Support Red Cross' Holiday Mail for Heroes

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Red Cross' annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Each year in early December, the Red Cross hosts this important event that strives to provide our men and women in uniform with the support and encouragement that is particularly important around the holiday season.

We all look forward to gathering with family, friends, and loved ones during this time of year. For our servicemembers, this is a luxury.

These men and women spend many months at a time away from their families. That is difficult no matter what time of year it is, but around the holidays, their sacrifice is magnified.

Today, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Rayburn foyer, we can all play a small role in brightening the spirits of those in our military by signing a holiday card.

Mr. Speaker, it is an initiative that I look forward to participating in every year, and I encourage my colleagues and their staff to participate as well.

For more than a decade, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program has worked hard to remind our heroes just how much we appreciate their service and their sacrifice.

Last year around this time, I had the privilege of sponsoring a congressional delegation abroad where we met with our troops and had the pleasure of spending time with them during the week of Thanksgiving. My colleagues and I traveled to Kuwait to serve and to share a meal with soldiers stationed there. It was an honor to meet with so many individuals who have committed their lives to protecting our great Nation.

We can all do our part to support our dedicated servicemen and -women now and throughout the year. A gesture as small as sending a card can brighten the holiday season for those who are deployed.

This holiday season, I encourage each and every one of us to take a moment out of our days to let a soldier know how much we appreciate them.

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