WASHINGTON, April 30, 2004 -- Cong. Charles Rangel today strongly protested a plan by a group of ABC television affiliate stations to block the reading of the names of soldiers killed in Iraq during tonight's broadcast of "Nightline."

"This action is a cruel insult to the families of all the 700 families with sons and daughters who have been killed in the war in Iraq," Cong. Rangel said.  "For the first time, the entire nation will stop for a moment to pay a silent tribute to our fallen heroes while their names are read off in a roll-call of honor.  It's just unfair that eight cities will be prevented from participating in this tribute because of the actions of these stations."

The Congressman's comments were in response to the announcement by Sinclair Broadcasting, a Baltimore-based television station owner, to prevent the eight ABC affiliates owned by the company from broadcasting tonight's  segment of "Nightline," which will feature the reading of the names of the 700-plus American troops killed in Iraq.

The affected stations are in St. Louis; Charles, W.Va; Pensacola, Fl.; Springfield, Mass; Asheville and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Columbus, Ohio; and Tallahassee, Fla.

"This is an opportunity for all Americans to sit in the quiet of their own homes, and not only see the faces of the young men and women who have been killed, but to honor them by reflecting on the depth of their sacrifice," Cong. Rangel said.

Sinclair was also criticized by Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam War hero, who wrote to the company's president David Smith protesting the decision.  Smith and executives of his company are reported to be substantial financial supporters of President Bush.

"This clearly is part of a pattern of dishonoring our fallen heroes by refusing to recognize their sacrifices in a public way," Cong. Rangel said. "First we saw the families and the press barred by the Pentagon from Dover Air Force Base to welcome the remains of their loved ones.  Then, a cargo worker in Kuwait was fired for making public a photo of the filled caskets being returned home from the war.  Now this."

In response to complaints by parents who were prevented from welcoming the remains of their loved ones at Dover, Cong. Rangel last March introduced a resolution urging the President to remove all restrictions on families, the public or the press from attending welcoming ceremonies at any military facility in the U.S. or overseas.

"There is no way to explain this action except to conclude that the Administration and some of its supporters are trying to prevent the public from seeing images that raise questions about our losses in the war," Cong. Rangel said.  "But I would argue, that our first concern as a nation should be the honor our fallen soldiers, not sneaking them home in the dead of night, but with public tributes, including the kind planned by "Nightline" tonight.

"It would be easy to say that Sinclair's decision is political, but whether or not this is a justified war, our fallen heroes and their families deserve our respect and gratitude, and that should have nothing to do with politics," Cong. Rangel said.