Did the Wrong Thing

Lead Balloons at BAD ATTITUDES posts about the effort by Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to change the Bush policy of "out of sight--and hopefully out of mind" when it comes to bringing home the caskets containing the remains of US soldiers.

Both of Louisiana's senators voted against Lautenberg's amendment, which read:

SEC. 364. PROTOCOL ON MEDIA COVERAGE OF RETURN TO UNITED STATES OF REMAINS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES KILLED OVERSEAS.

(a) PROTOCOL REQUIRED.--(1) Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop a protocol that permits media coverage of the return to the United States of the coffins containing the remains of members of the Armed Forces who are killed overseas.

(2) The protocol shall ensure the preservation of the dignity of the occasion of the return to the United States of members of the Armed Forces who are killed overseas.

(3) The protocol shall ensure the preservation of the confidentiality of the identity of each member of the Armed Forces whose remains are returning to the United States.

(b) REPORT.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a copy of the protocol developed under subsection (a).

Why Breaux and Landrieu think out of sight/out of mind is the correct way to honor war dead is beyond me.