Brad Ellsworth: “Mr. Speaker, every day I am inspired by the unwavering will and determination of our fighting men and women who continue…”

“Mr. Speaker, every day I am inspired by the unwavering will and determination of our fighting men and women who continue to serve with valor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their commitment to serving our country represents the very best America has to offer and we owe them our debt of gratitude. Mr. Speaker, I, too, wondered how this resolution would affect our troops. In recent hearings of the House Armed Services Committee, of which I am a member, when asked about the impact of this debate on our troops, General Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a man I hold in very high regard, said, ``From the standpoint of our troops, I believe that they understand how our legislature works and that they understand there's going to be this kind of debate.'' But most importantly he told us, ``There is no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period.'' Mr. Speaker, I had two Iraqi war veterans in my office this afternoon and I asked them about this resolution. They said, ``Congressman, let me tell you what the guys over there think about. They think about doing their job, they think about staying alive, and they think about getting home to their families.'' General Pace and these soldiers are right.…”