Committee approves resolution urging federal recognition for troops who served in Honduras; placed on consent calendar

The House Agriculture Committee voted to give a due‑pass recommendation and placed on the consent calendar House Concurrent Resolution 3007, a resolution urging Congress to recognize United States troops who served in Honduras between 1981 and 1992.

Sponsor Representative Jason Doctor told the committee the resolution was requested by veterans who served in the region. Lieutenant Colonel Jay Sheldon, strategy and policy officer for the North Dakota National Guard, provided background on North Dakota participation: "January fifth of 1989 to July fourteenth of 1989, roughly 1,400 North Dakota National Guard soldiers rotated through the mission in Honduras," he said, describing road‑construction and base‑camp work. Sheldon also recounted an April 15, 1989 convoy attack in which vehicles came under hostile fire; no North Dakota guardsmen were injured in that incident.

Representative Verdi moved a due‑pass recommendation and asked that the resolution be placed on the consent calendar; Representative Freiberbeck seconded the motion. The committee called the roll and recorded an affirmative vote; the clerk announced a 13‑0‑1 vote in favor (13 yes, 0 no, 1 absent). The committee minutes show individual yes votes recorded during the roll call.

Committee members thanked the witnesses and the sponsor; the resolution will advance on the consent calendar.