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"They're Still Trying to Hide the War"
House of Representatives - April 29, 2008

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)

Remarks

Mr. Speaker:

We owe a debt of gratitude to Dana Milbank at the Washington Post and Hal Bernton at one of my hometown newspapers, The Seattle Times. These two journalists, writing almost exactly four years apart, have pierced the veil of secrecy this Administration shamefully uses to hide the painful images of US casualties in Iraq, and the touching and patriotic farewells by loved ones. 

On Sunday, April 18, 2004, Bernton wrote a story called: the somber task of honoring the fallen. This poignant story included the first newspaper pictures of caskets being loaded onto military planes.  The story, which I ask permission to enter into the Record, set off a firestorm, because the Administration did want anyone to see the grim reality of war – rows of flag-draped coffins inside a military plane to begin the last homecoming.  And the civilian contractor who took the pictures was fired for sharing them with the media.  They were published at a time when the Administration was doing everything to make people believe in its May 1, 2003 Mission Accomplished banner.

The Administration continues to spin the messaging from that phony pr event.  To do that, the Administration continues to hide the grim reality of the Iraq war. Last Thursday, Milbank wrote a story in the Washington Post called: What the Family Would Let You See, the Pentagon Obstructs. Almost exactly four years after The Seattle Times story, the American people are still denied access to the truth. 

Not anymore.
Behind me is a photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Billy Hall from the Post story. Let me read an excerpt. “The family of 38-year-old Hall, who leaves behind two young daughters and two stepsons, gave their permission for the media to cover his Arlington burial -- a decision many grieving families make so that the nation will learn about their loved ones' sacrifice. “But the military had other ideas, and they arranged the Marine's burial yesterday so that no sound, and few images, would make it into the public domain.”They don’t want you to see the faces of our fallen heroes and that is outrageous. 

Lieutenant Colonel Billy Hall deserves to be buried according to the wishes of his family, not hidden from view, because the people running this war only want you to see images that proclaim Mission Accomplished. I will not accept this disrespect for our solders and their families, or the outright distortion of the truth about the war. To honor our fallen heroes, I and many of my colleagues, have easels outside our congressional offices, with pictures and the names of the service men and women who have died in Iraq.

Outside my office are these three boards with photographs of 94 soldiers from the State of Washington who have died in Iraq.  Brave fallen heroes including:
Specialist Christopher W. Dickison,
Major William G. Hall,
Lance Corporal Daniel Chavez,
1st Lieutenant Michael R. Adams,
Specialist Joshua M. Boyd,
Staff Sergeant Tracy L. Melvin,
Sergeant 1st Class Steven M. Langmack, all from Seattle. 

And I ask permission to enter into the record the web address where you can see the faces and names of the fallen from every state. 
(http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/search/)

Instead of helping to provide closure, the President’s surrogates are deepening the wounds for families.  They only want to share their grief and the pride in their loved ones with us all.

Today, in full view, let us honor the ultimate sacrifice made by Lieutenant Colonel Billy Hall, and the fallen soldiers from Washington and across this country. 

Thank you.