Jeff Bingaman: “I intend to offer in a few minutes an amendment on behalf of myself, Senator Lugar, Senator Lieberman, Senator Bayh…”

“I intend to offer in a few minutes an amendment on behalf of myself, Senator Lugar, Senator Lieberman, Senator Bayh, Senator Clinton, Senator Durbin, Senator Landrieu, Senator Lincoln, Senator Smith, and Senator Reid. This is an amendment to honor our service men and women in Iraq who are serving far from home, far from family, far from friends. Let me indicate from the title of the amendment that I intend to send to the desk what it would do: to authorize the award of the Iraqi Liberation Medal as a campaign medal for members of the Armed Forces who serve in Southwest Asia in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom. These service men and women, as we all know, have left the security of this country and their home behind to provide freedom and security for those who have not known it for many years. The human cost has been substantial, over 300 American fighting men and women will never come home. There are over 1,200 who will return wounded, far higher than previous conflicts.”