[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 156 (Friday, October 31, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13742-S13743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DECLARING EMPORIA, KANSAS, TO BE THE FOUNDING CITY OF THE VETERANS DAY 
                                HOLIDAY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Veterans Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of 
H. Con. Res. 159 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the concurrent resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 159) declaring 
     Emporia, Kansas, to be the founding city of the Veterans Day 
     holiday and recognizing the contributions of Alvin J. King 
     and Representative Ed Rees to the enactment into law of the 
     observance of Veterans Day.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the city of 
Emporia, KS, for its significant role in the establishment of Veterans 
Day. The people of Emporia take great pride in their city's 
contribution to the founding of this national holiday, and, while they 
may be modest, I would like to trumpet the work of my fellow Kansans.
  As all of us in this Chamber are aware, Veterans Day was once 
Armistice Day, a day set apart by this Congress to commemorate the end 
of World War I, which our Nation once hoped would be ``the war to end 
all wars.'' Just a few years after Armistice Day was made a legal 
holiday, our Nation was engulfed in the Second World War. Shortly 
thereafter our soldiers were fighting bravely to repel the communist 
advance on the Koran Peninsula. These two conflicts added millions to 
the number of war veterans in the United States. Certainly, it seemed 
appropriate that these new veterans, like the veterans of World War I, 
should be honored for their service to our country.
  The man who initiated the effort to honor all of these veterans was a 
Kansan. Congressman Ed Rees, a native of Emporia, acted on the call of 
his constituents, particularly that of his fellow Emporian, Alvin J. 
King, to introduce legislation to officially change Armistice Day to 
Veterans Day. In 1954, another Kansan, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 
signed this legislation into law.
  Since 1954, Veterans Day has been a day set apart to honor the valor 
and sacrifice of all America's veterans. At all times our Nation relies 
on the courage and selflessness of the members of our Armed Forces, so 
I am thankful that Congressman Ed Rees, at the behest of his fellow 
Emporians, worked so diligently to establish one special day when all 
our veterans are recognized for their faithful service to the United 
States. I thank the people of Emporia, and I thank the millions of war 
veterans who inspired them.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, this resolution declares Emporia, KS, to 
be the founding city of Veterans Day. In addition, the resolution 
recognizes the contributions of Alvin J. King and Representative Ed 
Rees from Emporia, KS, to the enactment into law of the observance of 
Veterans Day.
  On October 8, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also a Kansan, 
signed

[[Page S13743]]

into law a bill changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day. President 
Eisenhower stated, ``On that day let us solemnly remember the 
sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the 
air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and 
let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring 
peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.''
  With the soon-to-be return of our service men and women from the war 
in Iraq, Veterans Day takes on a new meaning. These men and women who 
serve in Iraq today, join the other millions that have come before 
them. I am proud that President Eisenhower, Representative Rees, and 
Alvin King, all from the great state of Kansas, took the idea for the 
celebration of Veterans Day from conception to fruition.
  Emporia, KS, organized and celebrated Veterans Day in 1953, one year 
before the rest of the United States. Alvin J. King, the man behind the 
idea, was a shoe cobbler in Emporia. Mr. King befriended many veterans, 
thus realizing that we needed a national holiday to commemorate all 
veterans of all wars, not just those of World War I. With support from 
the community of Emporia, Mr. King took his idea to Washington. There, 
he found a close ally in Representative Ed Rees, who introduced a bill 
to change the holiday. Mr. Rees said, ``The United States has now been 
involved in many great military efforts, and each has produced its 
number of veterans. We all realize that it would not be feasible to 
establish a national holiday to commemorate the closing of each war. 
This legislation does not establish a new holiday. Rather it expands an 
existing holiday so that we may honor all veterans at the same time.''
  On November 11 of each year, we pay tribute to our veterans. 
Americans, as in all wars have rallied behind the men and women who 
went off to defend the American way of life. And, as some of those 
soldiers returned, we embraced and thanked them for their sacrifice. 
And for those that did not come home we remembered them in somber 
ceremonies, silent prayers, and grieving moments. On November 11 we pay 
reverence to anyone that has wore the uniform. We should, also, 
recognizes the shoe cobbler from Emporia, who had a vision for a 
national holiday; a representative, who listened to his hometown; and a 
President, who a veteran himself, saw the completion of this idea.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements 
relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 159) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.

                          ____________________