[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 27, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H6315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              THE NEW ENOLA GAY EXHIBIT AT THE SMITHSONIAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Sam Johnson, during morning 
business is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, just a few short months ago, 
the Smithsonian Institution was surrounded with controversy. The 
planned exhibit of the historic Enola Gay, the plane that actually 
dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, was overcome with historic 
revisionism and distortion of fact by a group of people that was 
determined to editorialize and promote an anti-American message about 
the end of World War II, which we are celebrating this year, as you 
know.
  I am happy to report that starting tomorrow, that exhibit is going to 
be open to the public, and Secretary Heyman and the Smithsonian have 
created a new Enola Gay exhibit that every American can be proud of. 
The new exhibit, which I had an opportunity to view last week, tells 
the amazing story of the development of the B-29 airplane, and it talks 
about how America researched and how American industry and how American 
ingenuity developed our air power so that we actually were able to win 
World War II, and it shows the brave crew that flew on a historic 
mission.
  Most importantly, the exhibit shows the true role America played in 
ending World War II, in saving both American and Japanese lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Smithsonian. I think the National Air 
and Space Museum is back on track as an exemplary museum for America, 
and I urge all Americans to visit the National Air and Space Museum 
here in Washington and see this great tribute to American aviation, 
American veterans, and American history.

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