WASHINGTON, March 14, 2004 -- DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Delaware - Congressman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), attending an anti-war vigil organized by families of American soldiers in Iraq, said he would fight to pass a congressional resolution calling for access to bases where America’s honored dead return. 

Participants in the solemn event included members of Military Families Speak Out - a group of families of those killed, wounded, or currently serving in Iraq - as well as veterans, religious leaders, and other citizens against the war.  Dover Air Force Base is where American war dead first arrive back on American soil and where the media was allowed to show flag-draped coffins and military honor ceremonies before 1991.  A resolution (H. Con. Res. 384) just introduced by Representative Rangel would have Congress call for the removal of all restrictions on the public, the press, and mourning military families that currently prohibit them from witnessing America’s war dead return from Iraq and Afghanistan.  The resolution includes a clause assuring that a requests for privacy from fallen soldier’s families would be respected.

“The cloak of secrecy that currently surrounds America’s fallen heroes prevents the nation from recognizing the sacrifices made in the war,” said Rep. Rangel.  “We have lost more than 560 American military men and women in Iraq.  Yet even the President said in his State of the Union address, ‘I know that some people question if America is really in a war at all.’  This resolution is written to ensure that the nation is given an opportunity to recognize, appreciate, and honor the sacrifices of our fallen heroes.”

Rep. Rangel noted that the current restriction on news coverage of the arrival of military remains was ostensibly to protect the privacy of families and friends of the dead.  However, in practice, family members are themselves excluded.  One mother of a soldier killed in Iraq wrote the Congressman’s office saying how she was advised “unequivocally, that only military personnel are allowed to be present when soldiers are brought home.”

“What is most reprehensible is that the military families themselves are not allowed access to the bases where the remains of their loved ones come back home.  This resolution would allow the families to pay their respects without such restrictions,” said Rep. Rangel.  “It would also allow the families of these fallen heroes to know the depth of the nation’s appreciation for the sacrifices that they have made.”

The memorial at Dover Air Force Base was the start of “a trail of mourning and truth to honor those killed and wounded in Iraq.”  It continues on Monday with events in Washington, DC at Walter Reed Army Hospital and the White House. 

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108th CONGRESS
H. CON. RES. 384

Calling for the removal of all restrictions from the public, the press, and military families in mourning that would prohibit their presence at the arrival at military installations in the United States or overseas of the remains of the Nation's fallen heroes, the members of the Armed Forces who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan, with the assurance that family requests for privacy will be respected.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2004

Mr. RANGEL submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Calling for the removal of all restrictions from the public, the press, and military families in mourning that would prohibit their presence at the arrival at military installations in the United States or overseas of the remains of the Nation's fallen heroes, the members of the Armed Forces who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan, with the assurance that family requests for privacy will be respected.

Whereas the truest heroes of the Iraq War are the members of the United States Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives on behalf of their country;

Whereas these fallen heroes have earned and should be given the highest respect of their country and its citizens;

Whereas the families of United States military personnel who have died in service to the Nation should know the depth of the Nation's appreciation for the sacrifices they have made;

Whereas the cloak of secrecy that surrounds the return of the fallen heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan at United States military installations at home and abroad denies them deserved recognition and should be removed;

Whereas upon the arrival of the remains of their fallen loved ones, the families should be allowed to show their respects without restrictions;

Whereas the families of the Nation's fallen heroes should be permitted to escort the remains of their loved ones to their final resting places, with their transportation facilitated to the point of arrival of the remains in the United States; and

Whereas the final farewells of the family, friends, and loved ones should be conducted with appropriate solemnity, pomp and circumstance: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That all restrictions should be removed from the public, the press, and military families in mourning that would prohibit their presence at the arrival at military installations in the United States or overseas of the remains of the Nation's fallen heroes, the members of the Armed Forces who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan, with the assurance that family requests for privacy will be respected.