Speech Delivered by Jim Marshall on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives
March 5, 2003

SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for one and a half minutes.

MR. MARSHALL: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the introduction from Mr. Skelton. I rise today as a veteran myself to thank the men and women who are serving us today overseas. But more so, I rise today for their families. This is a very difficult time for those who are serving in our armed forces, the men and women who are in harm's way. And it is in another sense an even more difficult time for their families. Not only is there a separation, not only is there an additional workload for the family, but there's also the worry that a loved one in harm's way will be harmed, might not come home, if they come home might be injured in some way.

Mr. Speaker, all of here in the House would ask that Americans reach out as we did after 9/11 to the families of those who lost loved ones in that horrible tragedy. Reach out to these families whose loved ones are serving us overseas. They need just a phone call, maybe an invitation to dinner; the employers, maybe some flex time, some time off for a woman to shoulder the additional load that's being placed on her by the absence of her husband. This is the way that America should be responding in this time. It's a way that all of us can respond. Those of us in the United States who are here today, we can support the loved ones.

While I was in Vietnam, my mother was unable to write me a single letter. She always wrote me. She couldn't write me because she was so worried about me and didn't want to think about it. Support for mothers like mine, for wives, for husbands, for daughters, for brother and sisters, is something that all Americans can give during this time. I thank those men and women in uniform for their service. I know they're doing their duty. And I also thank all of those who are loved ones here in the United States that are under extraordinary pressure at this time. All Americans should reach out to them.

I yield back the balance of my time.