Throughout our distinguished history, we have been blessed with the courage and determination of brave Americans who were willing to preserve democratic beliefs with their lives. From the gas-filled trenches of World War I to the flaming deserts of the Gulf War, our veterans wrote much of the history that transformed the United States from a young and naive country into a world leader and global superpower. It is a history lesson that makes you proud to be an American and respect those who fought for the freedoms we cherish.

These brave men and women defended the most basic of beliefs on which our Nation was created¬that freedom is worth putting our lives in harm's way to preserve. We owe them a great deal of gratitude and respect. Some of these mena and women never returned home from fighting to protect what our flag symbolizes. Many were either captured or killed. In Vietnam, there are still over 2,000 soldiers classified either Prisioners of War or Missing in Action. The anguish they suffer, as well as their families, is indescribable.

It is in their collective honor that I support two pieces of legislation. The first bill, "The GI As Person of the Century Act" designates the "American GI" as the "Person of the Century." We honor them because it was their blood, their resolution and their love of country that became infectious and spread from one generation to another.

The "Honor Vietnam-era Armed Forces Act" recognizes the service and sacrifices by members of the Armed Forces and federal civilian employees who, during the Vietnam era, served proudly to protect those in need. This measure also honors the sacrifices and hardships endured by the families of individuals who lost their lives or remain unaccounted for during this tumultuous era.

Veterans are the unsung heroes who define our American heritage. They are ordinary citizens who answered their call to duty and fought for something they believed in. They remember the places they were stationed, their training, and they certainly remember their days in combat. It is an experience the rest of us can only read about and marvel. Although we can never adequately express our thanks to those who could not return to us, we remember them by supporting the legislation before us.