Charles H. Taylor

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the World War II veterans group, ``HonorAir'' of Western North Carolina, who recently visited Washington, DC. I want to commend the residents of Henderson County, who made this trip possible and showed the rest of the Nation how to honor the heroes of the greatest generation.

The residents of Henderson County, with a population of 98,000, raised more than $100,000 to send 220 World War II veterans on two chartered aircrafts to Washington, DC to see the World War II memorial for the first time.

The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the Armed Forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people.

The idea for HonorAir started when Jeff Miller, a resident of Western North Carolina whose father served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater, read an article about a man who flew World War II veterans in a small plane to Washington, DC to see the memorial.

A fundraising campaign began in Western North Carolina on Memorial Day and ran

through July 4, 2006. This effort was lead by Jeff Miller, Frank Schell, David Reeves, David Adams, Senator Tom Apodaca, Mike Murdock, Henry Johnson, George Erwin, Meridith Elliott, Marybeth Burns, Kim McKibbin and Sarah Smith. Within 6 months, residents young and old rallied to raise more than $100,000 for the trip. I would like to commend these individuals for their hard work in making this awe- inspiring idea into reality. Also, I want to commend Mr. Frank Schell and the ``guardians,'' a group of over 50 volunteers, who flew up from North Carolina to assist with the operation of the event.

From the celebrated departure at the Asheville Regional Airport, to the water-arched greeting at Reagan National Airport, to the wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, the World War II veterans of Henderson County received a day of honor that was long deserved. It is apparent that the people in Henderson County truly love the Nation, and they honor the heroes who have protected it.

Again, it was truly an honor to take part in HonorAir 2006 and I and the rest of the United States Congress hope to see more events like this around the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Trinity Baptist Church of Asheville, North Carolina. On October 1, 2006 Trinity Baptist will celebrate 40 years of service to the people of Western North Carolina, and I commend them for the leadership and tireless work they have contributed to the Asheville community.

With 60 members under the direction of Rev. Ralph Sexton, Sr. as the Pastor and Dr. James A. Stewart as the Honorary Pastor, a building for Trinity Baptist Church founded upon the scripture from Psalm 127:1, ``Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.''

For 13 years, Dr. Ralph Sexton, Jr. served as staff evangelist and youth pastor under his father. On the first Sunday of April 1988, upon his father's resignation as senior pastor, Dr. Ralph Sexton, Jr. became the senior pastor of Trinity Baptist Church. As the church continued to grow, mission outreach was increased both at home and abroad.

To meet the needs of the growing congregation, several buildings have been erected. The Family Life Center was built in 1984 housing office space, a kitchen, fellowship room and gymnasium, to provide a space for fun, food and fellowship for the whole family. In 1992 a Baby Palace was added to meet the need of the growing families of the church.

A Bible Institute program was started in 1989 for those who wish to devote their lives to the ministry of learning to serve; this became a 4-year Bible College in 1993. Most recently the church built a 1,500- seat sanctuary which has been named the ``Tabernacle of the Mountains'' in honor of the life and ministry of Dr. Ralph Sexton, Sr., who served the congregation for 22 years.

In 1991, Trinity Baptist Church opened their doors to Russian immigrants many of whom came to this country because of religious persecution. Trinity Baptist Church accommodated the immigrants by providing services in their native languages, in addition to sponsoring many of the immigrants.

In 1994, the EEOC threatened religious freedom by prohibiting any expression of religious faith in the workplace. Trinity Baptist Church worked with me and other area churches to preclude these improper regulations. Pastor Sexton and members of Trinity

Baptist Church met with me in acknowledgement of our success in fighting for first amendment rights.

One of the many outreach programs of Trinity Baptist Church is Hearts with Hands. Hearts with Hands is a disaster relief organization that provides humanitarian aide to worldwide victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. To this day, this organization is still working with many of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Again, it is my privilege to recognize the great accomplishments and leadership of Trinity Baptist Church over the past 40 years, and I, along with the rest of the United States Congress, wish for their good work to continue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave soldiers who have sacrificed so much to ensure our Nation's freedom.

I am extremely proud of all of Western North Carolina's brave men and women, including the 210th and 211th Military Police Units, who have fought courageously to establish a united, free, and sovereign Iraq.

The sacrifices these men and women make are unimaginable, whether it's spending time away from their families, enduring financial hardships, or laying their very lives on the line for freedom. And while these sacrifices are great, we must not forget that they are fighting to protect the world from the grip of terrorism. By risking their lives in Iraq and abroad, these brave men and women, including my son, are protecting the lives of American families and making our country safer.

Four men from Western North Carolina have given their lives in the Iraq conflict. Attending the funeral of one of those men--CW03 Mitchell Carver--served as a stark reminder that freedom is not free. It is not the press who protect a Nation's right to free speech; instead, it is men like Mitch Carver who choose the responsibility to do so. And Mitch Carver is not alone. In the eight years I have been privileged to serve as a representative on the Board of Visitors of our Nation's military academy at West Point, I have seen thousands of young men and women take the oath to protect us. Theirs is a simple pledge: ``Duty, Honor, Country.''

To me the great and central question in our debate is this: Are the Iraqi people capable of and deserving of democracy? The answer is quite simple. Any man or woman, nation, or civilization that thirsts to live free from tyranny, desires to speak freely, and wishes to freely and fairly elect their leaders is worthy of the great gift of democracy. We have seen the images of Iraqi men and women with tears in their eyes as they cast their first votes in the parliamentary elections. Iraq has embraced democracy with a contagious enthusiasm. Democracy is never easy, but in due time Iraq will be a beacon of hope for the Middle East. To turn our backs on the Iraqi people as they are making such great strides would be arrogant and foolish. In short, it is abandonment not only of the Iraqi people, but also of the principles which we have preached and practiced as a nation for more than two hundred years.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to our brave troops and our Iraqi allies. We owe the men and women in our Armed Forces a debt of gratitude--their courage should inspire us all. I encourage all Americans to join me in continuing to keep our troops and their families in our thoughts and prayers.