[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 87 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 87

Expressing the sense of Congress that an appropriate site at the former 
 Navy Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard should be provided for a 
 memorial to honor the members of the Armed Forces who have served as 
   divers and whose service in defense of the United States has been 
              carried out beneath the waters of the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 10, 2011

Mr. Bilirakis submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 
    Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress that an appropriate site at the former 
 Navy Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard should be provided for a 
 memorial to honor the members of the Armed Forces who have served as 
   divers and whose service in defense of the United States has been 
              carried out beneath the waters of the world.

Whereas United States Navy divers have received seven Medals of Honor for 
        multiple acts of heroism dating back to 1915;
Whereas United States Navy divers received the only peacetime Medals of Honor 
        ever awarded;
Whereas United States Navy divers significantly contributed to the salvage and 
        restoration of Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack in 1941;
Whereas United States Navy divers addressed critical beach and harbor clearances 
        and recoveries in all United States wars since WWI;
Whereas United States Navy divers significantly contributed to the winning of 
        the Cold War by diving on Soviet communications cables at extreme 
        depths;
Whereas United States Navy divers made critical recoveries of Space Shuttles 
        Challenger and Columbia;
Whereas United States Army divers were instrumental in the clearance of 
        underwater munitions at ports and harbors in WWII;
Whereas United States Army divers were crucial to maintenance and repair of 
        vessels and aircraft recovery during the Vietnam War;
Whereas United States Army divers salvaged vessels during the first Gulf War, a 
        Soviet vessel in Somalia, and numerous vessels during the humanitarian 
        operation in Haiti;
Whereas United States Army divers deployed to the Persian Gulf region in support 
        of Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas United States Army divers have performed humanitarian relief efforts to 
        clear international ports and harbors after natural disasters;
Whereas United States Army divers have performed hundreds of missions for United 
        States Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the dams, locks and waterways 
        of the United States;
Whereas United States Army divers have performed lifesaving recompression 
        treatments on injured military and civilian personnel;
Whereas United States Marine Corps divers were essential to the development of 
        the buoyant ascent technique which allows forces to deploy from 
        submarines at depth and return to a submerged submarine allowing for the 
        completion of a range of covert missions;
Whereas United States Marine Corps divers were essential to the testing and 
        development of the Fulton Skyhook, intended for the sophisticated snatch 
        pickup of troops from remote areas;
Whereas United States Air Force divers, specifically Pararescuemen and Combat 
        Controllers, have conducted crucial Department of Defense's missions in 
        support of NASA missions and efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers undertook clandestine infiltration 
        missions in the European and Pacific Theaters of WWII;
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers assisted in the recoveries of Air 
        Florida flight 90, the Space Shuttle Challenger, and numerous other 
        aircraft and vehicles;
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers provided critical underwater ship 
        husbandry support during the historic 1957 exploration of the Northwest 
        Passage;
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers have enhanced scientific achievements 
        through collection of marine samples in the Arctic and Antarctic 
        regions;
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers have ensured the safety of shipping in 
        the Pacific Islands; and
Whereas United States Coast Guard divers have established a security posture 
        throughout the homeland during ports, waterways, and coastal security 
        inspections following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Navy should 
provide an appropriate site at the former Navy Dive School at the 
Washington Navy Yard for a memorial, to be paid for with private funds, 
to honor the members of the Armed Forces who have served as divers and 
whose service in defense of the United States has been carried out 
beneath the waters of the world, so long as the Secretary of the Navy 
has exclusive authority to approve the design and site of the memorial.
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