[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9839-H9841]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO MEMBERS OF U.S. ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED IN 
               OPERATION RESTORE HOPE IN SOMALIA IN 1993

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 291) expressing deep gratitude for 
the valor and commitment of the members of the United States Armed 
Forces who were deployed in Operation Restore Hope to provide 
humanitarian assistance to the people of Somalia in 1993.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 291

       Whereas October 3, 2003, marks the 10th anniversary of the 
     major battle in the United States operation to capture key 
     members of the Somali National Alliance led by the terrorist 
     warlord, Mohammed Farah Aidid, in Mogadishu, Somalia;
       Whereas Task Force Ranger, which led the assault, was 
     composed of Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Army special 
     operations helicopter forces, and Air Force Special Tactics 
     personnel;
       Whereas 16 special operations personnel assigned to Task 
     Force Ranger were killed, and another 83 wounded, during one 
     of the most intense and lethal firefights in modern history;
       Whereas two of those killed, Master Sergeant Gary I. Gordon 
     and Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart, were 
     posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions above and 
     beyond the call of duty;
       Whereas soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry 
     Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, provided a quick reaction 
     force in support of the combat operation;
       Whereas two soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division were 
     killed, and another 28 wounded, while supporting the special 
     operations forces of Task Force Ranger; and
       Whereas the valiant efforts of the soldiers, sailors, 
     airmen, and Marines who were deployed in Operation Restore 
     Hope significantly contributed to the war against terrorism 
     and oppression: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) expresses deep gratitude for the valor and commitment 
     of the members of the United States Armed Forces who were 
     deployed in Operation Restore Hope to provide humanitarian 
     assistance to the people of Somalia in 1993;
       (2) recognizes those members, many of whom were killed or 
     severely wounded in direct combat, who acquitted themselves 
     with honor and courage in battle to restore freedom to an 
     oppressed nation;
       (3) honors the heroic service of the special operations 
     forces assigned to Task Force Ranger and the soldiers of the 
     10th Mountain Division who supported them;
       (4) extends condolences to the families and friends of 
     those killed and wounded in Operation Restore Hope; and
       (5) encourages the American people to remember the 
     sacrifices of those who served.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) 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

[[Page H9840]]

which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 291, the 
concurrent resolution under consideration.
  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, 
and I do have a statement that I wish to make; but I want to begin by 
first yielding to the author of this resolution, a gentleman with whom 
I have had the honor and the opportunity and the pleasure to work both 
as a member of the Committee on Armed Services and also as a colleague 
who I know cares very deeply about the sacrifices and the commitments 
that our men and women in the military make as well as their families; 
and I want to thank him for his leadership and his observance over this 
very timely resolution and this very important anniversary date.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).
  (Mr. HAYES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks, and include extraneous material.)
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this 
time, and I appreciate the persistence with which he pursues his duties 
on the Committee on Armed Services, or more particularly the 
Subcommittee on Total Force, or personnel, as we know it more 
intimately.
  Mr. Speaker, just 10 years ago, on October 3, 1993, 18 U.S. 
servicemen were killed and another 111 wounded in Operation Restore 
Hope. Often known by Mark Bowden's book and screenplay ``Black Hawk 
Down,'' this was the major battle of the United States operation to 
capture key members of the Somalia National Alliance led by terrorist 
warlord Mohammed Farah Aided in Mogadishu, Somalia. Task Force Ranger, 
which led the assault, was composed of Army Special Forces, Navy SEALS, 
Army Special Operations Helicopter Forces, and Air Force Special 
Tactics personnel. Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry 
Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division supported the lead units as 
well.
  For their heroic and valiant deeds, Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and 
Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart were posthumously awarded the 
Medal of Honor. Today, it is only right and proper that we take a 
moment to express our deep gratitude for the valor and commitment of 
the members of the United States Armed Forces who were deployed in 
Operation Restore Hope.

                              {time}  1600

  As we continue to fight and win the global war on terrorism and 
support our troops deployed abroad, we must also recognize those 
members of Operation Restore Hope. They served with honor, they served 
with courage in the battle and efforts to restore freedom to an 
oppressed nation. These men represent and embody the special and unique 
qualities that make America great.
  We have the opportunity today to honor the heroic service of the 
Special Operations Forces assigned to Task Force Ranger and the 
soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division who supported the operation.
  On behalf of a grateful Nation, I wish to also extend my sincere 
condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wounded in 
Operation Restore Hope. We must never forget the service and sacrifice 
of the members of the United States Armed Forces who were deployed in 
Operation Restore Hope. God bless these men and their families and 
loved ones, and may God bless America.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution introduced by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes). The resolution before us 
expresses our Nation's gratitude to those who served in the Armed 
Forces and were deployed in Operation Restore Hope to provide 
humanitarian assistance to the people of Somalia in 1993. What began as 
a humanitarian relief operation in December 1992 to distribute food 
supplies and prevent the starvation of thousands in Somalia, turned 
into one of the most intense and bloody battles for U.S. troops since 
the Vietnam War.
  On October 3, 1993, Task Force Ranger, comprised of Army Special 
Forces, Navy SEALS, Army special operations helicopter forces and Air 
Force Special Tactics personnel, headed out that fateful morning to 
search and capture the Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. As the 
conflict began to escalate, the soldiers from the 10th Mountain 
Division provided additional quick reaction combat support for the 17-
hour battle of Mogadishu.
  That evening, Americans would watch the news in shock and horror as 
the bodies of American soldiers were dragged through the streets of 
Mogadishu that tragic day. Over 100 of our Nation's brave combatants 
were wounded. Eighteen warriors made the ultimate sacrifice, and two of 
those who died showed uncommon valor and courage and were awarded our 
Nation's highest honor, the Medal of Honor, and one became a prisoner 
of war.
  Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart 
were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions 
above and beyond the call of duty. Master Sergeant Gordon and Sergeant 
First Class Shughart volunteered to secure a helicopter crash site and 
protect its critically wounded crew, despite the intense gunfire and 
growing number of enemy personnel closing in. They embodied the bold 
courage and self-sacrifice of America's soldiers, and, ultimately, 
willingly gave their lives to protect their comrades in arms.
  Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant survived the helicopter crash and 
was pulled from the wreckage by Master Sergeant Gordon and Sergeant 
First Class Shughart. Chief Warrant Officer Durant was the only one to 
survive, and was captured by enemy forces. He was held nearly 2 weeks 
as a prisoner of war before being released.
  This year marks the 10th anniversary of the battle of Mogadishu and 
Operation Restore Hope. I am very pleased to join with my colleagues 
from New York and North Carolina in recognizing the brave and 
courageous actions of the Special Forces and the soldiers of the 10th 
Mountain Division and members of the Armed Forces who were deployed in 
Operation Restore Hope. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families 
and friends of those who lost a loved one or were wounded in the battle 
of Mogadishu.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in expressing our 
appreciation to all those who volunteer to defend our Nation's freedom 
and to remember the sacrifices of all those who serve.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Kline), who knows what it means to wear the uniform of 
the United States of America, a former distinguished officer in the 
United States Marine Corps and a gentleman who, in a very short period 
of time, has distinguished himself as a very important member of the 
Committee on Armed Services and someone with whom I just had the 
opportunity, and to the extent possible, the happy occasion of 
traveling to Iraq with, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
commending the valor and commitment of the brave men and women who 
served in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, and I thank the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) for authoring this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a great honor to these men and women, 
and we have an opportunity to offer a more meaningful tribute. The best 
way to honor the troops of Operation Restore Hope is to support the 
legacy of freedom they fought to preserve.
  I am grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside some of 
the finest troops in the world when I was a commander of Marine 
Aviation Forces in Operation Restore Hope. The commitment of these men 
and women to our Nation and to the people of Somalia was exemplary.
  Unfortunately, as we learned shortly after the battle of Mogadishu, 
civilian leadership of Operation Restore Hope did not share the 
commitment of our troops when the situation became difficult. Today, a 
decade later, the men and women of the United States Armed Forces again 
face a difficult challenge, this time in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As in 
Somalia, American forces have entered Iraq with the best of intentions, 
and this time, this time we must stay the course.
  We commend the troops of Operation Restore Hope for their service as 
we pray for the safety of those who carry forth the proud tradition of 
committed service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[[Page H9841]]

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I did want to add a few words to those spoken so 
eloquently by my colleagues, and let me thank the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Davis) for her management of this bill and, of course, 
for her great work as an esteemed member of the Committee on Armed 
Services, and also the ranking member, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Snyder), of the Subcommittee on Total Force, who is my partner on these 
issues. We are all part of a team that is very honored today to have 
this opportunity to present this very worthy, in my estimation, 
resolution for consideration to the full House. Let me again thank the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) for his effort and leadership 
in bringing this measure to the floor at this time.
  Certainly, there are many perspectives today with respect to 
Operation Restore Hope and the battle at Mogadishu, a great deal of 
debate as to what happened prior to, what happened during, and as the 
aftermath of that, from the small ``p'' political perspective; but I 
would like to believe, and in fact I do believe, very strongly that 
there is absolutely no debate, no controversy with respect to what 
happened in Somalia and what happened during the battle of Mogadishu 
with respect to the incredibly brave and incredibly effective service 
of those members of our Armed Forces who were there as part of 
Operation Restore Hope. They were there for one reason. They were there 
to try to make a country safe for international relief organizations to 
administer humanitarian assistance.
  When those same members who were there for the most peaceful of 
reasons were called into combat, they fought with incredible honor and 
skill, and as we have heard here this afternoon, incredible courage.
  I do have somewhat of a personal stake in this resolution, Madam 
Speaker. I was very pleased to hear all of my colleagues speak very 
graciously about the contributions and sacrifices of the 10th Mountain 
Division during that particular day, that particular battle. The 10th 
Mountain Division is deployed out of Fort Drum which is just outside of 
Watertown, New York, my hometown, and still part of my district back in 
the State of New York. And specifically, it was the soldiers of the 
14th Infantry Regiment, the Golden Dragons, who manned the relief 
column that ended the Mogadishu fight. It was those same Fort Drum 
troops that fought through the city for some 12 hours while under 
continuous heavy fire to clear an evacuation route for the incredibly 
brave Army Rangers and Delta Force commandos who had been pinned down 
by forces loyal to the Somali warlord, Mohammed Farah Aidid that day.
  During that battle, 18 heroes were killed in total, but two of those 
troops were from the 10th Mountain Division. Also, 28 were wounded. The 
two soldiers whose lives were lost that day were Sergeant Cornell 
Houston and Private First Class James Martin, and I want to add my 
words of condolences and greatest sympathy, but also greatest 
appreciation to those two soldiers' families, and to all of the 
families of the soldiers, not just in the 10th, but in the Armed 
Services committed to that battle over that period of time in Mogadishu 
for their incredible sacrifice and for their devotion.
  Their courage was uncommon insofar as those of us lesser mortals are 
concerned. The courage that was shown in Mogadishu and shown in 
Somalia, however, I think is very symptomatic, not common, nothing that 
extraordinary could be called common, but that remarkable demonstration 
of all that makes up our great Armed Services, and things we see every 
day today in Iraq and Afghanistan and Bosnia and Kosovo; in theater 
after theater, the men and women not just of the United States Army but 
of all of the branches of our Armed Services display on our behalf and 
on behalf of others, simply trying to give people a chance to be free.
  This resolution is important because it signifies an incredibly vital 
anniversary in the history of the United States military, an important 
anniversary in their incredible contributions and sacrifices on behalf 
of others, but it is also important for the symbolism, that symbolism 
that continues today on the streets of Baghdad, that symbolism that 
continues today on the streets of Kabul and other places, men and women 
in uniform from villages large and small, from cities medium and large 
from the United States, who go to these strange, far-away places for 
one reason, to try to make people's lives better. That is why when 
people say we are proud to be Americans, we can say it with such 
conviction.
  Madam Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Hayes), and add a final word of urging to all of the Members of the 
House to vote in support of this great resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I am very honored to join with my colleagues today, 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes), the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Kline), and particularly the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. McHugh) for his dedication in this area. I am pleased to join with 
my colleagues in expressing deep gratitude for the valor and commitment 
of the members of the Armed Forces who were deployed in Operation 
Restore Hope to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of 
Somalia in 1993. I think that we need to be reminded, all of us, of the 
lessons learned from Operation Restore Hope, and keep that in our 
hearts and in our minds as we move forward in this Congress.
  Mr. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Capito). 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. 
291.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________