[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 130 (Monday, October 7, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H7128-H7129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING, APPLAUDING AND SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF THE ARMY AVIATION 
                          HERITAGE FOUNDATION

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 465) recognizing, applauding, and 
supporting the efforts of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, a 
nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of Georgia, to utilize 
veteran aviators of the Armed Forces and former Army Aviation aircraft 
to inspire Americans and to ensure that our Nation's military legacy 
and heritage of service are never forgotten, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 465

       Whereas the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit 
     organization incorporated in the State of Georgia in 1997, is 
     an all volunteer organization composed of veterans, their 
     families, and civilian supporters acting in concert to 
     connect the American soldier to the American public through 
     the use of the story of Army Aviation;
       Whereas the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation is not a part 
     of the United States Army and receives no Federal funding;
       Whereas funds for the activities of the Army Aviation 
     Heritage Foundation come entirely from donations made by 
     private individuals and corporations;
       Whereas Army Aviation Heritage Foundation volunteers devote 
     a significant amount of their personal time and resources to 
     present the story of our Nation's Armed Forces and the legacy 
     of its veterans to the American people through extensive and 
     elaborate living history programs presented at major public 
     venues, such as air show events, and at numerous other 
     smaller community outreach initiatives;
       Whereas these living history programs are designed and 
     presented to honor the Armed Forces and its veterans while 
     inspiring the public that ultimately supports the Armed 
     Forces and giving the public a glimpse of military life, 
     service, and devotion;
       Whereas the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation has devoted 
     over 150,000 volunteer hours and over $5,300,000 in donated 
     funds, aircraft, and equipment in organizing, developing, and 
     conducting 35 public presentations that have helped to foster 
     patriotism and present our Nation's military stories to

[[Page H7129]]

     an audience of more than 5,500,000 people; and
       Whereas the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation is acting to 
     provide America's veterans a voice with which to tell their 
     story and the tools with which to share with the American 
     public their legacy of service and devotion: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress recognizes, applauds, and 
     supports the efforts of the Army Aviation Heritage 
     Foundation, a nonprofit organization incorporated in the 
     State of Georgia, to pursue the following four primary 
     purposes:
       (1) To educate the American public regarding the military 
     heritage of the United States through the story of United 
     States Army Aviation's soldiers and machines.
       (2) To connect the American serviceman and servicewoman to 
     the American public as an active and admired member of the 
     American family.
       (3) To inspire patriotism and motivate Americans everywhere 
     toward service to their community and country by involving 
     them in our Nation's larger military legacy.
       (4) To preserve authentic examples of Army aviation 
     aircraft and utilize them in educational living history 
     demonstrations and presentations so that the symbols of 
     America's military legacy may always remain in our skies for 
     future generations.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh).


                             General Leave

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. 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. 465.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The United States military that fought with such skill and courage 
during the Persian Gulf War, the Balkan War and now in our deadly 
conflict with terrorism was and is an all-volunteer force. Our Nation 
can be immensely proud that we have created a military that is second 
to none in the world and that we have done it by attracting the best 
and the brightest to serve voluntarily.
  While we are rightfully proud of the success of the all-volunteer 
force, there is, unfortunately, a downside. Since far fewer people are 
recruited to serve in a voluntary military, the connection between 
America and its military is increasingly tenuous and less personal. If 
the gulf in understanding between the military and the American people 
should become too pronounced, our national security decision process 
could be affected and made prone to miscalculations.
  House Concurrent Resolution 465 offers a solution for this problem. 
By recognizing, applauding and supporting the Army Aviation Heritage 
Foundation, the Congress can take action to close the gulf between the 
American people and the military.
  Mr. Speaker, this organization brings to life for people across the 
country a view of the military that so many have not experienced 
personally. In short, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation educates 
the public on the history of military aviation and connects servicemen 
and servicewomen to the American family.
  This type of education promotes understanding of and confidence in 
the military and yields a level of patriotism that is essential in our 
effort to battle terrorism around the globe.
  Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to commend the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Collins) for sponsoring this resolution and for working with all 
of us to ensure that this moment on the floor to make these worthy 
remarks and very, very important offering to our colleagues actually 
occurred.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 465 
introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
  It has already been noted that the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation 
performs a valuable role in educating the American public on military 
affairs and making the vital connection between the men and women who 
serve our Nation in uniform and the people they defend. That alone is a 
noble endeavor. We all understand that a Nation can only take pride in 
the past when the citizenry understands the challenges and sacrifices 
of those who passed this way before. To that end, the Army Aviation 
Heritage Foundation brings history to life for the citizenry.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight another aspect of the significant 
contributions of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, their 
contribution to the service members and their families. Earlier this 
year, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation was selected as the Army's 
nominee to the Department of Defense Multi-department Selection Panel 
for the 2001 Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Citizen 
Humanitarian Award. This distinguished award recognizes efforts to 
improve the quality of life for members of the Armed Forces and their 
families.
  In a letter of appreciation to the Foundation, Secretary of the Army, 
the Honorable Thomas E. White, offered the following commentary: ``The 
Foundation's dedication, patriotism, and numerous contributions have 
left a lasting imprint on the quality of life for the service members 
and their families.''
  I urge my colleagues to join in passing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
  (Mr. COLLINS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution recognizing the 
Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.
  Based in Hampton, Georgia, it is a nonprofit organization to display 
military aircraft from World War II, the Korean conflict, as well as 
Vietnam. There are no U.S. taxpayer dollars that go into this program. 
It is all, as I say, volunteer and civilians and veterans who have 
pooled their funds and support this organization just to have a living 
history of an Army aviation to display in different air shows around 
the country.
  They were founded in 1997. Since then, they have devoted over 150,000 
volunteer hours and $5.3 million in donated funds and aircraft and 
equipment, and they actually participated in 35 air shows, viewed by 
some 5\1/2\ million people.
  They have four primary purposes, Mr. Speaker. One is to educate the 
American public to their military heritage through the story of the 
U.S. Army Aviation's soldiers and machines; two, to connect the 
American soldier to the American people as an active, accepted and 
admired member of the American family; to inspire patriotism and 
motivate Americans everywhere towards service to the community and 
country by involving them in our Nation's larger military legacy; and 
to preserve the authentic examples of Army aircraft and utilize them in 
educational living history demonstrations and presentations so that the 
symbols of America's military legacy may always remain in the skies for 
future generations.
  I appreciate the gentleman from the Committee on Armed Services 
working with me on this and also the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Skelton) for his participation and urge that it be adopted.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, with a final word of praise and appreciation 
to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) and an urging of all of our 
colleagues to join us in supporting this resolution, I yield back my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Otter). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
465, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.




                          ____________________