[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6255-S6257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I express a deep sense of gratitude to all 
those involved in this magnificent recognition of those who served in 
World War II, not only the 16 million men and women in uniform, but the 
homefront by ten times that number. Every American was involved.
  This weekend was magnificent. I was privileged to have a very modest 
role in this event with Senator Dole and many others, joining in the 
feature of the weekend, the afternoon, 2 to approximately 3:30, when on 
The Mall over 150,000 individuals gathered to pay their respects to 
what is referred to as ``the greatest generation'' and hear from those 
who had taken a leading role, including Senator Dole, the American 
Battle Monuments Commission under the former commandant of the Marine 
Corps, Fred Smith, who was a key part of the team that raised the 
money, and, of course, we were fortunate the President of the United 
States came and addressed not only the crowd, not only our Nation, but 
addressed the world as a reminder of the human sacrifice all over the 
globe as a consequence of that struggle for the preservation of 
freedom.
  Of course, we all remember the United States involvement started on 
December 7, 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Prior thereto, the 
Nazi armies had marched into Poland in late 1939, and the war in Europe 
was well underway. Then on September 2, 1945, the Japanese signed the 
official surrender aboard the Missouri in Tokyo Bay, and prior thereto, 
May 8 or 9, or a little later, the formal recognition of the surrender 
of the German forces.
  So the great war to end all wars, as it was referred--as was also 
referred in World War I--had come to an end, with 16 million uniformed, 
over 400,000 of whom died, and triple that number bearing the wounds of 
that war.
  It is interesting how this all started. On May 25, 1993, nearly 48 
years after the end of the war, Public Law 103-32 was signed, 
authorizing the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a 
World War II memorial in Washington, DC, or its environs to honor the 
spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of those people. And 11 years have 
followed after that fundraising, design, selection, and debate.

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  It is legitimate and important that we have voices on both sides 
express their views with regard to the utilization of the precious few 
acres between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial and, 
indeed, the Capitol on the other end.
  Primarily under the leadership of Bob Dole and Fred Smith--Bob Dole, 
having been an extraordinary hero in the closing days of World War II, 
having suffered wounds in Italy in September of 1945 that required him 
to undergo many years of medical treatment and sheer mental 
determination to survive and to go on and provide America with his very 
distinguished career, including a seat he occupied as majority leader 
once in the Senate. The design by Friedrich St. Florian, Rhode Island 
architect, was chosen after reviewing approximately 400 design 
submissions, and Leo A. Daley, an internationally known architect who 
resides in Washington, DC, a very distinguished American, was selected 
to give overall management to the project.
  I also acknowledge the name Carter Brown. He was at that time the 
foremost figure at the National Gallery of Art for many years as its 
director. He had a keen sense with regard to artistic matters. I 
remember calling him--I think others did, too--but prevailing him to 
enter the debate about the design of this memorial.
  Some years before, I had again been a participant in the construction 
of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and it was a very strong and, at 
times, ferocious debate. In my office, as a U.S. Senator, right here in 
the Capitol, one time it erupted almost into fisticuffs over the design 
of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The debate on this memorial was 
equally serious, equally thoughtful on both sides, but, nevertheless, I 
have always believed that Carter Brown, through his strong hand and 
enormous respect, entered the fray and quelled the waters such that a 
design finally emerged. So we owe a debt of gratitude to so many.
  Bob Dole and Fred Smith and others had raised more than $195 million 
from the private sector, incidentally from more than 600,000 separate 
contributions; that is, from individuals, some of them for a dollar, 
some for many dollars, but that is an extraordinary number of 
individuals. I also recognize that every State in the Union, all 50 
States and Puerto Rico, contributed $1 for every citizen of that State 
who wore the uniform, male and female, in World War II. What a 
remarkable record of the breadth of participation across the land.
  Some $16 million was provided by the Federal Government, again not 
necessarily for the construction and design of the memorial, but really 
for a lot of the infrastructure that had to be put in place. I refer to 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. On October 
30, 2000, we were able to find within the Armed Services authorization 
bill some $6 million to be transferred to the American Battle Monuments 
Commission. I will put into the Record the technical details of how we 
did that and the purpose for the funds, but basically it was for 
infrastructure. Congress had a modest hand, but I believe the important 
emphasis should be put on how the private sector came forward to make 
possible the construction.
  As I reflect on this weekend and my opportunity to observe and walk 
among the many veterans who were gathered there on Saturday afternoon, 
on a fairly warm and intense day, and the joy in their hearts--and of 
the 16 million, I think, somewhere between 6 or 7 million, perhaps, are 
still on planet Earth. So many of their colleagues, therefore, who had 
passed on in that period of time and since that period of time were on 
their minds. But there was joy in everyone's heart. It was a coming 
together, to use the words of Bob Dole, paralleled, really, only by the 
World War II period when all of America was so united strongly behind 
the men and women of the Armed Forces. It was a magnificent 
reenactment, so to speak, of that cohesion that prevailed throughout 
America in that critical period from 1941 to late 1945.
  Those of us who were privileged to be part of it--and I was just a 
young sailor at the tail end of the war in training command, but, 
nevertheless, I remember so well how America opened its arms to the 
veterans of that period and how this country perhaps made its best 
investment, for educational purposes, the best investment in the 
history of the Federal Government's participation in education, which 
was the GI bill, from which I benefited and many others.
  I have often said, standing at this very spot on the Senate floor, 
that I would not have been privileged to serve in the Senate had it not 
been for the GI bill I received for modest service in World War II and 
then modest service again in the second period during the Korean 
conflict, with service in the Marines. I mention that only in the 
context of the value of the GI bill to those of us who received that 
gift of the American people. That is why I try to work hard today with 
many others, particularly those on the Armed Services Committee, to do 
what we can for this generation of young men and women who are in the 
Armed Forces and their families as a means of payback for what was done 
for previous generations. I am proud of the record of the Armed 
Services Committee over the many years I have been able to participate 
and serve on that committee.

  I will come to the phrase momentarily. Bob Dole said it I think best 
of all when we chatted together quietly, and I think he also said it 
publicly in a number of interviews he found the time to give; and that 
is, perhaps it is time to pass on the baton of the ``greatest 
generation'' to this generation of young men and women who are now 
serving in the Armed Forces of the United States because the Nation, I 
believe, is behind them. It is strongly behind them. There may be 
differences of view, honest differences of viewpoints about the war--
should we have done it, should we not have done it--but we will save 
that debate for a later date and just look forward.
  It was remarkable when we arose this morning, after a weekend of 
deliberations by many people in Iraq, the United Nations, Ambassador 
Bremer, and others, that we suddenly realize that the Iraqi Governing 
Council, which I think has done some very credible work in its short 
lifetime, has suddenly decided to dissolve, pick a President, a Prime 
Minister, some 20-odd ministers, and begin to lay the foundation for 
Iraq to govern itself. I personally am very heartened by these moves, 
widely reported in today's press.
  But also in today's press again is the expression of many--I am not 
suggesting it is thoughtless, but, nevertheless, it is strongly in 
conflict with my own views--that we ought to establish a pullout date. 
Our President has steadfastly said we are going to remain until such 
time as the Iraqi people have enabled themselves to establish their 
government, hopefully to hold an election, before any dramatic 
withdrawal of the coalition forces in large numbers because that 
security system must be in place.
  These are going to be critical, stressful, and difficult times after 
the transition on July 1. But we have to all remain steadfast in our 
conviction that we have to give this fledgling new Iraqi government a 
chance to put its roots into the ground and grow and gain strength and 
train their own force structure for the purposes of security.
  But, nevertheless, as widely reported, a number of groups say, let's 
establish an arbitrary date--well, maybe not arbitrary but establish a 
date for pullout. To me, that would be a grave mistake. It would set a 
target, and targets are not a wise step in these types of situations, 
not at all. It is better that we go day by day, week by week, month by 
month, and gradually see how quickly the Iraqi government can 
constitute itself, establish its training programs, and eventually 
establish its own security forces. In the meantime, citizens of this 
country and other coalition nations have provided the funds for the 
refurbishment and, indeed, the modernization of their economic 
infrastructure.
  So this must go forward, recognizing, again, that it is going to be a 
stressful and dangerous period because there are, regrettably, many 
engaged in open warfare to stop the evolution of a new and free Iraq.
  Mr. President, I close with those remarks, saying only that I believe 
it was an opportune time for this memorial to be dedicated this 
weekend, to bring America together, to instill in

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America a consciousness of the sacrifice that has preceded in our own 
Nation. Hopefully that measure of sacrifice can be extrapolated into 
the challenges that face America today and the sacrifice now of over 
800 young men and women who have died in the conflicts in Afghanistan 
and Iraq, primarily Iraq, and the many more thousands who have been 
wounded. Yes, that does not compare, certainly by way of numbers, with 
the over 400,000 in World War II, but in my heart it compares. Every 
soldier counts. Every sailor, every airman, every marine counts.
  It is not just the total number. To the family who bereaves the loss 
of their loved one, it is painful, irrespective of the total. It is a 
big total in my judgment, a significant total, a serious total and a 
serious loss to the country. Each us in this Chamber deeply grieves 
those losses.
  Coming together this weekend, focusing on the sacrifices, on where 
our Nation is today as the leader of the free world, I hope will better 
enable Americans to understand the sacrifice of these young men and 
women, be they killed or wounded, and the hardships to the family. It 
is worth it because it is all part of a long, step-by-step trek toward 
not only achieving freedom for other nations but maintaining our 
freedom here at home, freedom against terrorism and other threats 
throughout the world.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may speak 
for 5 or 6 minutes in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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