Honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about some important legislation that honors the sacrifice and courage of our women who have served and are currently serving in our armed forces.

The Veteran's legislation we considered today provides an opportunity for each of us, regardless of political views, religion, ethnicity, gender, or background to come together, and to recognize and honor our Nation's heroes.

We gather here today, in the midst of ongoing conflict and warfare, to celebrate the dedication of our men and women in uniform. Though we may be divided by our positions on the war in Iraq, we stand together to support our veterans. Our Nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of this country. We must be united in seeing that every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine is welcomed back with all the care and compassion this grateful Nation can bestow.

All too many of our veterans are left without the help and support they need to transition from the horrors they bravely face on the front lines of battle to successful civilian life. According to the Veterans Affairs Department, as of 2006, on any given night, 196,000 veterans of all ages were homeless.

The V.A. also reports 400 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone have already become homeless, and this figure only takes into account those who have sought services from V.A.-sponsored programs. Experts have predicted that the trauma resulting from the extreme horrors of these modern wars could lead to a surge in homeless veterans in the coming years.

I chose to celebrate one of our heroic daughters of Texas, Specialist Monica L. Brown of the United States Army with House Concurrent Resolution 320 for her efforts earlier this year.

Spec. Brown was the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the Nation's third-highest medal for valor. This solider from Lake Jackson, Texas is only 19 years old.

On April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown was part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near

Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the Humvees.

When Spec. Brown saw her fellow soldiers were injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this commotion, she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location because they were still receiving incoming fire.

The Pentagon's official policy is to prohibit women from serving in front-line combat roles in the infantry, armor or artillery, but the nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than previous conflicts.

According to the army four Army nurses in World War II were the first women to receive the Silver Star, though three nurses serving in World War I were awarded the medal posthumously in 2007. Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, of Nashville, Tenn., was the first to receive the Silver Star in 2005 along with two fellow male soldiers for her gallantry during an insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq.

The Army has stated that Spec. Brown's ``bravery, unselfish actions and medical aid rendered under fire saved the lives of her comrades and represents the finest traditions of heroism in combat.''

Though I have opposed the war in Iraq from its inception, I remain absolutely committed to ensuring that we recognize, celebrate, and honor the service of our sons and daughters returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Our troops in Iraq did everything we asked them to do, and I firmly believe that we must commend the men and women of our military for their exemplary performance and success in Iraq.

I am proud to be a cosponsor on H. Res. 1054--Honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans (Representative Davis (CA)--Armed Services) and H.R. 3819--Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007 (Representative Space--Veterans' Affairs).

We are providing for our Veterans with legislation such as:

H.R. 6081--The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (Representative Rangel--Ways and Means).

H. Res. 986--Recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict (Representative Boehner--Armed Services)--Recorded Vote

H.R. 2790--To establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health as amended (Representative Hare--Veterans' Affairs).

H.R. 3681--Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2007 (Representative Boozman--Veterans' Affairs).

H.R. 3889--To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a longitudinal study of the vocational rehabilitation programs administered by the Secretary (Representative Boozman--Veterans' Affairs)--Passed

H.R. 5554--Veterans Substance Use Disorders Prevention and Treatment Act of 2008 (Representative Michaud--Veterans' Affairs)--Passed

H.R. 5664--To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update at least once every six years the plans and specifications for specially adapted housing furnished to veterans by the Secretary (Representative Rodriguez--Veterans' Affairs).

H.R. 5826--Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008 (Representative Rodriguez--Veterans' Affairs)--Recorded Vote

H.R. 5856--Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Authorization and Lease Act of 2008 (Representative Michaud--Veterans' Affairs).

H.R. 6048--To amend the Service members Civil Relief Act to provide for the protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation (Representative Turner--Veterans' Affairs).

I firmly believe that we should celebrate our veterans after every conflict, and I remain committed, as a Member of Congress, to both meeting the needs of veterans of previous wars, and to provide a fitting welcome home to those who are now serving. Veterans have kept their promise to serve our Nation; they have willingly risked their lives to protect the country we all love. We must now ensure that we keep our promises to our veterans.

Currently, there are over 25 million veterans in the United States. There are more than 1,633,000 veterans living in Texas and more than 32,000 veterans living in my congressional district alone. I hope we will all take the time to show appreciation to those who have answered the call to duty. As Winston Churchill famously stated, ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.''

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting our troops of yesteryear and our troops of today.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1054) honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans, as amended.

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.

Every time I visit military installations, at home and abroad, I'm constantly impressed by the tremendous job our servicemembers are doing, and I'm particularly impressed by our

brave servicewomen, whom I seek out at every chance.

Over 350,000 American women are currently serving in our Armed Forces, following in the footsteps of women who have voluntarily served in every military conflict in United States history since the Revolutionary War.

During the revolution, women served on the front lines as nurses, water bearers and even saboteurs. For years, women had to disguise themselves as men in order to enlist in our military. Although the Army and Navy Nurse Corps were established in the early 1900s, it was not until the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 that women were granted permanent status in the regular and Reserve Armed Forces.

As Memorial Day approaches, we should recognize that our servicewomen play an increasingly important role in America's military forces. Women serving in the Armed Forces make up approximately 15 percent of active duty personnel, 15 percent of Reserves and 17 percent of the National Guard.

Women are flying helicopters and fighter aircraft. They are saving lives as nurses and doctors, and they are driving support vehicles and policing perimeters.

Servicewomen are also receiving recognition of their service, including awards for valor. Most recently, Private First Class Monica Lin Brown became only the second woman since World War II to receive the Silver Star, our Nation's third highest medal for valor, for her service in Afghanistan. The first woman since World War II to receive this honor was Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, who received the Silver Star in 2005 for her service in Iraq.

When I visit installations, I am so grateful for the response and insight I receive from women in the Armed Forces. They are adamant they do not want to be treated differently; yet they would like us to understand and recognize the additional burdens that are inherent in the many roles they play as wives, as mothers and caretakers.

Later this week, the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues will host its annual ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery to honor our Nation's servicewomen and women veterans and to remember women who have died while on duty serving the United States.

As Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and co-Chair of the Women's Caucus Task Force on Women in the Military and Veterans, I'm privileged to honor the legacy of servicewomen in the past, the courage with which women serve today, and the enthusiasm inherent in the young women who dream of serving this great Nation in the future.

Part of honoring them is asking the tough questions about the expanding roles our servicewomen are taking on and excelling in. We hear from women in the military in person and through the media about their contributions in combat zones and their willingness to risk their lives in defense of their fellow servicemembers, our country and our families. These are issues we should recognize and address. They deserve nothing less.

We should never fail to remember the sacrifices our servicewomen and their families make to keep our families safe.

This resolution honors the service and achievements of women in the military and women veterans and encourages all people in the United States to do the same and to learn more about these wonderful accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to have offered this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter), a thoughtful member of the Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Mr. Speaker, it's a joy to celebrate the women of our armed services. At this time, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased, as a cosponsor of H. Res. 1054, to recognize the service and achievements of the women in the Armed Forces and the nation's women veterans. I thank my San Diego colleague, Congresswoman Susan Davis, for introducing this important resolution.

These women have been the unsung heroes of every war since the Revolutionary War. So, as we approach Memorial Day, it is fitting that we sing their praises. They are playing an increasingly prominent and important role in our nation's military forces. 350,000 are now serving, making up 15 percent of active duty personnel, 15 percent of Reserves, and 17 percent of the National Guard. More than 185,000 have been deployed since 2001.

Women veterans are second only to elderly veterans as the fastest growing segment of the veteran population. 255,000 women use VA health services today. There are 1.7 million women veterans, 7 percent of the total veteran population--expected to be 10 percent by 2020.

As Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I want to report that Congress has responded to the challenge of meeting the needs of women veterans. Today, there exist within the Department of Veterans Affairs, two main offices specifically focused on addressing the needs of women veterans, put into place by Congress.

The 102nd Congress passed landmark legislation (P.L. 102-484) which authorized VA to provide gender-specific health care at VA medical facilities. The position of Director of Women's Health was also created by this law. This position has recently been elevated to the Chief Consultant on Women Veterans' Health, Strategic Health Care Group, reporting to the Undersecretary for Health (of the Veterans Health Administration). At each medical center, a Women Veterans Program Manager is ready to assist women veterans with their health care.

More recently, Congress passed P.L. 108-422 to extend VA's authority to offer Military Sexual Trauma Counseling and Treatment to active duty service members.

In addition, The Center for Women Veterans was established by the 103rd Congress in P.L. 103-446 to oversee the Department's programs for women veterans. The Center Director reports to and is an advisor to the VA Secretary on matters related to policies, legislation, programs, issues and initiatives affecting women veterans. To name a few of its activities:

Perform outreach to minority women veterans, homeless women veterans with children, elderly women veterans, and women veterans living in rural areas.

Monitor transition assistance program (TAP) briefings to ensure that the gender-specific information about benefits and services is provided to women service members.

Monitor VA Office of Research and Development to ensure that VA research includes the issues of women veterans.

Their goal is to identify any programs that are unresponsive or insensitive to women veterans and to address their deficiencies. The center is concerned with Department-wide legislative policies, within the VHA and VBA (Veterans Benefits Administration) and NCA (National Cemetery Administration), as well as the State offices.

The center is holding the 4th National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues on June 20-22 in Washington, DC.

H.R. 4107, the Women's Veterans Health Care Improvements Act, has been introduced by my colleague serving on the VA Committee, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. This is one of a number of ways that we are currently working on behalf of women veterans.

The House VA Committee continues to provide oversight to ensure that the laws we have passed are doing the job and that women veterans are receiving the information, benefits and care they deserve.

In the light of these actions by Congress, it is my hope that all women veterans will receive the care and benefits they have earned through their service and accomplishments that we recognize here today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1054, which honors the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans.

Mr. Speaker, throughout this great Nation's history, women have answered the call without hesitation to defend our democracy and freedom. Since the early days when we fought to gain our independence, women have served with distinction in every one of our Nation's conflicts. Before women were formally allowed to serve in our military, they served on battlefields as nurses, water bearers, cooks and saboteurs.

Frustrated by the gender restrictions of the day but fueled by ardent patriotism, many women found more unorthodox ways to serve. Often disguising themselves as young men, they joined the military and fought steadfastly alongside their brothers in arms.

Mr. Speaker, since 1901 when the Army Nurse Corps was established, formally granting women rank and military status, hundreds of thousands of women have served with honor in the Armed Forces. They have never shrunk from the tough jobs or hesitated to go in harm's way: 34,000 women served in World War I; 400,000 in World War II; 120,000 in Korea; 7,000 in Vietnam; and over 41,000 served in the first Gulf War.

Today, Mr. Speaker, over 350,000 women are serving in our Armed Forces. Over 190,000 have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to help rid the world of tyranny and terrorism. They serve on land, at sea and in the air, doing dangerous jobs such as pilots, military police and convoy truck drivers.

Mr. Speaker, these women, just like the men in our Armed Forces, are volunteers. They have always been volunteers. They have chosen to serve, chosen to make the sacrifices that are inherent in military service. They endure long hours, long separations from their loved ones and the hardships and horrors of combat. And as so many who have served before them, these women have been wounded, imprisoned and have paid the ultimate price for their devotion and duty to this great country.

It is without question that our military forces are unsurpassed. It is also undeniable that women have played a significant role in developing the extraordinarily capable military we are so proud of today. Military women have been pioneers in computer science, space and undersea exploration and medicine. Through their accomplishments America has made great strides in technology, mathematics and engineering.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from California for introducing this resolution to honor America's extraordinary military women and veterans. I join her and all of my colleagues to celebrate the courageous women of our Armed Forces who serve today and who have served in the past. Their indomitable spirit and powerful sense of patriotism guarantee our freedom now and for generations to come.

I, therefore, strongly urge all Members to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1054 to express my appreciation to the one million plus female veterans across our Nation and the thousands of women serving in our armed forces today. I want to thank these brave heroines who sacrifice much to not only protect our safety but also defend our freedoms.

Our brave men and women, who have chosen to join our all volunteer military, share not only a passion for their country but a respect for the ideals that it promotes. While women served honorably in World War I, they were not permitted to participate in the armed forces as equals until the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948. This legislation made it possible for women to serve in active duty and reserve military occupational specialties, other than nursing, and as equals to their male counterparts.

While women are still prohibited from serving in front line military units, their ability to wear the uniform and assist our efforts at home and abroad must be commended. It is important to remember that during our 10 year involvement in Vietnam, eight service women lost their lives. More recently, 110 women have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Global War on Terrorism. These brave women are not only soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. They are our daughters, our mothers, our sisters, and our aunts. They are an integral component of our community and we must remember that as they deploy or are lost in action, we too suffer along with their families.

As we honor those serving today and those who have served in the past, we must rededicate ourselves to providing the benefits and

care that they require and deserve. We must ensure that the proper medical services are available to service men and women for their use while on active duty and once they return home. Today, the percentage of women in the military is at the highest level ever. My home State of Ohio currently has over 65,000 female veterans. I am deeply concerned about the impact these high service levels are having on the well-being and stability of America families and I am committed to working on this issue in Congress.

The 11th Congressional District of Ohio is represented by an outstanding group of women serving in our Nation's armed forces and our State's national guard. Their service and sacrifice is greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten.