Fallen Hero Commemoration Act

Mr. Speaker, throughout the history of our Nation, members of the United States Armed Forces have given their lives to secure and protect the freedoms America enjoys today. Today U.S. servicemembers are serving our Nation in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other parts of the world. Without a loved one serving in our military, it is all too possible for Americans to overlook the sacrifices that have been made and continue to be made by the men and women of the armed services.

It is for this reason that I have introduced H.R. 269, the Fallen Hero Commemoration Act. This legislation

would require the Department of Defense to permit media coverage when the remains of troops who had died in active duty arrive at military installations in the United States.

Currently, the Department of Defense does not, does not permit arrival ceremonies for or media coverage of deceased military personnel returning or departing from United States military installations. This ban on media coverage has been in place since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. However, earlier this month President Obama announced that he had ordered a review of this policy, and the Pentagon is expected to complete its review soon.

While I welcome a decision by the current administration to repeal this ban on media coverage, enacting the Fallen Hero Commemoration Act would ensure by statute that our Nation properly commemorates the service of our fallen heroes now and in the years to come.

If this legislation is enacted, the privacy of military families would be protected. Private memorial services would remain private and only credentialed media, as approved by the Department of Defense, would be permitted to cover the arrival of fallen heroes at U.S. military installations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the record two letters I have received in support of the Fallen Hero Commemoration Act.

One letter is an endorsement from the American Society of News Editors, and the other is from the National Press Photographers Association.

As Mickey Osterreicher, father of a newly commissioned Air Force second lieutenant and general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, wrote in a letter that is submitted--and I would like to read just a paragraph. ``It is one thing for a family to request that we not cover a private event it is another for the military to impose a total ban.''

This legislation would not only honor those who have given their lives in defense of our Nation, but also uphold the freedoms for which they gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I hope that my colleagues here on the House floor will look seriously at H.R. 269 so that we may properly commemorate the sacrifices made by the United States servicemembers. And, Mr. Speaker, I have signed well over 8,000 letters to families and extended families who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq.

So I want to close by asking God to please bless our men and women in uniform; ask God to please bless the families who have given a loved one in Afghanistan and Iraq; and I ask God to please, three times, God please continue to bless America; please, God, continue to bless America; please, God, continue to bless America.

National Press Photographers Association, Inc., The

Society of Professional Photojournalists,

Durham, NC. January 12, 2009.

Hon. Walter Jones,

Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Congressman Jones: As general counsel for the National

Press Photographers Association (NPPA) I would like to thank

you for your introduction of H.R. 269, the ``Fallen Hero

Commemoration Act.'' It is my understanding that this

legislation would direct the ``Secretary of Defense to grant

access to accredited members of the media when the remains of

members of the Armed Forces arrive at military installations

in the United States.''

The NPPA represents almost 10,000 still and video

photojournalists throughout the United States. As such we are

very aware that the Department of Defense currently prohibits

media coverage of these solemn ceremonies. Throughout our

history photojournalists have documented every aspect of

human endeavor from triumphs to tragedies. It is unfortunate

that war often times creates the most compelling images. From

Matthew Brady's graphic photos of Civil War battlefields to

Joe Rosenthal's raising of the American Flag on Iwo Jima news

photographers have risked (and all too often lost) their

lives to capture these moments so that the public may be

informed of these newsworthy events. A free, robust and

unfettered press is as much a part of our history and culture

as is the Constitution and the three branches of government.

To deny media coverage of the return of our fallen heroes

is a brazen attempt by the military to deny history. While

our government tries to bring liberty and democracy to all

corners of the world it lately seems to have forgotten that

those freedoms are no less important at home. As a former

photojournalist for over thirty years and the father of a

newly commissioned 2nd Lt. in the USAF training to one day

fly A-l0's I can state unequivocally that my colleagues mean

no disrespect to the uniform or the families when we cover

these moving events. Quite the opposite is true--as

photojournalists try to honestly and accurately depict these

moments for all to see. It is one thing for a family to

request that we not cover a private event it is another for

the military to impose a total ban.

We agree that by once again permitting access to accredited

members of the media at the arrival of the remains of fallen

service members at U.S. military installations, this

legislation would not only honor those who have given their

lives in defense of our Nation but also uphold the freedoms

for which they gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Please feel free to contact me should you need anything

further. In the past members of NPPA have testified at

hearings on a number of issues related to photojournalism and

we would be more than happy to do so again should the need

arise.

Very truly yours,

Mickey H. Osterreicher,

General Counsel.