lives have been forever changed, they continue their commitment to duty, country, and family. They are a great inspiration to me and those who are blessed to meet them.

Every American has a responsibility to thank these brave Americans. We must vocally honor them. We must honor them by providing excellent medical care, access to quality jobs and education, support for their families, and the resources to live fulfilling and productive lives. But, we also need to remember to say ``thank you.'' ``Thank you'' for your service and your sacrifice. This resolution is just one more way the House of Representatives can say ``thank you'' to our Nation's veterans.

In addition to this resolution, Misters Welch, Walberg, Higgins and I are helping organize an April 16th reception for Members of Congress and wounded warriors from Walter Reed. This reception will provide Members of Congress the honor to personally meet with these brave heroes. I encourage all my colleagues to attend. This reception will encourage you, humble you, and challenge you to push harder in support of our veterans.

We can never fully honor or repay the sacrifice made by our Nation's veterans. Our veterans deserve so much, and, in comparison, we have so little to offer. But, I hope that this resolution and upcoming reception will take a step in the right direction. I ask that all my colleagues support this important resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1020, as amended, which recognizes the tremendous service that members of the Armed Forces have given to the Nation, especially those who have been wounded in combat.

Madam Speaker, throughout our history, America's sons and daughters have been called upon to fight our Nation's wars to preserve our freedom and our way of life. Each time we have gone to war, these brave men and women who answered the call, unfortunately, have been wounded and injured; 204,002 in World War I, 671,846 in World War II, 103,284 in Korea, 153,303 in Vietnam, and 467 in Desert Storm.

Today, Madam Speaker, as we continue to fight terrorism throughout the world, 30,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have been wounded and injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. As with

previous generations, these men and women are our Nation's finest, and we owe them more than just our gratitude.

Madam Speaker, since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Congress and the American people have made it clear that our combat wounded deserve the best our Nation has to offer. To that end, Congress has worked hard to ensure that the needs of the wounded troops and their families are met. From the best health care to jobs, to education benefits, the Members of this House have and will continue to insist that the support to the wounded and injured is unsurpassed.

Madam Speaker, there is no question that serving in combat is a profoundly life-altering experience. Men and women who survive the horrors of combat return home forever changed. Our Nation is eternally indebted to the brave men and women of the Armed Forces who fight to preserve our freedoms.

It is right and fitting, Madam Speaker, that today we recognize the service and the sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded while serving this great Nation.

I'd like to thank my friend and colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for introducing this resolution, and I strongly urge all Members to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) as much time as he may consume.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1020, which recognizes the service and sacrifices that the members of our Armed Forces and their families have made during this time of war. I rise with a heavy heart, because the citizens of western North Carolina were recently reminded of this sacrifice by the death of my constituent, National Guardsman Sergeant Thomas C. Ray, III from Weaverville, North Carolina.

Sgt. Ray joined the Navy in 1985 as a medical specialist and served 3 years of active duty. In 2006, Sgt. Ray joined the Army National Guard and shortly thereafter became a military police officer. Sgt. Ray was assigned to the I05th Military Police Battalion in Asheville, but volunteered to serve with 1132nd Military Police Company when it mobilized in June to go to Iraq. In January of this year, Sgt. Ray was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his service as a gunner. Sgt. Ray was killed in Baghdad, Iraq on March 22, 2008 when a roadside bomb blew up near his vehicle.

Madam Speaker, Sgt. Ray exemplified the bravery and dedication of the men and women of the Armed Forces, and his life of service stands as a tribute to the members of the North Carolina National Guard who have answered the call since before the founding of our Nation. In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sgt. Ray ``stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives--in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.''

I offer a prayer of comfort for the family of Sgt. Ray, including his wife, Linda, his daughter, Sydney, and his mother, Ozelle.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to vote for this important resolution that will give due honor and respect to the service that members of the Armed Services have dedicated to this country. I also ask my colleagues to join me in expressing sympathy for all our fallen soldiers and pray for the swift and safe return of those who continue to serve our Nation in harms way.

I want to thank the sponsor of this bill, Mr. Welch, from Vermont.

Madam Speaker, I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of House Resolution 1020. Thanks to advances in modern technology, many American soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have lived through events that would have previously cost them their lives. Of the 1.6 million servicemembers that have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom, in Operation Iraqi Freedom since September, 2001, more than 30,000 have been wounded in battle.

The numbers are staggering, but we are here today to acknowledge that these wounded warriors are not just statistics; they are men and women from across the country who have faced unique situations and struggles, and they have individual stories to tell.

Last summer I had the honor to meet a young man from my district who was injured in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq that killed three other soldiers riding in the same HUMVEE. He suffered extensive injuries, including a broken back and elbow, and underwent two surgeries at a hospital in Germany before being transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Quick reaction by the medics meant that instead of being paralyzed, he can now walk again, but only after extensive surgeries and painful rehabilitation. This young man is actually a lucky one. He was able to recover with the help of a caring family and a supportive wife. There are many others that are not as fortunate, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the best physical and emotional support possible.

Over the last year, Congress has taken many steps to enhance the quality of care of our veterans, including passing the largest increase in veterans' health funding in history, but there is still more to be done.

With this legislation, we do a simple but necessary thing; we take a moment to thank the men and women of the Armed Services who have been wounded in the line of duty and for their service and their sacrifice.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of House Resolution 1020.