May. 25, 2020

USA Veterans ,service members and Families honored at 2020 Congressional memorial day event .

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee honored the nation,s veterans, service members and their families a the congressional memorial day ceremony that took place at the World war two [WW2] PLAZA located at Heights Boulevard and 11th street in Houston Texas.
The ceremony in it,s 13th anniversary this memorial day 5/25/2020 was low key, with many of the participants and guests wearing masks and other face coverings and maintaining safe physical distances as protective measures against the Coronavirus that causes COVID19.
Some of Houston's notables who attended the Hon Jackson Lee event were, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston Texas, Statehouse representative, and city of Houston at large position 2 council member, Hon David W. Robinson.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee said " It is our duty to mark this moment despite the uncertainty of our time. As our nation continues to respond to COVID19. pandemic, Memorial day 2020 will look a little different but remains my solemn duty to honor our fallen heroes and mark this moment despite the uncertainty of our time. We pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and remember those who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy and honor the families and communities they left behind. Every day, our country is safe from foreign aggression, and our children can play and breathe freely is a day our servicemembers and veterans made possible. We thank them for their service, and honor their memories ".
Honorable Shiela Jackson Lee also spoke about the work she and her colleagues do in the USA congress in these words " I am proud of our national commitment to providing high-quality care and benefits to the nearly 20 million veterans in the USA, more than 2 million troops and reservists and their families. This commitment is even more important today as we urgently deal with the Corona Virus crisis... The number of Veterans Affairs patients who have died from Coronavirus complications rose to more than 1,000 last week, even as the number of active cases of the illness within the department,s medical system continued to decline. VA medical centers in the New York City area continue to be among the hardest hit by the Corona Virus, which has killed nearly 100, 000 Americans nationwide ."
Honorable Jackson Lee lee says that, since the beginning of the pandemic, they have passed legislative packages that focused on ensuring the USA response puts workers and families first: their health, their wages, and their wellbeing.
The Heroes Act, passed by the House Democrats on May 15th, made key investments in our veterans and service members including, but not limited to: Ensuring veterans will not have pays or cost-sharing for preventive treatment or services related to COVID 19 and streaming lining VA, the s payment process for emergency care claims to community providers. Temporarily suspending VA,s debt collection activities and extending the deadlines to file claims and appeals for VA benefits, including disability compensation, during the public health emergency; Expanding emergency assistance for homeless veterans, providing VA doctors, nurses and health professionals access to hazard pay and paid sick leave if exposed or diagnosed with Corona Virus and workers compensation if they fall ill; and alleviating unfair financial penalties for service members. Just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we must leave no veteran behind here at home.
The Honorable Jackson Lee, was proud to honor the last living Buffalo Soldier .in person of Sgt Major James Williams, who was the guest speaker.
The Buffalo Soldiers, comprised of former slaves, freedmen and black Civil War soldiers, were the first to serve during peacetime. Sgt Major James Williams served in the Korean war and did four tours in Vietnam.
When he joined the army in 1950, he along with all his fellow black soldiers were still not allowed to eat, sleep, or participate in the same activities with their fellow white soldiers. His challenges were not just the normal challenges of Boot camp and military training, but also the emotional challenges of confronting the realities of racism and segregation.
Mayor Sylvester Turner in His remarks thanked lady Jackson Lee for the memorial event, it,s its 13th year, underscoring the importance not only to the memory of those who have died during and or after military service to the nation and to the global work for freedom. It should be noted that the office of Veterans Affairs at cit hall address issues related to veterans and the families of those who have lost love wars while in active duty.
The representative of the Texas guard Houston, thanked the congresswoman Jackson Lee for the event and honors to the guard, as he innumerate the different activities they perform for the community since activation of the Texas national guard like testing and food delivery.
It should be noted that host of the event Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, is a senior member of the USA House committee of on the judiciary, Homeland security, and budget, representing the 18th Congressional District of Texas.
BY DR AKWO THOMPSON NTUBA

Dr, Akwo Thompson Ntuba. senior editor of Health and development magazine, who has worked in Health and development information, education and communication for close to 10 years in multiple USA states, with work at the USA congress, HSS, World Bank, UN New York WHO, major international conferences like CeraWeek, Association of USA Army, NIH, HHS, CDC, and White house events.Major national USA party political conventions [DEMS in Phili 2016] and GOP Cleveland 2016. Dr. Ntuba Akwo cherishes the times he has been in the same room for work with the vice president and president of the united states.
Dr. Akwo Ntuba Thompson has been for extensive work in Europe, in France, England, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Enjoys talking to people in Zurich Switzerland. His work in many African countries is continuos. The multiple continents' experience and work make HND a health and development resource like no other around the world.