[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 169 (Friday, December 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12683-S12684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CLELAND (for himself, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, 
        Mrs. Carnahan, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
        Miller, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Hagel, and Mr. Reid):
  S. 1785. A bill to urge the President to establish the White House 
Commission on National Military Appreciation Month, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I am here today, on the 60th anniversary 
of the attack on Pearl Harbor. My father served in World War II at 
Pearl Harbor after the attack, and I grew up with the legend of Pearl 
Harbor in my own life.
  I will introduce a bill urging the President to establish the White 
House Commission on National Military Appreciation Month.
  I want to begin by thanking my colleagues and cosponsors, Senators 
Biden, Bingaman, Carnahan, Clinton, DeWine, Hagel, Levin and Lieberman, 
Mikulski, Miller, and Senator Harry Reid.
  Thanks also are due to General Tilleli, the president of the USO, and 
to Ms. Alice Wax, whose support and tireless efforts on behalf of 
National

[[Page S12684]]

Military Appreciation Month have made this day a reality.
  The bill is framed to afford the President the widest possible 
flexibility with regard to the recommended Commission and National 
Military Appreciation Month itself. There is no money authorized in 
this bill. The establishment of the Commission, the composition of the 
Commission, and the scope of the Commission's activities are framed as 
recommendations. I have framed it in this way to make it an easy bill 
to support, because I believe it is a bill we should all support, and I 
will tell you why.
  Sixty years ago today, just before 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning, the 
first wave of bombers began the attack on Pearl Harbor that thrust the 
United States into World War II. It was an unforgettable day for those 
who lived through it, one which called America forth from an 
isolationist slumber to defend itself, and in so doing, inspired a 
generation of Americans to rise and lead the defense of freedom around 
the world. In the years since that fateful day, our Nation has become 
the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world. A few short years 
ago, with the generation that secured this prosperity and power still 
in our midst, I and my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services 
Committee heard testimony from the leaders of our military concerning 
the difficulties they were having recruiting and retaining sufficient 
numbers of young Americans in our Armed Forces. We crafted a package of 
incentives, and began the process of restoring military compensation to 
a more appropriate level. Even today, with recruiting and retention 
back to more acceptable levels, we continue to struggle to meet the 
funding levels required to sustain a strong military.

  Eighty-seven days ago, America was attacked again, and for only the 
second time in modern history, American blood was shed on American soil 
by a foreign foe. Most of the casualties of this most recent attack 
were civilians, a reflection of the many ways in which the world has 
changed since 1941. Once again, a generation of Americans has been 
called to rise to the defense of our way of life--this time not against 
an aggressor nation but against the global terrorist networks that have 
targeted us. Osama bin Laden's network in Afghanistan is our target 
now. It is not as clear how many other networks lie in wait.
  Some things are clear, though. The American military has been 
essential in responding to this latest attack. There will continue to 
be challenges, but we must recognize our military in every special way 
we can.
  That is why we, as a nation, cannot afford to forget the price of our 
freedom.
  Maintaining our military and our readiness is one of the keys to our 
freedom. I support this National Day of Military Recognition and urge 
the support by this body of the Commission that recommends the month of 
May as National Military Appreciation Month.
                                 ______