Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act of 2016

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1475) to authorize a Wall of Remembrance as part of the Korean War Veterans Memorial and to allow certain private contributions to fund that Wall of Remembrance, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1475

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act of 2016''. SEC. 2. WALL OF REMEMBRANCE.

Section 1 of the Act titled ``An Act to authorize the erection of a memorial on Federal Land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Korean War'', approved October 25, 1986 (Public Law 99-572), is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Such memorial shall include a Wall of Remembrance, which shall be constructed without the use of Federal funds. The American Battle Monuments Commission shall request and consider design recommendations from the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, Inc. for the establishment of the Wall of Remembrance. The Wall of Remembrance shall include--

``(1) a list by name of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who died in theatre in the Korean War;

``(2) the number of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who, in regards to the Korean War--

``(A) were wounded in action;

``(B) are listed as missing in action; or

``(C) were prisoners of war; and

``(3) the number of members of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and the other nations of the United Nations Command who, in regards to the Korean War--

``(A) were killed in action;

``(B) were wounded in action;

``(C) are listed as missing in action; or

``(D) were prisoners of war.''.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1475, introduced by Congressman Sam Johnson, would permit a privately funded addition of a Wall of Remembrance to the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

The Wall would list the names of all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were killed in theater during the Korean war as well as the number of all of the American POWs and MIAs.

They call the Korean war America's forgotten war. During the 3 years of that war, 5.8 million Americans worldwide served in the U.S. armed services, 22 nations fought alongside us to preserve the freedom of South Korea. 54,246 Americans died worldwide during this conflict, 8,200 were missing in action, and an additional 103,284 were wounded.

The sacrifice they made and the freedom they secured for the people of South Korea must never be forgotten. This measure assures the names of the fallen shall live on.

This bill comes to us from one of only three Korean war veterans who still serve their country today in this House, the legendary Congressman Sam Johnson of Texas, from whom we will be hearing shortly.

Representatives Charles Rangel and John Conyers, Jr., also distinguished themselves in that war, as they have in this House, and are original cosponsors.

I urge passage of the bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, we are all deeply honored to serve in this House with the author of this measure, a genuine hero who served courageously in both the Korean and Vietnam wars and who endured many years of suffering as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He not only saw the courage and heroism of those who fought in Korea, he was one of them.

I am honored to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson).

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we remember those who died in the war and those who served in the war because their achievement remains alive today. It is personified in a free and prosperous Republic of Korea that has been a beacon of hope to the oppressed people throughout the Asian Continent and a steady counterbalance to the malignant presence of the North Korean dictatorship.

From the dais in this Chamber, Douglas MacArthur paid tribute to these brave souls with these words. He said: ``I have just left your fighting sons in Korea. They have met all tests there, and I can report to you without reservation that they are splendid in every way . . . Those gallant men will remain often in my thoughts and in my prayers always.''

And so should they with us. This bill assures that this will not be a forgotten war, and our honored dead will not be forgotten by name.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source