[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 413 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                          May 22, 2007.
Whereas the United States Merchant Marine served as the Nation's first Navy and 
        helped George Washington's Continental Army defeat the British Navy;
Whereas since 1775, United States Merchant Mariners have served valiantly in 
        times of peace and in every war;
Whereas after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 29 United States 
        Merchant Marine Academy cadets operated a fleet of boats in New York 
        Harbor, transporting firefighters and other emergency equipment workers, 
        medical supplies, and food;
Whereas today, more than 8,000 Merchant Mariners serve in the Military Sealift 
        Command, most of them working in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
        Operation Enduring Freedom;
Whereas the United States Merchant Marine Academy is the only one of the five 
        service academies that sends its cadets into war, and 142 undergraduates 
        of the Academy were lost during World War II;
Whereas during World War II, Merchant Mariners served honorably in combat but 
        were denied veterans benefits and recognition at the end of the war 
        despite sustaining the highest rate of casualties of any of the armed 
        services;
Whereas more than 95 percent of the Allied Forces and materiel that was 
        transported during World War II was transported by Merchant Marine 
        ships;
Whereas the Merchant Mariners of World War II were denied the unprecedented 
        benefits of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (known as the ``GI 
        Bill of 1944'');
Whereas the story of the United States Merchant Mariners of World War II is one 
        of patriotism, of youthful exuberance, of dedication to duty, of bravery 
        in the midst of battle, and of a Nation that forgot these heroes after 
        the end of the war for more than 40 years until 1988, when they were 
        given veteran status;
Whereas by that time, over 125,000 of those Merchant Mariners had died and many 
        had lost out on opportunities and benefits they greatly deserved; and
Whereas, on National Maritime Day, Congress recognizes the tremendous sacrifices 
        and contributions of the Merchant Marine and its veterans and the entire 
        maritime industry to the Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That on National Maritime Day, the House of Representatives 
recognizes the heroic and invaluable sacrifices that the United States Merchant 
Marine veterans have made to help ensure our Nation's prosperity and safety.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.