[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 19 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H642-H643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING CIVIL AIR PATROL FOR 60 YEARS OF SERVICE TO UNITED STATES
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 311) recognizing the Civil Air
Patrol for 60 years of service to the United States, and ask for its
immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object,
I would like to begin in great sincerity by thanking the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Conyers), the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on the
Judiciary, for allowing this resolution to be brought to the floor.
Their stewardship of that distinguished committee is an inspiration to
me, and I appreciate their taking the time to review my request on such
short notice. The 60th anniversary gala of the Civil Air Patrol is
being held here in Washington, D.C., this Saturday evening; so,
honestly, their diligence in steering this resolution through the
committee is timely indeed.
In 1938 as the winds of war began to stir over Europe and East Asia,
a group of concerned American pilots began to advocate for the creation
of a civilian air defense. Their concerns about American involvement in
the coming world conflict proved to be prophetic. The Civil Air Patrol,
commonly known as CAP, was organized on December 1, 1941, 6 days before
the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Over the course of the Second World War, CAP volunteers would log
more than 500,000 flying hours performing coastal patrols to search for
enemy submarines, search and rescue missions, and cargo and courier
flights for military personnel. Their efforts freed countless Army Air
Corps enlistees to fight at the front and contributed greatly to
homeland defense. Several historical sources suggest that the CAP
coastal patrol rid the Atlantic coast of German U-boats by 1943.
With the end of hostilities, CAP's responsibilities grew. In 1946,
CAP was incorporated as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. Two years
later, it became an auxiliary of the newly created United States Air
Force. For the next 54 years, CAP would mobilize its resources to
fulfill its congressionally mandated mission of providing aerospace
education, cadet programs, and emergency services to the American
public.
It has performed this mission with distinction. The CAP cadet program
has trained more than 750,000 youths in leadership and life skills over
the past 60 years. During that same period, CAP pilots have flown over
1 million hours on search and rescue missions, saving hundreds of
lives. In 1951, CAP initiated its aerospace education program which has
since trained more than 300,000 teachers in math and science as they
relate to aviation. These teachers have, in turn, taught over 18
million students. Since 1986, CAP has cooperated with the United States
Air Force, the U.S. Customs Service, the Drug Enforcement
Administration, and the United States Forest Service to stem the flow
of illegal drugs into our country. Together with these agencies, it has
assisted in the confiscation or eradication of billions of dollars of
illegal drugs. Today, CAP is stronger than ever, boasting a membership
of 60,000 individuals and a fleet of over 500 airplanes.
In offering this resolution, I implore my colleagues to award the
Civil Air Patrol the honor it is due for its untiring service to the
Nation. To the members of the Civil Air Patrol, I say happy 60th
birthday. I wish you, at the very least, 60 more.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I also support H. Con. Res. 311, recognizing the Civil
Air Patrol for 60 years of distinguished service to the United States.
Mr. Speaker, the Civil Air Patrol was established on December 1,
1941, days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Today it provides an
important service to our country by performing search and rescue
missions, assisting law enforcement with antidrug operations, and
helping the FAA to monitor airports.
The Civil Air Patrol deserves our support, praise, and thanks. With
this concurrent resolution, we recognize it
[[Page H643]]
for the important role it has played in our Nation.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, again I thank Chairman
Sensenbrenner for his great help.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 311
Whereas the Civil Air Patrol was established on December 1,
1941, in the Office of Civilian Defense;
Whereas during World War II the volunteer units of the
Civil Air Patrol conducted search and rescue missions,
provided air transportation for military personnel and cargo,
towed targets for the training of Army Air Corps gunners, and
patrolled the coasts of the United States searching for enemy
submarines;
Whereas by the end of World War II the Civil Air Patrol had
flown more than 500,000 hours, sunk 2 German U-boats, and
saved hundreds of crash victims;
Whereas on July 1, 1946, the Civil Air Patrol was chartered
by the United States as a nonprofit, benevolent corporation;
Whereas on May 26, 1948, the Civil Air Patrol was
permanently established as a volunteer auxiliary of the
United States Air Force;
Whereas since 1942 the cadet programs of the Civil Air
Patrol have trained approximately 750,000 youth, providing
them with leadership and life skills;
Whereas since 1942 the Civil Air Patrol has flown more than
1,000,000 hours of search and rescue missions, saving several
thousand lives; and
Whereas since 1951 the aerospace education programs of the
Civil Air Patrol have provided training and educational
materials to more than 300,000 teachers, who have educated
more than 8,000,000 students about aerospace: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress recognizes the Civil Air Patrol
for 60 years of service to the United States.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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