[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S15079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, on behalf of Senators Abraham, Kyl, 
and Gramm, I am proud to introduce Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 74, 
honoring the 75th anniversary of the United States Border Patrol.
  Mr. President, the men and women of the Border Patrol are our 
Nation's first line of defense in the war on drugs and illegal 
immigration. Since 1924, the Border Patrol has guarded some 8,000 miles 
of international boundaries, and has maintained a reputation for 
getting the job done. The Border Patrol story is one of long hours and 
hard work in defense of our country.
  The Department of Labor Appropriations Act of 1924 created a Border 
Patrol within the Bureau of Immigration, with an initial force of 450 
Patrol Inspectors, a yearly budget of $1 million, and a yearly salary 
of $1,300 for each Patrol Inspector, with each patrolman furnishing 
their own house.
  The Border Patrol has grown from that initial force of 450 to more 
than 8,000 today, located in 146 stations under 21 sectors. The Border 
Patrol's officers have assisted in controlling civil disturbances, 
performing National security details, aided in foreign training and 
assessments, and responded with security and humanitarian assistance in 
the aftermath of numerous natural disasters. 86 agents and pilots have 
lost their lives in the line of duty--six in 1998 alone.
  By far, the Border Patrol's greatest challenge has come along our 
nation's Southwest Border, which is a sieve for illegal drugs and 
aliens. Last year, there were 6,359 drug seizures along the Southwest 
Border by the Border Patrol. These drugs had an estimated street value 
of $2 billion. There were also nearly 5 million illegal crossings.
  The Border Patrol and the Congress are responding to this challenge, 
providing funding to hire 1,000 new agents in fiscal year 2000, just as 
we have for the past two years. I hope that the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service will put these funds to good use, hiring these 
critical agents, and using other resources Congress has provided to 
improve the equipment and technology available to the Border Patrol.
  The United States Border Patrol has the difficult dual mission of 
protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws in a fair and 
humane manner. They do both very well under difficult conditions.
  I want to congratulate all who serve with the U.S. Border Patrol on 
this 75th anniversary and express to them to thanks of a grateful 
nation.
 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a 
resolution that commends and remembers events that transpired in Remy, 
France as its citizens honored the fallen World War II Army Air Corps 
pilot, Lieutenant Houston Braly. This inspiring story happened over 
fifty years ago, but its example of compassion and brotherhood remains 
in our hearts and minds.
  On August 2, 1944, Lt. Braly's squadron of P-51 fighters on patrol in 
northern France encountered a German munitions train. After three 
unsuccessful attack runs at the camouflaged train, Lt. Braly's fire hit 
a car carrying explosives, causing a tremendous explosion.
  Airplanes circling 13,000 feet over the battle were hit by shrapnel 
from the train, haystacks in fields some distance away burned, and 
nearly all buildings in the small French town were demolished. A 13th 
century church in the town of Remy barely escaped destruction, but its 
historic stained-glass windows were shattered.
  It was this explosion that tragically claimed the life of Lt. Braly 
at only twenty-two years of age.
  Despite the near total destruction of the small town, the residents 
of Remy regarded that young American as a hero. A young woman pulled 
Braly's body from the burning wreck of the plane, wrapped him in the 
nylon of his parachute, and placed him in the town's courtyard. 
Hundreds of villagers left flowers around his body, stunning German 
authorities.
  The next morning, German authorities discovered that villagers 
continued to pay tribute to the young pilot despite threats of 
punishment. The placement of flowers on Lt. Braly's grave continued 
until American forces liberated Remy to the cheers of the townspeople.
  Almost 50 years later, Steven Lea Vell of Danville, California, 
discovered this story in his research. Mr. Lea Vell was so moved by the 
story that he visited Remy, France, only to find that the stained glass 
windows of the magnificent 13th century church which were destroyed in 
the explosion had never been replaced. He contacted members of the 
364th Fighter Group, under which Lt. Braly had served. After hearing 
how the residents of Remy had honored their fallen friend, veterans 
joined together to form Windows for Remy, a non-profit organization 
that would raise $200,000 to replace the stained glass windows as a 
gesture of thanks to Remy for its deeds.
  On Armistice Day, November 11, 1995, fifty years after the war ended, 
the town of Remy paid tribute once more to Lt. Braly. On that day they 
renamed the crossroads where he perished to ``Rue de Houston L. Braly, 
Jr.''
  I know that my fellow senators will want to join me in commending the 
people of Remy for their kindness and recognize the comrades of Lt. 
Braly for their good will.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
resolution be printed at this point in the Record.
  There being no objection, the resolution was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                            S. CON. RES. --

       Whereas on August 2, 1944, a squadron of P-51s from the 
     United States 364th Fighter Group strafed a German munitions 
     train in Remy, France;
       Whereas the resulting explosion killed Lieutenant Houston 
     Braly, one of the attacking pilots, and destroyed much of the 
     village of Remy, including 7 stained glass windows in the 
     13th century church;
       Whereas despite threats of reprisals from the occupying 
     German authorities, the citizens of Remy recovered Lieutenant 
     Braly's body from the wreckage, buried his body with dignity 
     and honor in the church's cemetery, and decorated the grave 
     site daily with fresh flowers;
       Whereas on Armistice Day, 1995, the village of Remy renamed 
     the crossroads near the site of Lieutenant Braly's death in 
     his honor;
       Whereas the surviving members of the 364th Fighter Group 
     desire to express their gratitude to the brave citizens of 
     Remy; and
       Whereas to express their gratitude, the surviving members 
     of the 364th Fighter Group have organized a nonprofit 
     corporation to raise funds through its project ``Windows for 
     Remy'' to restore the church's stained glass windows: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) commends the bravery and honor of the citizens of Remy, 
     France, for their actions with respect to the American 
     fighter pilot Lieutenant Houston Braly, during and after 
     August 1944; and
       (2) recognizes the efforts of the surviving members of the 
     United States 364th Fighter Group to raise funds to restore 
     the stained glass windows of Remy's 13th century church.

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