[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 195 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 195

  Expressing the sense of Congress that a minute of silence should be 
observed annually at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, November 11, in honor 
  of the veterans of all United States wars and to memorialize those 
members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in the defense of the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2003

 Mr. Clay (for himself, Mr. Acevedo-Vila, Mr. Payne, Mrs. Christensen, 
  Mr. Pallone, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Costello, Mrs. Emerson, Ms. Linda T. 
 Sanchez of California, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Berry, Mr. Frost, Mr. Sandlin, 
  Mr. Ross, Mr. Graves, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. Strickland) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that a minute of silence should be 
observed annually at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, November 11, in honor 
  of the veterans of all United States wars and to memorialize those 
members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in the defense of the 
                             United States.

Whereas Reverend George Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Reverend Clark Poling, and 
        Father John Washington served aboard the USAT Dorchester during World 
        War II;
Whereas Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling, and Father Washington were 
        referred to as the ``Four Chaplains'';
Whereas, on February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was hit by an enemy torpedo and 
        began to sink;
Whereas in the face of grave danger the Four Chaplains sought to calm and 
        reassure the men on board;
Whereas the Four Chaplains handed out lifejackets and directed the frightened 
        men to lifeboats;
Whereas when the last lifejacket had been handed out, the Four Chaplains removed 
        their own lifejackets and gave them to four men who had none;
Whereas the Dorchester sank and took with her 672 men and the Four Chaplains, 
        who stood arm in arm with their heads bowed in prayer and went down with 
        the ship;
Whereas none of the Four Chaplains inquired about whether the young man to whom 
        he gave his lifejacket was a member of his own faith;
Whereas the Four Chaplains will remain forever in the memories of Americans as 
        an example of the kind of heroism which has always characterized the 
        best of the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas the sacrifice of the Four Chaplains stand as a testimony to all heroic 
        veterans who have fought for the United States;
Whereas each year on November 11 the United States pays tribute to its war dead 
        and veterans in a national observance known as Veterans Day; and
Whereas a national minute of silence observed annually at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans 
        Day, November 11, would provide the people of the United States with an 
        opportunity to honor the veterans of all United States wars and 
        memorialize those members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in 
        defense of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that a minute of silence should be 
observed annually at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, November 11, in honor 
of the veterans of all United States wars and to memorialize those 
members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in the defense of the 
United States.
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