H. Rick & Brenda Tavares
1805 La Posta Road Campo, California 91906-2206
619-478-5991 sgt1@sciti.com
6 May, 2006---------------------------------------------------
BILL UPDATE, as of 5/06/06
"Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act"
HR 2369 in the House of Representatives
S 2157, Companion Bill in the Senate
To all of our wonderful friends and supporters; At this point in time, I know not what the final
destiny of the Bill, HR 2369 in the House, and S 2157 in the Senate (Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act)
will be. But after some three years of hard work on this legislation, and no matter the final outcome, I
want to extend my warmest thanks to those whose efforts have gotten this Bill this far. The literally
millions of citizens who, like me, wished to pay a final honor and tribute to the over 17,000 American
service members who perished horribly within the confines enemy prisoner of war facilities! Without the
magnificent help and caring of these patriots, we could have never gotten this far! "And within this army of
the caring we must number each and every individual who in spirit and deed added their voice to this
crescendo!" Wilbert (Shorty) Estabrook of San Antonio, Texas, a retired United States Army Sergeant who
spent well over three years as a captive of our enemies during the Korean War, was the spark that ignited
this effort. It was his idea to seek the award of a Posthumous Purple Heart Medal to those who expired in
captivity from starvation, beatings, torture, medical neglect, freezing and diseases etc. A final tribute to
those who perished under the brutal boot of our enemies, from the onset of World War II to the present and
beyond! Then there was my wife Brenda who lost her uncle, Corporal Melvin Morgan in a North Korean POW
Camp in December of 1950. Corporal Morgan, a young man of but 20 years, was starved and beaten to death by a
heartless enemy. Without Brenda's help in research, sending out hundreds, if not thousands of letters, and
making countless phone calls, this effort may have ended before it was even begun! I also wish to thank
the media who covered this Bill, the Congressmen and the Senators who backed this magnificent effort, and
each and every individual who came together in a common cause to advance this crusade. Without them, each
and every one, we would have never advanced beyond square #1. I also wish to thank the millions of
veterans and their families who belong to the various organizations around our nation who stood firmly
behind this Bill and lent their undying support to the effort to get this legislation enacted into law. I
will also never forget the aid and assistance of the legions of citizens who continually offered their
encouragement to this effort. All of these people and more (many, many more), helped to comprised the
growing army of genuine patriots who brought this Bill to the forefront, and to all of these friends, I
extend my warmest thanks. Together, we will, after over six decades in some cases, see to it that justice is
finally done and our fallen heroes, those who died thousands of miles away from home and family, are finally
recognized for their ultimate sacrifice! Thank you all very much.... Sincerely and respectfully,
H. Rick Tavares, Member of the Tiger Survivors Group
sgt1@sciti.com P.S.
For the record, as of this point in time, there are 213 Congressmen and 12 Senators supporting this Bill.
There are also some 35 veterans' organizations, with a membership of over 7,500,000 (not counting family
members), endorsing and/or supporting this effort....
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ENDORSE AND/OR SUPPORT "HONOR OUR FALLEN PRISONERS OF WAR ACT", HR 2369 In the
House and S 2157 in the Senate. (Listed with membership numbers.) How about your organization/s coming on board?
Let me know and I will send you a RESOLUTION to sign.
- Agent Orange Victims and Widows Network Inc. - 180
- American EX-POW - 25,197
- American EX-POW Chapter # 1, East Texas - 20
- American EX-POW Chapter # 1, San Antonio Texas - 140
- American Legion - 2.8 Million + 1 million Aux
- AMVETS Cape Cod Post - 333
- Association for Uniformed Services - 200,000
- Blinded American Veterans Foundation
- Cold War Veterans - 1000
- Fleet Reserve - 135,000 + 22,000 Aux
- Hispanic War Veterans Of America - 1100
- Jewish War Veterans - 100,000 + 50,000 Aux
- Korean/Cold War Family of the Missing - 600
- Korea Cold War Veterans - 170
- Korean Defense Veterans of America
- Korean War EX-Prisoners of War, Inc. - 2000
- Korean War Veterans Association - 17,000
- League of Prisoners of War and Missing In Action Families - 1000 and several thousand
associates.
- Legion of Valor of The United States - 752
- Marine Corps League - 61,000
- Marine Corps League Detachment 1057, Murrieta and Temecula CA.
- Military Officers Association - 350,000
- Military Order of the Purple Heart - 36,000
- National Guard Association of the United States of America - 40,000
- Polish Legion of American Veterans of the United States of America - 10,000
- Tiger Survivors (POW Korean War) - 500
- Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees - 1500
- US Submarine Veterans of WW II - 4000
- Veterans of Foreign War - 1.9 million + 650,000 Aux
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4089, Temecula CA
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7089, Richmond KY - 106
- Veterans Widows International Network, Inc. - 400
- 4th Infantry Division Association - 5000
- 24th Infantry Division Association - 2581
Roughly 7.5 million Veterans organization members have thus far responded in a positive fashion.
H.R.2369
Title: To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the Purple Heart to be awarded to
prisoners of war who die in captivity under circumstances not otherwise establishing eligibility for
the Purple Heart. Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
CO SPONSORS (212) + Sponsor = 213
- Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
- Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5]
- Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2]
- Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5]
- Rep Baca, Joe [CA]
- Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6]
- Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3]
- Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]
- Rep Barrow, John [GA-12]
- Rep Beauprez, Bob [CO-7]
- Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31]
- Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]
- Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]
- Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1]
- Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2]
- Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1]
- Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7]
- Rep Boehlert, Sherwood [NY-24]
- Rep Bonilla, Henry [TX-23]
- Rep Bono, Mary [CA-45]
- Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU]
- Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3]
- Rep Boucher, Rick [VA-9]
- Rep Boustany, Charles W., Jr. [LA-7]
- Rep Bradley, Jeb [NH-1]
- Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]
- Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3]
- Rep Brown, Sherrod [OH-13]
- Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5]
- Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1]
- Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44]
- Rep Campbell, John [CA]
- Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]
- Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]
- Rep Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD-3]
- Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA]
- Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7]
- Rep Case, Ed [HI-2]
- Rep Chandler, Ben [KY-6]
- Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI]
- Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5]
- Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11]
- Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14]
- Rep Cooper, Jim [TN-5]
- Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12]
- Rep Cubin, Barbara [WY]
- Rep Cuellar, Henry [TX-28]
- Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7]
- Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7]
- Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4]
- Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53]
- Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4]
- Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10]
- Rep Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [FL-21]
- Rep Doggett, Lloyd TX-25]
- Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14]
- Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2]
- Rep Edwards, Chet [TX-17]
- Rep Ehlers, Vernon J. [MI-3]
- Rep Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5]
- Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]
- Rep English, Phil [PA-3]
- Rep Etheridge, Bob [NC-2]
- Rep Evans, Lane [IL-17]
- Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F. H. [AS]
- Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]
- Rep Ferguson, Mike [NJ-7]
- Rep Fitzpatrick, Michael G. [PA-8]
- Rep Flake, Jeff [AZ-6]
- Rep Foley, Mark [FL-16]
- Rep Ford, Harold E., Jr. [TN-9]
- Rep Fortuno, Luis G. [PR]
- Rep Fossella, Vito [NY-13]
- Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24]
- Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5]
- Rep Gerlach. Jim [PA-6]
- Rep Gibbons, Jim [NV-2]
- Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1]
- Rep Gillmor, Paul E. [OH-5]
- Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6]
- Rep Green, Al [TX-9]
- Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]
- Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4]
- Rep Hayes, Robert [NC-8]
- Rep Herger. Wally [CA]
- Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27]
- Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]
- Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17]
- Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15]
- Rep Hooley, Darlene [OR-5]
- Rep Hostettler, John N. [IN-8]
- Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2]
- Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18]
- Rep Jefferson, William J. [LA-2]
- Rep Jenkins, William L. [TN-1]
- Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30]
- Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [OH-11]
- Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3]
- Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3]
- Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10]
- Rep Kline, John [MN-2]
- Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10]
- Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. [NY-29]
- Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
- Rep Lewis, John [GA-5]
- Rep Lewis, Ron [KY-2]
- Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3]
- Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2]
- Rep Lowery, Nita M. [NY-18]
- Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3]
- Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]
- Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]
- Rep Manzullo, Donald A. [IL-16]
- Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]
- Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-3]
- Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5]
- Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4]
- Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4]
- Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11]
- Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]
- Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
- Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7]
- Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. [GA-4]
- Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21]
- Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5]
- Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6]
- Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3]
- Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2]
- Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita [CA-37]
- Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13]
- Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10]
- Rep Miller, George [CA-7]
- Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1]
- Rep Moore, Dennis [KS-3]
- Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4]
- Rep Moran, Jerry [KS-1]
- Rep Murphy,Tim [PA-18]
- Rep John Murtha [PA]
- Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N. [CO-4]
- Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]
- Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2]
- Rep Ney, Robert W. [OH-18]
- Rep Northup, Anne M. [KY-3]
- Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]
- Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8]
- Rep Obey, David R. [WI-7]
- Rep Ortiz, Solomon [TX]
- Rep Osborne, Tom [NE-3]
- Rep Otter, C. L. (Butch) [ID-1]
- Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11]
- Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]
- Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14]
- Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]
- Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6]
- Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7]
- Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6]
- Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) [MS-3]
- Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16]
- Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2]
- Rep Pombo, Richard W. [CA-11]
- Rep Pomeroy, Earl [ND-214]
- Rep Porter, Jon C. [NV-3]
- Rep Pryce, Deborah [OH-15]
- Rep Putnam, Adam H. [FL-12]
- Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3]
- Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3]
- Rep Rehberg, Dennis [MT]
- Rep Reyes, Silvestre [TX-16]
- Rep Rogers, Harold [KY-5]
- Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18]
- Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4]
- Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9]
- Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34]
- Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2]
- Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17]
- Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3]
- Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39]
- Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47]
- Rep Sanders, Bernard [VT]
- Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
- Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29]
- Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13]
- Rep Schwarz, John J.H. "Joe" [MI-7]
- Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5]
- Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16]
- Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19]
- Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9]
- Rep Simmons, Rob [CT-2]
- Rep Simpson, Michael K. [ID-2]
- Rep Smith, Adam [WA]
- Rep Spratt, John M., Jr. [SC-5]
- Rep Strickland, Ted [OH-6]
- Rep Stupak, Bart [MI-1]
- Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6]
- Rep Tanner, John S. [TN-8]
- Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2]
- Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6]
- Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3]
- Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6]
- Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
- Rep Walden, Greg [OR]
- Rep Waters, Maxine [CA]
- Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33]
- Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]
- Rep Weller, Jerry [IL-11]
- Rep Whitfield, Ed [KY-1]
- Rep Wilson, Heather [NM-1]
- Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2]
- Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10]
- Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]
- Rep Wu, David [OR-1]
- Rep Young, Don [AK]
S.2157
Sponsor: Senator Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 12/21/2005)
CO SPONSORS(11) + Sponsor = 12
- Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM]
- Sen Burns, Conrad R. [MT]
- Sen DeWine, Mike [OH]
- Sen Gregg, Judd [NH]
- Sen Johnson, Tim [SD]
- Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ]
- Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT]
- Sen Lincoln, Blanche [AR]
- Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ]
- Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [WV]
- Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]
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