It is a high privilege and distinct honor to be invited to say a few words today to such an august group of genuine patriots, heroes and humanitarians. 

    The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary does it all, and you do it with class.

    You tangibly support and uplift our veterans and armed forces as well as their families. You passionately defend our flag and core values. You inculcate in our youth the responsibilities and duties imposed by democracy. And Legion baseball—well it’s in a league of its own.

    Commander Bock and President Carol Van Kirk, I salute your extraordinary leadership and that of your officers. Let me congratulate you on the effectiveness and tenacity of your legislative team. National Adjutant Robert Spanogle, Executive Director John Summer and Legislative Director Steve Robertson are truly amazing. They inform, inspire and lead with boldness. They have made—and continue to make—an enormous difference. Whatever you’re paying these guys, believe me it’s not enough. They are simply—the best.

    And it always good to see my good friends from New Jersey, including State Commander Chuck Robbins, Adjutant Raymond Zawacki and Jim Hall, National Vice Commander for the Eastern District. I’d like to thank them as well for their many years of service—and on a personal note—for their timely advice and guidance.

    Commander Bock, as we approach the fifth anniversary of the infamous 9/11 attack on America—a slaughter of the innocent that exposed the pernicious cruelty of the terrorists—we are reminded anew that freedom isn’t free and that we today face pathologically obsessed men who claim a divine right to murder.

    I often think that the God of mercy and goodness and justice must weep uncontrollably at the specter of terrorists torturing and killing in the name of religion. When Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse-tung, Ho Chi Min, Pol Pot and Idi Amin committed massive crimes against humanity they at least didn’t cloak, promote or justify their genocide as God’s will. 

    Thus, the War on Terror is unlike any other war America or the free world has ever faced. And it must be won—employing all means at our disposal including wise and effective diplomacy, the credible threat of force and as a last resort, force. 

    So I—and I am sure many others—deeply appreciate the Legion’s grasp of the stakes. And for being a steady sure voice of reason amidst the chaos.

    The American Legion’s landmark Resolution 169 adopted last year succinctly lays out the history and the reasons why the War on Terror must be won. And why this vexing war can’t be artificially separated from the warrior.

    So it is not surprising that you honor and thank the warriors and their families not just today and this week at this convention—but everyday. You set an example the rest of us must follow. 

    Commander Bock, as you know, the Global War on Terror—especially on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq—has claimed the precious lives of more than 2,900 of our bravest along with, according to the Pentagon, more than 20,000 wounded.

    Words are inadequate to express our gratitude and respect for their sacrifice. 

    But we should at least try—and show it in both word and deed. 

    One way of saying thanks is to ensure that no veteran—now and in the future—is ever left behind. 

    Whether it be full and predictable funding for VA healthcare, generous compensation for service connected injury or disease, a lifeline to our homeless vets, or cutting edge research for spinal cord injures, PTSD, the blind, agent orange afflicted Vietnam vets, those suffering from gulf mystery illnesses and depleted uranium ordinance contamination, or those in need of world class prosthetics, Congress has a sacred obligation to meet those needs.

    Whether it be a death benefit that in some small way conveys our understanding of the family’s agonizing loss or specially adapted housing for the disabled or job training or college funds, Congress has a sacred obligation to meet those needs. 

    During my24 years of service on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee I am gratified that several Legion backed landmark laws that I authored continue to provide expanded benefits to vets and their families although so much more needs to be done. 

    One of those laws—and I’ll mention just one—the Veteran’s Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 signed by President Bush on December 27, 2001 increased the Montgomery GI bill by 50%. 

    Before the law was enacted, a veteran with 3 years in the service got about $24,000 for college. Our new law pushed that to more than $37,000—a 50% increase. Higher education is now within reach of more of our veterans and service members and 33% more vets and service members are actually using the benefit than just five years ago. 

    I again want to thank the American Legion Washington office for helping us craft and enact that law and dozens of others. You were indispensable. 

    Given your tight schedule today, let me conclude with some thoughts on the human rights situation in Vietnam since Congress will soon take up legislation that is likely to pass to award Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to Vietnam, a condition necessary for Vietnam’s acceptance into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a move that will mean billions of dollars for Hanoi. Also President Bush will travel to Vietnam in November for an APEC summit. 

    Given the high value the Hanoi government places on obtaining PNTR and a successful a economic summit, my appeal to you today is to press the Bush Administration and Congress to demand, as a prerequisite to enhanced economic cooperation, that Vietnam cease its violent and ugly repression of its own people—especially the Montagnards, the Hmong and people of various religious faiths—and press vigorously for a more thorough accounting of American MIAs. We can’t squander this window of opportunity.

    Last December, I made yet another trip to Vietnam to press for religious freedom, respect for basic human rights and a full accounting of the nearly 1400 American MIAs.

    As in the past, I met with Vietnamese and US military officials Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) to discuss ongoing problems. While JPAC is making some progress and is able to conduct four joint field activities per year, it is readily evident that the Vietnamese could be much more forthcoming and transparent in providing a full accounting. Much more.

    I remain deeply concerned that they could and should offer better information pertaining to the missing and the last-known-alive. And frankly, we need to push harder. 

    When it comes to respecting the fundamental rights of its citizens, Vietnam continues to get extremely poor grades. Vietnam’s abuse of its own people is especially severe against our close allies during the war – the Montagnards. Not only have many Montagnards been incarcerated and tortured, their churches, about 400 of them, have been demolished. 

    In April of this year, two young Montagnards were arrested and severely beaten. Turns out, one was the brother of a man who testified at one of my hearings on human rights violations in Vietnam. A coincidence? I doubt it! 

    While Vietnam claims to be easing up, Vietnam’s record on persecuting religious believers remains so egregious that the US Department of State has designated Vietnam a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), liable to punitive sanctions.

    During the course of my most recent visit, I met with almost 60 religious and political dissidents in dozens of meetings. 

    In Hanoi for example, I met with the frightened wife of Dr. Pham Hong Son, a democracy activist who got five years in jail for posting an essay on the internet entitled What is Democracy? As you many know, Vietnam, like China and other repressive regimes scour the internet looking for democracy and religious freedom activists to abuse. So again, what did Dr. Pham do? His crime was that he down loaded an article—What is Democracy?--from the United States Embassy web site in Hanoi and for that he’s been thrown into jail for five years. 

    Yesterday, after four years of wrongful incarceration, the Vietnamese government announced their intentions to release him. Encouraging news, but merely, a first step. 

    In Hue, I met with Father Ly and Father Loi—two Catholic priests who were incarcerated for their faith and remain under house arrest. Father Ly’s crime? He wrote and sent testimony to the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom detailing religious repression in Vietnam. Over the last four years or so, we mounted a rigorous campaign to effectuate his release. It worked. But, while Fr. Ly is now out of the prison, he remains under house arrest. 

    In Saigon, I met with the Venerable Thich Quang Do and later, Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang – two Buddhist leaders also under house arrest. The Venerable Thich Quang Do told me that when he recently tried to leave his pagoda, dozens of secret police instantly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to crudely shove him back into the building. 

    All these religious leaders and others ask is that they be permitted to live their faith without government intimidation and coercion. What they simply ask is freedom of religion—an elemental human right the Vietnamese government either flatly denies or abridges.

    In the 1990’s, I authored legislation that passed to assist the last remaining boat people in the camps—so that Vietnamese, who were being forced back to Vietnam but deserved asylum, could come here. I visited refugee camps including High Island in Hong Kong. There I meet with Vietnamese who faced severe retaliation if repatriated to Vietnam. One ARVN vet – a double amputee – pleaded with me no to let them send him back.

    In Congress, my amendment was in serious doubt of passage because the Clinton Administration wanted to end the Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPI) and just send them all back regardless of the consequences. I even chaired four hearings to highlight the pending injustice. Then, John Summer mobilized a congressional blitz. The Legion’s mobilization ensured passage of my legislation. As a result, 20,000 Vietnamese who had ties with us during the war—some served in ARVN for example—came to America and now live in freedom. 

    Twice--in 2001 and 2004--a bill I sponsored known as the Vietnam Human Rights Act passed the House with the strong support of the Legion.

    So given this rare 2-3 month window of opportunity, I ask you again to bring the maximum pressure to bear on Washington and Hanoi to provide the fullest accounting of our MIAs and for systemic human rights reform in Vietnam and the immediate release of all political prisoners.

    Human Rights are central—and should be at the absolute core of our relationship with any government. Vietnam shouldn’t be an exception.