[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 19, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H3220-H3224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING ARMY NATIONAL GUARD COMBAT UNITS DEPLOYED IN SUPPORT OF ARMY
OPERATIONS IN BOSNIA
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 154) honoring the continued
commitment of the Army National Guard combat units deployed in support
of Army operations in Bosnia, recognizing the sacrifices made by the
members of those units while away from their jobs and families during
those deployments, recognizing the important role of all National Guard
and Reserve personnel at home and abroad to the national security of
the United States, and acknowledging, honoring, and expressing
appreciation for the critical support by employers of the Guard and
Reserve.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 154
Whereas in October 1999 the Army announced a groundbreaking
multi-year plan to mobilize and deploy the headquarters of
National Guard combat divisions to command the United States
sector of the Multinational Stabilization Force in Bosnia and
to employ significant elements of the Army National Guard
enhanced combat brigades in that sector;
Whereas the 49th Armored Division, Texas Army National
Guard, and Army National Guard combat units from the 30th
Enhanced Separate Brigade of North Carolina and the 45th
Enhanced Separate Brigade of Oklahoma have completed
deployments in Bosnia, and 1,200 soldiers of the 48th
Infantry Brigade of Georgia are as of June 2001 deployed to
Bosnia in the largest such deployment of National Guard
personnel in support of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization peacekeeping mission in Bosnia;
Whereas the more than 1,200,000 citizen-soldiers who
comprise the National Guard and Reserve components of the
Armed Forces nationwide commit significant time and effort in
executing their important role in the Armed Forces;
Whereas these National Guard and Reserve citizen-soldiers
serve a critical role as part of the mission of the Armed
Forces to protect the freedom of United States citizens and
the American ideals of justice, liberty, and freedom, both at
home and abroad; and
Whereas thousands of employers nationwide continue their
support for service of their employees in the Reserve
components: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) honors the continuing service and commitment of the
citizen-soldiers of the Army National Guard combat units
deployed in support of Army operations in Bosnia;
(2) recognizes the deployment of the 48th Infantry Brigade
in March 2001 as an important milestone in that commitment;
(3) honors the sacrifices made by the families and
employers of the members of those units during their time
away from home;
(4) expresses deep gratitude for the continuing support of
civilian employers for the service of their employees in the
National Guard and Reserve;
(5) recognizes the critical importance of the National
Guard and Reserve to the security of the United States; and
(6) supports providing the necessary resources to ensure
the continued readiness of the National Guard and Reserve.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Thornberry) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Sanchez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry).
General Leave
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on H. Con. Res. 154.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution,
introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), honoring the
continuing commitment of Army National Guard combat units in support of
U.S. operations in Bosnia.
Throughout our history, America's citizen soldiers have played a
crucial role in making and keeping the peace. Nowhere has this been
more evident than in recent deployments of the National Guard to
support peacekeeping missions in Bosnia. Clearly, we are increasingly
reliant on the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve to
perform peacetime operational missions. For example, in 1996, the
National Guard and Reserves provided less than 1 million duty days of
direct support to active components. Today, they are providing in
excess of 12 million duty days of support annually, the equivalent of
nearly 34,000 active duty personnel.
In October 1999, the Army announced an important decision to employ
National Guard combat units and National Guard division headquarters in
support of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. As a result, the
49th Armored Division headquarters for the Texas National Guard, and
combat units from the 30th Enhanced Separate Brigade, North Carolina
National Guard, and the 45th Enhanced Separate Brigade of the Oklahoma
National Guard have completed deployments in Bosnia.
I am particularly proud of the 49th, because several of its members
came from my district, soldiers like Bob Wenger of Amarillo, Texas. The
49th was the first Guard or Reserve unit to command active duty troops
since World War II. They set the standard for others to follow. Today,
more than 1,200 soldiers of the 48th Brigade, Georgia National Guard,
have deployed in the largest such deployment of National Guard soldiers
to Bosnia.
This resolution not only honors the commitment and dedication of the
soldiers in these combat units who have left home and family to serve
the Nation, but it also honors the sacrifices of their families and
employers. It also serves as a reminder to us, and to the Nation, that
the National Guard and Reserve are critically important to the security
of the United States. Their readiness directly contributes to America's
military readiness, and we must continue to provide the support
necessary for both the active and reserve components to perform the
missions assigned to them.
{time} 1500
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 154, and I urge my
colleagues to support this important measure.
[[Page H3221]]
Madam Speaker, H. Con. Resolution 154 commends the continued
commitment of the Army National Guard combat units deployed in support
of Army operation in Bosnia. It recognizes the important role of all
National Guard and Reserve personnel, and it expresses appreciation to
the employers of the Guard and the Reserves.
Since the first units of the National Guard were mobilized for
deployment to Bosnia in December of 1995, our National Guardsmen and
women and Reservists have played a vital and significant role in
Bosnia. Their determined efforts have helped to stabilize the area and
deter hostilities to facilitate long-term peace in that area.
Recognizing their valuable contributions, the Army began to mobilize
and deploy the headquarters of the Army National Guard combat divisions
and enhanced combat brigades in Bosnia. As increasing numbers of our
National Guard and Reserves are being called to duty for peacekeeping
operations, humanitarian missions, and combat, we also need to
recognize the effect that this has on their families and to recognize
the valiant effort by these families when personnel go abroad. Like
those on active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel would not be able to
focus on their mission without the support and the strength of their
families. Madam Speaker, it really takes quite a lot out of families
when someone gets uprooted and leaves their job for a while and goes
across to work in Bosnia. So we really commend the families for their
contributions and their sacrifices in this effort.
However, the Guard and the Reserve must also depend on the support of
their employers. Can we imagine what it is like to have somebody who is
very vital to one's business interests all of a sudden leave for 6 or 8
or 10 months? Without the support of employers across the country,
Guard and Reservists would not be able to continue this important
mission for the United States.
Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize and thank those employers
for their essential support of the National Guard and our Reservists.
It is the contributions of the service member, of the family, and the
employers that play a role in our success in Bosnia and other regions.
This successful combination allows us to have the best citizen soldiers
in the world.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Collins), the sponsor of this resolution.
Mr. COLLINS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
this time.
In March, after completing preparations at Fort Polk, Louisiana and
Fort Stewart, Georgia, some 1,200 soldiers of Georgia's 48th Infantry
Brigade were deployed to Bosnia to participate in the peacekeeping
mission. They are following in the footsteps of other National Guard
units that have been mentioned such as the Texas division, the 39th
Enhanced Separate Brigade of North Carolina, and the 45th Enhanced
Separate Brigade of Oklahoma. Our citizen soldiers are adding their
strength to our efforts to bring peace to a bitter and divided land.
These men and women are part of more than 1.2 million soldiers who
play a critical part in our national defense as members of our National
Guard and Reserve components. They contribute significant time and
effort to executing their roles, and we as a Nation are very grateful.
Our citizen soldiers have helped defend our freedom since the first
minutemen took up their muskets to meet the British at Concord Bridge.
From those grassy fields of New England to the burning sands of Kuwait,
our guardsmen and reservists have fought with distinction.
As citizen soldiers, most guardsmen and reservists have two careers,
civilian and military. After a hard week on the job, neighbors may be
headed to the beach for the weekend, but many guardsmen are headed off
to drill and to train. Neighbors may be watching emergencies on TV, but
oftentimes guardsmen are already there helping victims of disorder and
disaster.
As we see our guardsmen called up to serve in areas such as Bosnia
over the long deployments, we should note the sacrifices as they leave
home, family, and friends in the service of their country. This
separation is hard on families and loved ones; but while we often note
the burden on soldiers and their families, we often overlook someone
who makes an equal sacrifice too, and those are the employers of those
reservists and those guardsmen.
I want those employers to know that the Congress deeply appreciates
the sacrifice that they knowingly make for our national security when
they hire members of the National Guard and Reservists. As a small
businessman, Madam Speaker, I know how business can be affected by the
absence of a good worker for a period of as short as a day, much less
for several weeks or months. It is tough on a business, no matter how
large or small.
Our Nation is secure today because Americans stand ready to defend
our freedom. The men and women of our National Guard and Reserve
sacrifice their time and talent to serve in the military, even as they
hold down those civilian jobs. The spirit of sacrifice is also
exemplified by the families and the loved ones who support them whether
they are off on a weekend drill or extended deployments overseas. For
this we are grateful.
Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), our distinguished ranking member of the
Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me
this time. I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 154. I urge that all of us
in this body vote for it.
This resolution honors the Army National Guard combat units in
Bosnia, recognizes the sacrifices of Guard and Reserve families, and
expresses appreciation to employers of the Guard and Reserve members
for their critical support. The Guard and Reserves have become
increasingly critical to our national security through the years. Guard
and Reserve personnel have been deployed around the world for numerous
missions, including peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
Madam Speaker, in recent weeks I have had the opportunity to visit
with a good number of National Guard units in the Fourth Congressional
District of Missouri, and soon I will have visited all of them. I must
tell my colleagues that I am so proud of them. They are there because
they want to be there. They take their training seriously; they take
their mission seriously. When I asked them how many had been deployed
in recent years, my colleagues should see the number of hands that are
raised. I thank them for their sincerity and their dedication to the
State and to our government here in the United States.
The October 1999 announcement by the Army to mobilize and deploy
National Guard combat divisions to command active and Reserve forces in
Bosnia was an historical landmark. Other various Guard combat support
and combat service support units have been participating in Bosnia
since December of 1995. For example, the 1137th Military Police Company
from Kennett, Missouri was mobilized for Bosnia in December of 1995.
Since then, the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and the 135th
Military History Detachment from Jefferson City and the 40th
Operational Support Airlift Command Detachment from Springfield have
also seen service in Bosnia. These Missouri National Guardsmen and
women have joined the thousands of guardsmen and reservists from across
the Nation who have served the Nation so well.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Brady).
Mr. BRADY of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this
resolution offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
This is truly a unique time in the history of our Nation's military.
The time of the National Guard being used solely for the purpose of
missions within the U.S. borders is over. That is not to say the Guard
does not play a vital role in our domestic situation, such as the flood
recovery in my home area of Houston from the Storm Allison. In fact,
and thank goodness, nearly 400 Guard members were called to active duty
to assist the victims, my neighbors, in this devastation.
But that is not all they do. With the decreasing size of our active
duty military, the role of the National Guard
[[Page H3222]]
has never been more important. All too often we forget about the
important service our Guard units play in protecting our Nation's
interests abroad.
Last year in February, National Guardsmen began pulling active duty
overseas for the first time since the Korean War. And, for the first
time since American soldiers went to Bosnia in late 1995, an Army
National Guard unit performed the headquarters function and provided
the true component for the peacekeeping mission there.
Madam Speaker, I am proud that the approximately 750 men and women
who served in this precedent-setting mission were from the Texas 49th
Armored Division, the Fighting 49th of the Texas National Guard, also
known as the Lone Star Division. This unit returned home in October of
last year following an 8-month peacekeeping duty in Bosnia. I had the
pleasure of enjoying Easter Sunday services with our troops in Bosnia.
I cannot tell my colleagues how impressed I was with the dedication and
the professionalism and their dedication to the mission, our country,
and their families.
This resolution today also hits home because one of my staff people,
David Drake McGraw, will be commanding the Alpha Troop of the Maryland
National Guard when it is deployed to Bosnia in a few months. My office
is dealing with the same challenges as thousands of other employers
across our country when employees, key employees are deployed as part
of these units. Madam Speaker, I can tell my colleagues that it is not
easy, but it is worthwhile. The sacrifice members of the National Guard
make each year in order to serve their country through the military is
in addition to working full-time jobs. It is great and must not be
forgotten. I am proud of Drake, not only for his outstanding service to
the residents of my district of Texas, but also for the sacrifice and
service to our Nation.
Captain McGraw serves in the Maryland Army National Guard. His unit,
the first of the 1/58 Cavalry, will be going to Bosnia on September 18
for about 7 months. He will be leaving behind his wife, Barbra and his
young son, David. It is important to remember the sacrifice they are
making while Drake is serving his country.
Madam Speaker, it is for these reasons that I proudly support this
resolution.
Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Bishop).
Mr. BISHOP. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me
this time.
Madam Speaker, the National Guard personnel that are deployed in
Bosnia are preventing widespread violence that could quickly reoccur if
they were not there to serve their country in the cause of humanity.
Every American owes them a deep debt of gratitude. They left their
families, their homes, their careers behind to join our NATO allies on
a mission that is saving lives and making the world safe from a cruel
conflict, one that could spread uncontrollably if not held in check.
This call-up is not fun. It is tough. It is grueling, and it is
dangerous duty. But they willingly serve, and we are grateful.
In March, 1,200 citizen soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade began a
6-month tour of duty in Bosnia, the largest Georgia Guard mobilization
since Operation Desert Storm. Other Guard personnel from my State and
from other States have also served as peacekeepers there, and I urge
the House to pass this resolution to honor the commitment and the
sacrifice of every National Guard soldier who has faithfully served and
who faithfully answers the call.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
{time} 1515
Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
I especially appreciate the leadership of the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Thornberry) for bringing this important resolution to honor the
service of our National Guard heroes who have served our country so
ably in Bosnia. I also thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins)
for his efforts.
Madam Speaker, I have a particular interest in this resolution, and I
am pleased to be a cosponsor because I am fortunate enough to represent
Indiana's Atterbury National Guard base and Armed Forces Training
Center at Atterbury. This facility has played an important role in
preparing our reserve forces for deployment to the Bosnian theater. I
am very proud of the work they do there.
In fact, Madam Speaker, the training facilities at Atterbury are the
finest light fighting training site east of Mississippi, to hear them
tell it. This distinction is deserved praise given the role they have
played in getting our troops ready for service in Bosnia.
Since 1996, Hoosier National Guardsmen have had a continuous
representation in Bosnia. Next spring, the 76th Separate Infantry
Brigade will also be deployed in Bosnia. The newest mission amounts to
nearly 300 infantry soldiers from all over the State of Indiana.
In addition to plain old home State pride for the work our National
Guard personnel have done and are doing in Bosnia, it is with deep
respect that I call attention to the preparation that is under way
presently for the largest mobilization of Indiana's National Guard
since World War II.
In the spring of 2004, the 38th Infantry Division Headquarters, based
in east central Indiana, will deploy to Bosnia to run the Task Force
Eagle Headquarters there and supervise all U.S. military operations.
Hopefully, this 2004 mission will be the supervising of the final leg
of our mission in that region.
For all the work that our men and women in the National Guard have
done and will do in the future, Madam Speaker, I know I speak for all
of my constituents in Indiana when I say, ``Well done, good and
faithful servants,'' and I thank them for all they have done to help
secure relative peace and stability in the region.
House Concurrent Resolution 154 is a well-deserved tribute.
Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 154, a bill honoring the commitment of the Army National Guard
combat units deployed in Bosnia and I urge my colleagues to give this
measure their full support.
Our National Guard has played a vital role in our Nation's security,
primarily by maintaining the concept of the ``Citizen-Soldier.'' Our
Nation's founders were distrustful of large standing armies.
Consequently, the state militias, which later evolved into the National
Guard, have always served as a working framework that stood by ready to
supplement and augment the officer core of the regular military in
times of war.
The most recent example of this has been the long-standing
contribution the Army National Guard has made to the peacekeeping
deployment in the Balkans. The Army National Guard units have performed
an important supporting role backing up our active duty forces in those
hazardous operations.
National Guard members face far more unpredictable military service
than their active duty counterparts. The nature of their job requires
them to be ``on call'' and ready to deploy overseas at a moments
notice. As such, smooth deployments are dependent on the cooperation of
both guard-member families and employers.
This resolution, in recognition of these factors, commends the
sacrifices made by the families of guard-members and their civilian
employers.
It also recognizes the increasingly vital role the Army National
Guard plays in our Nation's national security.
Accordingly, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join in
supporting this measure honoring our Country's National Guard.
Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 154 which
honors our commitment to the Army National Guard combat units deployed
in support of Army operations in Bosnia.
I have a special appreciation for this resolution today on two
levels. As the Ranking Democrat on the House Military Readiness
Subcommittee, issues of how to supplement the everyday personnel needs
of our troops is a vital issue for us. Through the citizen soldiers of
the National Guard, we are able to keep an all-volunteer force, which
is as it should be in a free democratic Nation, and we have moved into
the history-making realm by introducing National Guard troops into
active component combat forces, as well as multinational forces.
On another level, for Texas, the knowledge that the 49th ``Lone
Star'' Texas National Guard Armored Division in Bosnia was ushering in
a new era of the composition of active-duty military personnel has made
patriots in the state extremely proud. However inevitable it was, with
over half of the Army's strength in the Guard and reserves, the
decision nevertheless opened a new era for the population of our armed
forces.
[[Page H3223]]
When the decision was announced, the 49th ``Lone Star'' National
Guard Armored Division received an amazing number of calls from the
active components offering help in training. The easy relationship
between these comrades in arms is the foundation for the success of the
mission and for future successes in deployments. It also debunks the
theory that there is a rivalry between the active components and the
Guard or reserves.
South Texas has a proud tradition of military and military support.
This mission of the 49th ``Lone Star'' Division was no different. All
elements of the 49th ``Lone Star'' Division were deployed through the
Port of Corpus Christi, which was designated as a strategic sealift
seaport in 1998. South Texas watched this history happening from the
front row. We supported the 49th at the outset of their mission, we
applauded them at its conclusion, and we recognized the historic nature
of the deployments of the Guard and reserves to front lines of our
country's military deployments overseas.
South Texas support the National Guard and the reserves, we
understand their commitment to our national security, and we thank them
for their service to our nation. We honor their sacrifice, realize
their critical importance to the country and we support providing the
necessary resources to ensure their continued readiness condition.
I thank my colleagues for their work on this resolution.
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Madam Speaker, I support this resolution to honor our
National Guard troops in Bosnia. Especially the men and women of
Georgia's 48th Brigade now serving in Bosnia. Georgia's National Guard
has a long and cherished military history dating back as far as the
1730's. From helping to secure American independence, to the Spanish
American War to World War I and II, to Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian
Gulf, Georgia's National Guard has played an important role in
protecting the defending American interests around the world.
From the headquarters and part of the 148th Forward Support Battalion
in Macon to the 2nd Battalion of Company A of the 121st Infantry based
in Moultrie and Valdosta, the 48th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)
continues to honor its past by proudly serving in Bosnia. The men and
women of the 48th have spent months undergoing extensive training and
preparation for this deployment. They have put their jobs and family
lives on hold and all told will have been away from their homes and
families for almost a year.
Today, we say thank you to the families and employers for their
sacrifices in supporting our National Guard. And we say thank you and
God bless you to the citizen soldiers who are doing such an outstanding
job to support U.S. peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 154, a resolution honoring the continued
commitment of the Army National Guard combat units deployed in Bosnia
and recognizing the sacrifices made by these units.
Madam Speaker, as our country moved away from the cold war, we made a
conscious decision to lower the size of our active duty forces. At the
same time, as a matter of policy, we maintained our goal of fighting
two simultaneous wars. The only way we could achieve both goals was to
increase our reliance on our national guard and military reserve units.
For years, national guard and reserve units were thought of safe as
ways to fulfill military service obligations or collect a little extra
money every month. For decades that was true. Each drilling reservist
or national guardsman reported for duty one weekend a month and two
weeks per year, and that was all we asked of them. That whole concept
of being a reservist changed during the 1990s, a decade in which our
reserve and guard units were called to active duty time and time again
including places such as the Middle East, Africa, and of course Bosnia.
Every time we as a nation call up a reserve unit, the vast majority
of the members of that unit are pulled away from their families and
jobs here in the United States. In addition to the personal sacrifices
these individuals make, often times there is a monetary sacrifice as
well. With everything we ask of our reserve and national guard
personnel, they truly do deserve special recognition, and I am pleased
to stand before our nation today and say thank you.
To every member of a national guard unit, to every reservist, to
their families, and to every employer who hires or employs a member of
a guard or reserve unit, I say thank you for your support of our
nation. As the only super-power, the United States is expected to
provide leadership in distant locations throughout the world. We have
done this unilaterally, and as members of multi-national forces. When
the nation has called, our citizen-soldiers have responded and continue
to respond. We all owe them a debt of gratitude, and again I say thank
you.
Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res
154, honoring National Guard Combat units deployed in support of
operations in Bosnia.
I know the commitments and sacrifice that the citizen soldiers and
their families must make in supporting the defense of this great
nation.
I have done my share of traveling and I have visited with my fellow
soldiers in the National Guard, both in my congressional capacity and
in my Reserve capacity.
As such, I am well aware how the National Guard contributes to
national security.
Believe me, it is a story that needs to be shared with hometown USA,
and more importantly, with Members of Congress.
Today's National Guard is an essential component of the Total Force.
No longer a force in reserve; the National Guard is integral to all
operations today.
In fact, it is a force in readiness.
Because the military today cannot perform its missions without the
support and augmentation of the National Guard, it is being used more
frequently, and to a greater extent than ever before.
Since we started sending soldiers to Bosnia in 1995, the National
Guard has assumed an every increasing role in that deployment.
In fact, the Bosnia operation marks a pivotal point in this nation's
military history.
It marks the first time that a National Guard division headquarters
served as the command and control element of Active Army component and
multi-national forces in the Post Cold War.
This is truly remarkable!
According to the Department of Defense, our NATO partners, and the
population in Bosnia, one cannot tell the difference between the
National Guardsmen, and the soldiers of the active component.
By any measure, our National Guard personnel have performed extremely
well, completing vital missions and bringing critical, and in some
cases unique, skills to this operation.
Operations in the Balkans are proof that our reserve forces cannot be
viewed as low priority units for manpower, equipment, and funding.
That is a luxury we cannot afford.
H. Con. Res. 154 is a reminder to all of us in this body, to all the
leaders in the Pentagon, and to all Americans that the National Guard
is critical to the defense of this nation, and we must support our
reserve component forces if we hope to be victorious in the future.
I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution.
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the
resolution. I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia who
introduced this legislation for this opportunity to honor the
commitment and courage of the Army National Guard units that continue
to serve as part of the NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia.
In April of 2000, during our Easter recess, I had the opportunity to
visit the soldiers of the 49th ``Lone Star'' Armored Division of the
Texas National Guard, during their tour of duty in Bosnia.
This unit recorded a first in Army history, as it was the first time
that a National Guard division headquarters was the command and control
element of active duty component forces as well as multinational
forces. These Texas citizen-soldiers acquitted themselves with honor
and proved that the Guard is a reliable part of our armed forces.
The soldiers in these units aren't the only ones who deserve
recognition. These men and women would not be able to serve without the
sacrifices made by their families, who do without a spouse or parent,
or their employers, who lose the service of a valued employee, for the
length of their tour.
This mission underscores the value of the National Guard and Reserve
to the security of the United States. As members of Congress, we
recognize the benefit of the National Guard and Reserve and I hope that
we will recognize the needs of these units so that they can continue to
be an effective component of our armed services.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, this Member rises to express support for
H. Con. Res. 154, recognizing the role of Army National Guard combat
units operating in Bosnia. The distinguished gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Collins) is to be commended for introducing this legislation which
also recognizes the sacrifices of reservists' families during arduous
deployments.
Additionally, this Member wishes to use this occasion to recognize
the crucial role Army National Guard support units play in NATO
peacekeeping missions. Simply, the Army National Guard combat units
cannot perform their overseas duties without the assistance of support
units. For example, the 24th Medical Company, which is based in this
Member's district and is comprised of reservists from Nebraska and
Kansas, deployed to Bosnia in 1999. During its deployment, the company
[[Page H3224]]
provided key medical assistance for NATO forces. In one instance, the
company even found itself rescuing a combat unit which found itself
trapped in a minefield. To avoid detonation of the mines, the combat
unit stood on the hood of its vehicle as the 24th Medical Company
lowered its helicopter and whisked the other unit to safety. Support
units often are placed into precarious situations and are deserving of
recognition for their efforts beyond their routine duties.
Madam Speaker, legislation such as H. Con. Res. 154 offers Congress
an opportunity to reaffirm the important role of all National Guard
combat and support such units in each of the armed services.
Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
154.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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