Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

(Mr. COLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, this is the first occasion I have had to speak in the well of the House, and I do not expect to ever have an opportunity to speak on a more important issue on a more important occasion.

I keep in my office a picture of my uncle who was liberated from an axis prison camp in August 1945 after spending over 3 years in enemy captivity. He is surrounded by another group of brave Americans, and I keep that picture to remind me of the sacrifices people paid so that we have an opportunity to come here and debate and argue and discuss the great issues of the day.

I often asked my uncle when I was growing up if he ever thought that he would be left behind or forgotten. He told me never, that he knew no American would ever leave another American in captivity. I knew some day my fellows would come for me.

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure those brave men and women in captivity tonight that their country has not forgotten them. We will come for them. We will make sure that they come home safe, sound and free.

I also want to join the Members in this House in warning their captors that if they are not treated with respect and with the dignity that they not only deserve but that we extend to our enemies in this particular conflict, there will be a terrific price to pay in terms of being war criminals.

Finally, I want to say how proud I am to be in this body at this moment, where we have differences occasionally on policy, even this policy; but we have absolutely no difference when it comes to our regard for the men and women in uniform that serve and protect us, and absolutely no difference in our determination to reach out to them to protect them and to see that they are dealt with fairly when they are in captivity and they come home safely.