[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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