House Bill 9185

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HR 9185

        By Representative Arnall






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution honoring the American Prisoners of

  3         War and their service to their country.

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  5         WHEREAS, Americans highly prize and value the sacred

  6  right of liberty, that right for which the founders of our

  7  nation pledged to fight to win and protect with their lives,

  8  their fortunes, and their sacred honor, and

  9         WHEREAS, American Prisoners of War exemplify our

10  founding fathers' ideals by putting themselves in harm's way

11  and enduring captivity under deplorable conditions, and

12         WHEREAS, thousands of members of the Armed Forces of

13  the United States who served in foreign wars fought by the

14  United States were captured by the enemy, and

15         WHEREAS, American Prisoners of War are deprived of

16  freedom and the liberties associated therewith and are

17  separated from families, friends, and loved ones, sometimes

18  for years, and

19         WHEREAS, the courage, honor, and valor shown by

20  American Prisoners of War exemplify the United States Military

21  code of conduct, and

22         WHEREAS, in Public Law 101-355, the Federal Government

23  officially recognized and designated the National League of

24  Families POW/MIA flag as the symbol of the nation's concern

25  for and commitment to accounting as fully as possible for

26  Americans still imprisoned, missing in action, or unaccounted

27  for, and

28         WHEREAS, in 1985 the United States Congress directed

29  the Department of Defense to issue a medal to former Prisoners

30  of War recognizing and commemorating their great sacrifices in

31  the service of our nation, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HR 9185

    54-360A-99






  1         WHEREAS, the United States 102d Congress designated

  2  April 9, 1991, and April 9, 1992, as "National Former

  3  Prisoners of War Recognition Day," and

  4         WHEREAS, the sacrifices of Americans still missing and

  5  unaccounted for from all of our nation's wars, and their

  6  families, are deserving of national recognition and support,

  7  and

  8         WHEREAS, the State of Florida owes a debt of gratitude

  9  to its Prisoners of War for their sacrifices in the face of

10  adversity and confinement, NOW, THEREFORE,

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12  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

13  Florida:

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15         That the House of Representatives of the State of

16  Florida hereby honors its Prisoners of War for their service

17  to the State of Florida and to the United States.

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