[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 39 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1088-H1089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ON THE ARMY'S DECISION REGARDING ISSUANCE OF BLACK BERETS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week the Pentagon 
announced that an agreement had been reached regarding the Army Chief 
of Staff's decision to issue black berets for all Army personnel. After 
months of discord caused by what can only be called a gross error in 
judgment, it was decided that the Rangers would change from the honored 
black beret which they had been wearing since 1951 to a tan beret and 
the regular Army personnel would now wear the black beret.
  Once again the Rangers, among the most elite soldiers that the Army 
has to offer, took a back seat to political correctness and social 
engineering within, and I quote, ``the Army of one.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to read for Members some of the letters that I 
have received from citizens regarding this issue.
  This letter is from Mr. Harold Westerholm, a World War II Ranger from 
Oxford, North Carolina:

       The Rangers fought hard to gain the respect and to be 
     bestowed the honor of wearing a black beret. Merely giving 
     the ordinary soldier the privilege of wearing a black beret 
     will not improve his morale. Morale is gained through 
     respect, respect which is earned through deed.

  Let me also quote a letter from Mr. James Roe:

       I strongly disagree with the United States Army ignoring 
     the Made in America Act for the purchase of the black berets. 
     It is unbelievable to me that you would allow our military to 
     purchase the new headgear from China. North Carolina is a 
     major textile-producing State, which has been devastated by 
     low-cost Chinese imports. How did you let this happen? How 
     can our brave men and women be forced to wear Chinese-
     manufactured berets?

  My answer to Mr. Roe and to the millions of other Americans who have 
asked that question is that it happened because the Congress was not 
consulted

[[Page H1089]]

or informed of the decision to bypass the Buy American Act. I spoke 
with a small business owner yesterday who would have gladly bid on the 
order for the berets if she had only been given the opportunity. What 
is more, she could have made the berets for almost $3 less than it is 
costing you and me and every taxpayer to import them from Communist 
China.
  Also, I heard from retired Lieutenant Colonel William Luther. Colonel 
Luther wrote:

       Those who can act on this matter need to wake up and 
     understand that what they are about to let happen will cost 
     the Army and our country far more than money can ever buy.

  Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of the letters that I have received 
on this issue, but these letters represent the feelings and sentiment 
of thousands who are sickened by this original decision and by the 
bogus resolution that the Rangers were forced to agree to. I am still 
greatly perplexed and extremely disappointed that this decision and the 
series of bad decisions that followed were allowed to stand. I hope 
that it is not too late for this Congress to intervene on behalf of the 
Rangers, small business owners and U.S. manufacturing companies before 
it is too late.
  I along with many of my colleagues will not let this matter simply 
drop. We will continue to encourage the committees of jurisdiction to 
hold hearings so the American people can know the truth once and for 
all.
  Mr. Speaker, I close by saying, God bless our men and women in 
uniform, and God bless America.

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