[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 158 (Wednesday, November 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14589-S14590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO 
                 PARTICIPATED IN KOSOVO AND THE BALKANS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
224 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 224) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate to designate November 11, 1999, as a special day for 
     recognizing the members of the Armed Forces and the civilian 
     employees of the United States who participated in the recent 
     conflict in Kosovo and the Balkans.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I am reminded of incredibly sacred places 
and moments in our history when I rise to talk about recognition of our 
veterans--past and present--on Veteran's Day--recognizing all our 
veteran's from all our wars. Places like Arlington National Cemetery, 
Andersonville, Georgia, the beaches of Normandy, Pearl Harbor, the 
Chosin Reservoir, Keshan, the deserts of Kuwait, and now the skies over 
Kosovo, should be indelibly etched in all our thoughts.
  It is often said ``Poor is the nation which has no heroes, but poorer 
still is the nation which has them but forgets.'' We will gather all 
over this great nation on Thursday, November 11, 1999 to remember for 
the last time this century our veterans and to restate our commitment 
that they will never be forgotten. I consider all those who has ever 
been in uniform to my brothers and sisters. We all came to these 
hollowed chambers through distinguished routes, I got to Washington 
because of those who served in the military and I work here, day in and 
day out, for them!
  As we depart Washington, I ask that we reiterate our promise to our 
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, DoD civilians, and their families--
that they will not be slighted, now or ever--that we honor their 
service--that we honor the service of those still missing, because 
their plight is our plight.
  We cannot remember our Veterans properly without remembering the 
sacrifices of war--these are the issues that hit home. We remember 
those service members who have sacrificed for this nation, and we pay 
special tribute to their families.
  I ask through my resolution that we additionally pay special tribute 
this Veteran's Day to those service members--active, guard, reserve, 
and civilians--who participated in the recently successful military 
operations--combat and humanitarian--in Kosovo and the entire Balkans 
area of operations.
  Over 39,000 members of the Armed Services deployed to the Balkans 
area during the peak of Kosovo operations, 700 U.S. aircraft were 
deployed, 37,000 overall missions were flown with 25,000 of these by 
U.S. aircraft, and 5,000 missions were weapons strike missions. We all 
know that this is only a partial picture of what was occurring on the 
ground, on the high seas, and in the air. These facts fit any 
definition of warfare.
  We can not forget these individuals and their families any more than 
we can forget those of all of our past wars. If freedom is the fruit of 
victory, Veteran's Day reminds us too of the cost of war--casualties, 
POWs, and MIAs. They live in our hearts while we live in the world they 
made safe for us. I call for us all this Veteran's Day to remember 
specially our Kosovo and Balkans service members as we remember all 
past veterans.
  Every day I wake up, I thank God I am here. I am inspired to continue 
living by the memory of our veteran's. The vigilance of those that went 
to Kosovo, like those who still serve in the Balkans, those in the 
desert, those in ships, and those in Korea and in the far corners of 
the earth, is now my vigilance, their fight is now my fight. I ask my 
colleagues to remember and to ensure that their sacrifices are not made 
in vain.
  Secretary Cohen recently stated at the POW/MIA recognition ceremony 
at Arlington Cemetery--an awesome, somber experience--that ``we are the 
heirs of freedom, paid for with the blood of patriots.'' I ask my 
colleagues to remember our Kosovo and Balkans patriots in their 
ceremonies this Veteran's Day. How fortunate we are, how much we owe.
  I will be remembering veterans from Georgia in the Kosovo conflict, 
especially veterans from Warner Robbins Air Force Base, Fort Stewart 
near Savannah, the naval air station in Atlanta and Moody Air Force 
Base in Valdosta.
  I thank the Chair.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. I ask unanimous consent the resolution and the preamble 
be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
and that any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 224) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 224

       Whereas approximately 39,000 members of the Armed Forces 
     and civilian employees of the United States were deployed at 
     the peak of the 1999 conflict in Kosovo;
       Whereas approximately 700 United States aircraft were 
     deployed and committed to combat missions during that 
     conflict;
       Whereas approximately 37,000 combat sorties were flown by 
     aircraft of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
     during that conflict;
       Whereas approximately 25,000 combat sorties were flown by 
     United States aircraft during that conflict;

[[Page S14590]]

       Whereas more than 5,000 weapons strike missions were 
     completed during that conflict;
       Whereas that conflict was the largest combat operation in 
     the history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization;
       Whereas the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization achieved all the military objectives of that 
     conflict;
       Whereas there were no United States or North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization combat fatalities during that conflict; 
     and
       Whereas that conflict was the most precise air assault in 
     history: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the Sense of the Senate--
       (1) to designate November 11, 1999, as a special day for 
     recognizing and welcoming home the members of the Armed 
     Forces (including active component and reserve component 
     personnel), and the civilian personnel of the United States, 
     who participated in the recently-completed operations in 
     Kosovo and the Balkans, including combat operations and 
     humanitarian assistance operations;
       (2) to designate November 11, 1999, as a special day for 
     remembering the members of the Armed Forces deployed in 
     Kosovo and throughout the world, and the families of such 
     members;
       (3) to make the designations under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
     on November 11, 1999, in light of the traditional celebration 
     and recognition of the veterans of the United States on 
     November 11 each year;
       (4) to acknowledge that the members of the Armed Forces who 
     served in Kosovo and the Balkans responded to the call to 
     arms during a time of change in world history;
       (5) to recognize that we live in times of international 
     unrest and that the conflict in Kosovo was a dangerous 
     military operation, as all combat operations are; and
       (6) to acknowledge that the United States owes a debt of 
     gratitude to the members of the Armed Forces who served in 
     the conflict in Kosovo, to their families, and to all the 
     members of the Armed Forces who place themselves in harm's 
     way each and every day.

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