On the recordJanuary 20, 2010
I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for giving us the privilege to come to the floor to honor the lives, the leadership, the service and sacrifice of the seven CIA officers killed, and those who were wounded in Afghanistan on December 30, 2009. For those of us who have worked closely with members of the intelligence community, visited them and their stations around the world, some undercover, some not, we know the sacrifice that they make. Like so many of the dedicated men and women in the intelligence community, these officers worked far from home, close to the enemy, and on the front lines of the fight for freedom and security around the world. They were mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, friends and loved ones. They never asked for recognition or credit, for medals or awards. They simply sought to fulfill their duty to protect our Nation, to secure the blessings of a brighter future for our people, to bear any burden, as President Kennedy said, in the name of our safety, our shared values, and our common ideals.
