[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 169 (Friday, December 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12583-S12586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            PEARL HARBOR DAY

  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I requested of the leadership an 
opportunity to speak briefly about Pearl Harbor Day.
  The Senator from Hawaii would be in Pearl Harbor today, as he has 
been almost every time every year since he has come to the Congress.

[[Page S12584]]

  I would have been in New Orleans at the opening of the new museum for 
World War II. I think it is appropriate that we ask the Senate, at the 
conclusion of the remarks of the Senator from Hawaii, to stand and 
observe a minute or two of silence in honor of those who gave their 
lives at Pearl Harbor.
  Sixty years ago today, I was in bed with pneumonia and heard over the 
radio about the attack on Pearl Harbor. My friend from Hawaii was a 
young medical student and was immediately called into action to help 
give first aid.
  As a young medical student, Senator Inouye gave first aid and 
assistance to a great many people.
  Then he went through a period of time, which must have been very 
excruciating, when he saw other citizens of the United States of his 
racial background being taken to camps and various other places because 
of their Japanese heritage.
  Subsequently, he joined the Army, proceeded to be trained, and went 
to war in Italy. As a matter of fact, he was in Italy on one side of 
the mountain, and our former colleague, Senator Dole, with the 10th 
Division was on the other side of the mountain. Senator Inouye's unit 
was the most highly decorated unit in World War II, totally made up of 
Japanese Hawaiians, the 442nd. The 442nd has a distinguished place in 
history. And the person who has one of the greatest places in history 
is my long-time friend, Senator Inouye, who is now a Congressional 
Medal of Honor winner. He had to wait many years before he got that 
award, having been passed over at the time because of his heritage.
  I was privileged, as many others were, to be there when that wrong 
was righted and he was recognized for his distinguished service to our 
country for the events that led up to his being injured and, strangely 
enough, being in the same hospital with Bob Dole as they both came off 
the battlefield wounded.
  But I have had a distinguished opportunity here to be a friend of 
this distinguished man.
  I never had the privilege--I am getting a little personal--of living 
with my own brothers, but I have lived and traveled with Dan Inouye 
throughout the world now for 33 years. I know of no man that I would 
put in higher esteem than Senator Daniel Inouye.
  I ask the Senate to recognize him now, and then perhaps he would like 
to make some comments.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The distinguished Senator from Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, as always, my dear friend from Alaska is 
overly generous. I shall always cherish his friendship, and this moment 
will never be forgotten.
  Madam President, 60 years ago our Nation was suddenly attacked by a 
force of planes. It devastated a part of America. We lost about 2,400 
of our gallant sons. It was a moment of great tragedy, great sadness, 
but it was also a moment of great glory because, almost instantly, our 
Nation got together. Our Nation was never that united. Even during the 
war of the Revolution we were not that united. In the Civil War we were 
divided.
  But on this day, 60 years ago, America became one. And it was obvious 
that, notwithstanding the odds against us, we were going to be 
victorious. And we were.
  Today, we are debating a matter that happened on September 11. And I 
know that, though we may have used some harsh rhetoric, we will stand 
united, as we always have, and we will come forth with a measure that 
will be American in nature, one of which all of us can be proud.
  Today, there are two of my colleagues here who wish they could be at 
home, also. I wish I could be in Pearl Harbor at this moment. But two 
of my friends from Louisiana--Senator Landrieu and Senator Breaux--
wanted to be there to participate in the opening of the great museum 
commemorating the Pacific war. I know they join me, however, in saying 
that duty comes first.
  And, Ted, we appreciate the recognition you have given to December 7. 
I think this is a day of which all America can be proud.
  Thank you very much.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)


 A Period of Silence in Recognition of the Sacrifice of Those Who Died 
                            at Pearl Harbor

  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I now ask unanimous consent the Senate 
stand in silence for a period of 2 minutes in recognition of the 
sacrifice of those who died at Pearl Harbor.
  There being no objection, the Senate observed a period of silence.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Madam President, as we look upon our life in the Senate, 
it is, indeed, a privilege for those of us to serve with our 
distinguished colleague from Hawaii. I, too, am a member of the 
generation of World War II, having joined the Navy in January of 1945.
  My modest service to country pales in comparison to that of our 
distinguished colleague from Hawaii, as it does in comparison to that 
of our colleague from Alaska, Senator Stevens, Senator Hollings, 
Senator Thurmond, Senator Helms, and Senator Cochran. I think we in 
this Chamber are the last of the few of that generation.
  I had hoped today and had scheduled to join the President of the 
United States aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in Norfolk, VA, together 
with my junior colleague, Senator Allen. We, as our colleague from 
Hawaii, will be at our duty stations here in the Senate today.
  But I never let this day pass without my own recollections of that 
period as a very young man at age 17, as I say, entering the Navy and 
what the military did for me to enable me to achieve my goals in life. 
The GI bill was the greatest investment this Nation ever made in that 
generation, and I was a beneficiary of that.
  Together with other colleagues, in my 23 years here in the Senate, on 
the Armed Services Committee, we, as a team, have tried to do our very 
best for the men and women of this generation who are proudly serving 
in uniforms of our country and who eventually either will select the 
military as a career or return to civilian life and avail themselves of 
the educational and other benefits they earned through their service.
  Just 10 days ago, the chairman of the Committee of Armed Services, 
Senator Levin, and myself had the privilege of visiting our troops in 
Uzbekistan during the Thanksgiving period. We overflew Afghanistan, 
Pakistan, and Oman. I awakened this morning listening to people trying 
to compare the generation of World War II with those in uniform today. 
And Mr. Ambrose, the noted author, said he felt this generation, in 
every respect, equals the generation of World War II. I made that very 
same statement on the floor of the Senate right after September 11. 
Having seen them on this trip, I assure America that this generation 
now in uniform is every bit and perhaps even more courageous than those 
who served in World War II--more courageous because of the complexity 
of the enemies today and the unknown threats we face in comparison to 
the clarity of the enemy that faced us in the period of 1941 and for 
some 4 years thereafter.
  So it is a privilege for me to serve with our dear friend from 
Hawaii. How dearly we respect him, and how gracious he is to all of us. 
Sometimes, in moments of tension around here, when you are seeking a 
little neutral ground for a little assistance, I go over to that desk 
and get the reassurance of my friend from Hawaii.
  But, again, my career is very modest in comparison to that of Senator 
Inouye, Senator Stevens, Senator Thurmond, Senator Hollings, Senator 
Helms, and Senator Cochran. I thank my colleague for our friendship.
  I yield the floor.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, what is the regular order?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The regular order would be the Defense 
appropriations bill.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Louisiana.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 
minute as in morning business just to acknowledge the remarks of 
Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page S12585]]

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I want to say, on behalf of the senior 
Senator from Louisiana, Mr. Breaux, and myself, how grateful we are for 
their remarks and the help our distinguished colleague from Hawaii, 
Senator Inouye, and our distinguished colleague from Alaska, Senator 
Stevens, have provided to us. They have both been so instrumental in 
helping support the development of this museum in New Orleans, LA.
  I say to both Senators who were going to have the opportunity to be 
there this morning, and to see their great work firsthand, this museum, 
this dedication, has exceeded all expectations.
  We are a city and a town used to hosting thousands of visitors. This 
museum, the World War II Museum, and now the opening of Pacific Rim 
Theater have exceeded all expectations. Today as we speak, Stephen 
Ambrose and a long list of distinguished dignitaries are there. With 
the support of these two Senators and our entire Congress, we have had 
contributed $5 million toward the development of this museum and the 
creation of the Institute of the American Spirit. It is not just our 
weapons, our tanks, our airplanes, and our assets, it is the American 
spirit that protects and leads this world for liberty and justice. 
These two Senators know that. They have contributed mightily. I thank 
them on behalf of Senator Breaux and myself.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, as the sun rises over Pearl Harbor this 
morning, solemn ceremonies at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial and the 
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific will commemorate the 60th 
anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Prayers, reflections and 
tribute will be offered to honor the service and sacrifice of the men 
and women who fought and died in the defense of our country. For many 
of us in Hawaii, the events of December 7 are a graphic memory, a 
personal experience never to be forgotten.
  As a student, I watched in the attack on Pearl Harbor at 8 a.m., 
Sunday, December 7, 1941, from the roof of my dormitory at the 
Kamehameha School for Boys on Kapalama Heights in Honolulu. We had just 
returned from breakfast at the dining hall, and were slowly preparing 
for Sunday services. In stunned silence, we saw the flash of bombs and 
thick black smoke rising above Pearl Harbor.
  We saw the planes dive from the south, drop their torpedoes, and the 
resulting explosion on the battleship Arizona, which later tilted and 
sank at her mooring. The airstrip at Hickam was marked with potholes, 
bomb craters, and damaged aircraft. Smoke, both white and black, moved 
to blanket the area.
  A spent anti-aircraft shell landed and exploded near our dormitory. A 
squad of zeros flew over us from Pearl Harbor to attack the Kaneohe 
Naval Air Station. By that time excited radio messages were reporting 
the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
  It was a calamity that forever changed the course and life of our 
country and Hawaii. As America prepared for war, men and boys in 
Hawaii, as elsewhere in our Nation, rushed to enlist. Japanese American 
soldiers, fighting with the 442nd Infantry and 100th Battalion, became 
the most decorated units in the war, while at the same time our 
government interned and relocated their families and confiscated their 
homes.
  The sacrifices made by ordinary men and women who rallied in defense 
of freedom, liberty, and the great promise of our democracy represents 
the greatest heroism and patriotism in service of our country. It also 
reminds us and future generations of Americans that patriotism is not a 
matter of race and religion, but personal courage and conviction.
  As we realized on December 7, and as the events of September 11th 
painfully reminded us, the freedom and prosperity we enjoy carries a 
dear price. Our sacred duty is to ensure its preservation for future 
generations.
  Throughout our Nation's history, we Americans have relied on the 
power of our ideals, our faith in God, and prayer to guide us through 
the challenges we faced, and we rely on that same power today as we 
seek peace and justice.
  Today, I am honored to join my colleagues in prayer and remembrance 
for those courageous men and women who died in Pearl Harbor. I also 
join my colleagues in honoring my dear friend, the senior Senator from 
Hawaii [Mr. Inouye]. His duties and responsibilities in the Senate have 
kept him from today's observances in Hawaii. For over 50 years, Senator 
Inouye has served our Nation and our beloved State in the U.S. Army--
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Territorial Legislature, 
the House, and Senate. I am proud to serve alongside him and privileged 
to call him friend.
  I also want to thank the senior Senator from Alaska, Mr. Stevens, who 
is also a decorated and distinguished veteran of the Second World War 
and a true American patriot, for his leadership in remembering those 
killed at Pearl Harbor and honoring the service of those men and women 
who served our Nation in the Second World War and those men and women 
who are defending freedom around the world today.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise to discuss what an important 
day today is in the history of our country and also to mention a 
personal, special time for a Member of our Senate on Pearl Harbor Day. 
And that is Senator Dan Inouye.
  Dan Inouye was 17 years old, living in Hawaii, on the day that Pearl 
Harbor was attacked. He was one of the first Americans to go forward to 
try to help with the casualties that occurred that day.
  But Dan Inouye has said on several occasions that he looked up into 
the sky and he knew that the people who were bombing his country were 
people who looked like him. And he said he knew that his world had 
changed forever from that day.
  Dan Inouye, at the age of 18, was a freshman in premedical studies at 
the University of Hawaii but dropped out to enlist in 1943 in the U.S. 
Army.
  Danny Inouye was not just another enlistee in the U.S. Army. He was 
one of the great heroes of World War II. He spent two of the bloodiest 
weeks of the war in France rescuing a Texas battalion that had been 
surrounded by German forces. This was known as ``the lost battalion'' 
and is listed in the U.S. Army annals as one of the most significant 
military battles of the century.
  He won the Bronze Star, but that was not the end. He went to Italy 
and became involved in the war in Italy and was trying to assault a 
heavily defended hill in the closing months of the war. Lieutenant 
Inouye was hit in his abdomen by a bullet which came out his back, 
barely missing his spine. He continued to lead the platoon and advanced 
alone against a machinegun nest which had his men pinned down. He 
tossed two hand grenades with devastating effect before his right arm 
was shattered by a German rifle grenade at close range.
  Lieutenant Inouye, who threw his last grenade with his left hand, was 
attacked then by a submachinegun and was finally knocked down the hill 
by a bullet in the leg.
  For this he received the Distinguished Service Cross which later, 
thank God, was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. So he is one of the very 
few Members who has served in the Senate who has received the 
distinguished Congressional Medal of Honor.
  He has never missed an anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
  He is missing it today because, once again, duty has called, and 
Danny Inouye answered the call of his duty to pass the Defense 
appropriations bill for those in the field today.
  I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to this great patriot of our 
Nation, Senator Dan Inouye of Hawaii.
  I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, 60 years ago I was serving as a Circuit 
Judge for the State of South Carolina. It was an early Sunday afternoon 
when news reports began to stream in about the attack against the 
United States that took place at Pearl Harbor, HI. As I listened to 
news reports about the attack on our Pacific Fleet, I knew instantly, 
that the world we lived in was irreversibly changed.
  All across this great Nation, Americans reacted to the unprovoked 
attack on the United States with anger, and I shared those sentiments. 
We became galvanized as a Nation. Americans from all corners of the 
country rose to the call of duty. Long lines extended from every 
military recruiting office as men and women prepared to take up the 
challenge to the security of the United States and the American way of

[[Page S12586]]

life. It was my privilege to join those who immediately volunteered to 
serve. I am proud of the service that I rendered as an Officer in the 
United States Army which included serving in the United States, Europe 
and the Pacific.
  The attack on Pearl Harbor was the beginning of America's direct 
military participation in World War II. For nearly 4 additional years, 
the Allied Powers fought the forces of fascism and tyranny around the 
globe. With the passage of time, and understanding the great strength 
of our armed forces, it may be difficult to remember the challenge our 
military faced despite our resolve and resources. We faced formidable 
and determined foes, but ultimately they were no match for the courage 
and bravery of our Allied Forces.
  On September 11 of this year, we again witnessed an attack on 
American soil. As Chairman Emeritus of the Senate Armed Services 
Committee, I am honored to be in a position to support our President 
and our brave men and women in uniform in the cause to rid the world of 
international terrorism. The terrorists who committed this act of 
cowardice thought they could destroy the American spirit, but as 
experience taught me 60 years ago, this will only make us stronger as a 
Nation. Furthermore, I see the same spirit of unity and determination 
that I saw then. They were wrong then, they were wrong now and we will 
prevail.
  Today we honor the memory of those who fought for freedom in that 
great conflict 60 years ago. As a veteran, I have a special 
appreciation for the service and sacrifice of those men and women who 
fought so hard to protect and preserve American ideals and freedoms. We 
recognize that Americans are again in harm's way, fighting to protect 
our freedom and our way of life. My appreciation extends to all those 
who continue to answer the call of our Nation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. GRAMM. Madam President, let me quickly join everyone else in 
congratulating our colleague from Hawaii who has always been very kind 
to me and to my wife and family. I appreciate it very much.
  We have reached an impasse here. It is clear that we need something 
to sort of break the logjam. It seems to me the logical thing to do is 
to try to demonstrate the direction in which we are not going to go, so 
hopefully we can change direction and find bipartisanship in passing 
this bill.
  Everybody knows we have to have a Defense appropriations bill. Often 
in trying to get on the right road, it is an important step to get off 
the wrong road. When you are going in the wrong direction, it is 
important to stop so that you might go in the right direction. In order 
to try to break this logjam, it is my purpose to make a point of order 
against the committee substitute.
  Let me make a parliamentary inquiry. Are we on the Defense 
appropriations bill now and that substitute?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill has not yet been laid down.
  Mr. CARPER. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. GRAMM. I yield to the Democrat floor leader for the purpose of 
laying the bill down.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, what is the order before the Senate?

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