[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 107 (Friday, August 5, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY

  Mrs. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Post Office and Civil Service be discharged from further 
consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 131) designating 
December 7 of each year as ``National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day,'' 
and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Menendez). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentlewoman from Virginia?
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, the 
minority does not object. I at this point would yield to the prime 
sponsor of this important resolution, which would designate December 7 
of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the gentleman 
from Illinois [Mr. Sangmeister].
  Mr. SANGMEISTER. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank and commend the gentleman from 
Missouri [Mr. Clay], the chairman of the full committee for his 
distinguished leadership, his strong support of this measure and for 
moving this bill so expeditiously. I would also like to thank the 
ranking member from Indiana [Mr. Myers] for his support.
  Mr. Speaker, House Joint Resolution 131, would designate December 7 
of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
  On December 8, 1941, President Roosevelt uttered the words, 
``December 7, 1941--a date which will live in infamy.'' He was standing 
in this House Chamber giving a speech before a joint session of 
Congress, asking that a state of war be declared between the United 
States and Japan.
  This attack, killing more than 2,000 citizens of the U.S. and 
wounding another 1,000, marked the entry of the U.S. into WW II. 
Between the period of December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, over 16 
million Americans served in the Armed Forces of the U.S. Of that number 
671,000 were wounded in action; 292,000 were killed in action; and an 
additional 114,000 died of non-battle causes for a total of 406,000 
Americans making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom around 
the world.
  I believe that House Joint Resolution 131 will promote a greater 
understanding and appreciation of this sacrifice.
  Mr. Speaker, this measure does not create a Federal holiday which 
will cost taxpayers money. It simply designates December 7 of each year 
as a working holiday and encourages Federal agencies to fly the flag at 
half-staff and mark the day with appropriate ceremonies. Passage of 
this legislation will ensure that new generations of Americans, 
particularly school children, would be reminded of the sacrifices their 
forefathers made to give them the freedom they enjoy in the greatest 
Nation in the world.
  As our World War II veterans age and begin to pass on, it is 
especially important that we appropriately memorialize their 
contribution to our great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the efforts of 
Mr. Richard Foltynewicz--a constituent of mine who has worked 
tirelessly to make this bill a reality--and Mr. Lee Goldfarb--a Pearl 
Harbor survivor, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and President 
of the National Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He has been 
exceedingly instrumental in bringing this measure to the floor. I urge 
my colleagues to favorably consider House Joint Resolution 131, so that 
we may never forget.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, further on my reservation of objection, I 
want to congratulate the prime sponsor, the gentleman from Illinois 
[Mr. Sangmeister], for his leadership in this regard because this 
resolution that I have cosponsored, as has my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Virginia [Mrs. Byrne], will now designate every year, 
December 7, as commemorating Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of a 
joint resolution designating December 7 of each year as ``National 
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.''
  Every generation has a day forever emblazoned in its consciousness. 
For my parents, it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 
in 1918, when the guns fell silent on the Western Front of Europe. For 
another generation, it was an autumn afternoon when the crack of 
gunfire snuffed out the life of our young, vibrant President Kennedy in 
a Dallas motorcade.
  But for my generation, the day we will never forget was 50 years ago, 
when a quiet Sunday afternoon was interrupted by the shocking news that 
the Japanese Empire had launched an unexpected, unprovoked air attack 
upon our naval base at Pearl Harbor, HI.
  Anyone who was around on December 7, can tell you exactly where they 
were and what they were doing when these deadly bombs fell. Other 
images of that day are vivid in all of our minds: The thousands of 
American soldiers, sailors, and airmen performing personal acts of 
heroism in the midst of that sudden vicious attack, and a nation 
suddenly united with a common purpose.
  There is another lingering thought about Pearl Harbor. The knowledge 
that we must never again allow the oceans along our shorelines to lull 
us into a sense of complacency--that never again should we allow our 
national defense to be so ill-prepared for any hostile action. From 
December 7, 1941 on, we Americans knew that we would have to strengthen 
our defenses and bear the mantle of world leadership, recognizing that 
events anywhere in the world would henceforth affect us here at home.
   Mr. Speaker, December 7, 1994, is an appropriate time for our Nation 
to take a moment, remembering the important and unforgettable lesson 
that Pearl Harbor Day taught us--that never again can we allow 
ourselves to be unprepared.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the joint resolution, as follows:

                             H.J. Res. 131

       Whereas, on December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy 
     and Air Force attacked units of the armed forces of the 
     United States stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii;
       Whereas more than 2,000 citizens of the United States were 
     killed and more than 1,000 citizens of the United States were 
     wounded in the attack on Pearl Harbor;
       Whereas the attack on Pearl Harbor marked the entry of the 
     United States into World War II;
       Whereas the veterans of World War II and all other people 
     of the United States commemorate December 7 in remembrance of 
     the attack on Pearl Harbor; and
       Whereas commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor will 
     instill in all people of the United States a greater 
     understanding and appreciation of the selfless sacrifice of 
     the individuals who served in the armed forces of the United 
     States during World War II: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That December 
     7 of each year is designated as ``National Pearl Harbor 
     Remembrance Day'' and the President is authorized and 
     requested--
       (1) to issue annually a proclamation calling on the people 
     of the United States to observe the day with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities; and
       (2) to urge all Federal agencies, and interested 
     organizations, groups, and individuals, to fly the flag of 
     the United States at halfstaff each December 7 in honor of 
     the individuals who died as a result of their service at 
     Pearl Harbor.

  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider 
was laid on the table.

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