Roscoe Bartlett: “I believe it appropriate to first underscore the magnificent service rendered the Nation by the men and women serving in…”

“I believe it appropriate to first underscore the magnificent service rendered the Nation by the men and women serving in our Armed Forces around the world. We have called upon them and continue to call upon them to be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice in their service to the Nation. They continue to meet every challenge with true dedication and commitment. We thank each and every one of them for their service, and we thank all Americans for their unwavering support of our servicemen and women. History has repeatedly taught us that peace is only achieved through strength. We have sought to apply the lessons learned from the ongoing war on terrorism and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to the committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, in order to strengthen our Armed Forces. Clearly, maintaining America's naval superiority is an imperative, not an option.”