America Welcomes Troops Home

Floor Speech

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join some of the calls of my colleagues and to indicate that I thought this a very special day, December 15, 2011. A few hours ago in Iraq, Secretary Leon Panetta performed the Casing of the Colors Ceremony, which is to acknowledge the colors--the red, white, and blue--that our brave men and women fought under in Iraq.

We have soldiers still fighting around the world, and I was just speaking to my constituency. We know that one brave soldier from North Carolina even lost his life in the waning hours of the ending of this war.

And so at the beginning of December, in Houston, I called for the Yellow Ribbon Campaign and for America to wrap herself in yellow ribbons, both in respect of our returning soldiers, to acknowledge a job well done, and to welcome them home to an unsilent America.

I would like to thank Speaker BOEHNER, Leader PELOSI, Whip Hoyer, and Majority Leader Cantor for joining and indicating that they would support the wearing of yellow ribbons by our Members today and tomorrow, both in celebration and in recognition of the heroism of our troops and, yes, acknowledgment of our fallen heroes.

This war was almost 9 years, one of the longest wars that America has ever fought. It was a war that used $800 billion, moneys that I hope we will invest in our returning troops and their families and all Americans as we go forward.

The loss of life was very painful, the idea of the burden on families. So I believe these yellow ribbons, although meager, will symbolize this Congress being unified as Americans, saying thank you to our troops. And, frankly, we have many other challenges that we should be addressing and making sure that our troops come home to a place that is welcoming.

This morning, our whip made a very important point about the maturity of America. Many remember the days of the Vietnam War. We know the passion in that war. But, unfortunately, it appeared that those who were called to battle by the Commander in Chief were the ones who received the ire of those who had a different opinion. America has now matured, and we recognize that whenever our soldiers accept the call of battle, they are for all of us. The treasure that they shed, the blood that they shed, has no respecting of anyone's political affiliation.

So I am grateful to have the opportunity to call upon us in a bipartisan manner to wear these ribbons that were put together by the Young Scholars Academy in Houston. The founding principal is Dr. Anella Coleman. They worked very hard on these ribbons, and I think it is important to teach our children early on to appreciate the democracy that they live in and appreciate the freedom that they have and to recognize those who are on the front lines.

I call upon the Iraqi Government as well. My point is that the soldiers have left them a gift--a gift which they can build on or they can undermine. A gift of democracy, freedom, the understanding of friendship, taking care of children, even in spite of what may be violent outbursts. Will they have a democratic government? Will they allow those who are in Camp Ashraf, who are stated to be in a camp that will close by December 31, will they resettle the refugees in this camp nonviolently, peacefully, Iranian exiles who fled to Iraq? They are concerned about their refugees in many countries, as they do these refugees. I will be calling upon countries to treat the Iraqi refugees fairly, as we all would. But it is a burden on the present Government of Iraq to live peacefully, to accept religious differences and promote religious freedom and the First Amendment and the right to the dignity of life.

And so let me thank the leadership for joining us. Members will find these ribbons in their Cloakroom, each Cloakroom. Let us join together and say: Thank you. Welcome home to our troops, a job well done. God bless you, and God bless America.

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