Kerry, A Decorated War Hero

KERRY, A DECORATED WAR HERO -- (House of Representatives - April 22, 2004)

(Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I was actually baffled to hear that some of my colleagues came to the floor this morning to criticize JOHN KERRY in his capacity as an enlisted soldier and war veteran. JOHN KERRY, the highly decorated hero, recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal, that JOHN KERRY was blasted and accused of being unpatriotic for being critical of the Commander-in-Chief during the Vietnam War.

I am baffled that my colleagues would even choose to go there because our current Commander-in-Chief has, what can I say, a less than heroic military career, and the majority of the Americans are more than a little concerned about a President who has sent our soldiers into battle without an exit strategy, without a post-Saddam plan and without body armor.

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