[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3907-H3908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING AND HONORING SERVICE OF THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER TIME TO 
PARTICIPATE IN FUNERAL HONOR GUARDS AT INTERMENT OR MEMORIALIZATION OF 
 DECEASED VETERANS OF UNIFORMED SERVICES OF UNITED STATES AT NATIONAL 
                               CEMETERIES

  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 260) recognizing 
and honoring the service of those who volunteer their time to 
participate in funeral honor guards at the interment or memorialization 
of deceased veterans of the uniformed services of the United States at 
national cemeteries across the country.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 260

       Whereas it is important that the Nation provide proper 
     respect and fitting recognition to deceased veterans;
       Whereas members of the uniformed services of the United 
     States make significant contributions to the general welfare 
     of the United States;
       Whereas the furnishing of an honor guard at the interment 
     or memorialization of a deceased veteran shows the proper 
     respect to those who have passed away after serving their 
     country;
       Whereas the family of a deceased veteran may request an 
     honor guard service and deserves the comfort of knowing that 
     a respectful service will take place; and
       Whereas currently there are many demands placed on active 
     duty units across the country and there are not enough active 
     duty honor guard units available to perform these important 
     services: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress hereby recognizes and honors the 
     service of those outside the active components of the Armed 
     Forces who volunteer their time to participate in funeral 
     honor guards at the interment or memorialization of deceased 
     veterans of the uniformed services of the United States at 
     national cemeteries across the country, as exemplified by the 
     proud work performed by the members of numerous patriotic 
     organizations across the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Brown) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 
260.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from South Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
260, to recognize and honor the service of those who volunteer their 
time to represent the military at veterans' funerals.
  Approximately 1,800 veterans of our Armed Forces die every day. 
Eleven hundred of them are World War II veterans. An average of 236 
burials take place each weekday at the various VA national cemeteries 
located throughout the country. The families of many of these veterans 
request that their military service be recognized as they are laid to 
rest.
  A grateful Nation has assigned the Department of Defense the 
responsibility for responding to those family requests through its 
military funeral honors program. However, because active duty service 
members are not always available, the Department must rely on 
volunteers to provide the appropriate honors in about one-third of the 
requests. The remainder are performed by active duty and reserve 
service members of the five military branches or National Guard 
members.
  Since 2001, the law has required that at least two members of the 
funeral honors detail be members of the Armed Forces, and at least one 
of them be a member of the branch of service in which the deceased 
veteran served. The remainder of the honor guard may consist of members 
of the Armed Forces or members of veterans organizations or other 
organizations approved by the Secretary of Defense. At a minimum, the 
honor detail performs a ceremony that includes the folding and 
presenting of the American flag to the veteran's next of kin and the 
playing of Taps.
  Mr. Speaker, according to the Department of Defense, the number of 
volunteers who participate with the military in performing military 
funeral honors at both national and private cemeteries increased from 
27,767 in 2000, to 51,688 in 2003. Given the demands being placed on 
those currently serving on active duty, this increased volunteer 
participation is indispensable to meeting our obligation to honor the 
service of each deceased veteran.

[[Page H3908]]

  Thus, it is an appropriate time that we recognize and thank those 
volunteers. They are indeed proud and patriotic veterans who selflessly 
give back to their comrades and provide comfort to the veteran's family 
and friends. As any veteran will tell you, their allegiance to the 
military and its service members does not end when they are discharged 
from service. This is a bond that lasts for a lifetime.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Bono) for introducing concurrent resolution, and I 
urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 260. 
This important measure recognizes and honors the service of individuals 
who volunteer as honor guards during funeral and memorial services at 
national cemeteries.
  I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith), the ranking 
member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), and my good friend, 
the chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South 
Carolina (Mr. Brown), for their steady leadership of veterans issues in 
the committee.
  I also want to commend the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono) 
for her work on this resolution, and I want to thank all my colleagues 
who helped to bring this before us today. Additionally, I would like to 
recognize the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) for 
her work on a similar resolution that recognizes the United States Army 
Volunteer Reserve for its distinguished service to veterans and their 
families.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to represent the Second Congressional 
District in the State of Maine. My State has one of the highest 
percentage of veterans populations in the country. I am sure that they 
support this resolution and join me when I say that the veterans of 
this Nation deserve nothing less than an honorable and dignified final 
resting place.
  I would like to personally recognize the 23 members of Maine's honor 
guard for their service. Ten of these individuals are currently 
deployed and we pray for their quick and safe return. These 23 soldiers 
serve above and beyond their normal duties to participate in the honor 
guard, performing over 50 missions a year. Without their effort and 
sacrifice, our Nation would not shine so bright and we would not live 
as free as we do today.
  Sadly, Mr. Speaker, many of the brave men and women who put on the 
uniform to protect us during World War II and the Korean War are 
passing away every day. We also find ourselves engaged in hostilities 
in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world, and, because of this, we are 
now burying veterans of a new generation much too soon.
  Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility to provide our brave men and 
women in uniform an honorable and dignified memorial service. Indeed, 
without the sacrifice of these volunteer honor guards, we would have a 
more difficult time fulfilling our responsibility. I thank them for 
their service and appreciate their efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, and I urge all Members to do so.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent 
Resolution 260.
  Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 260, 
which I introduced last year on behalf of myself and Representatives 
Henry Brown, Mike Bilirakis, Ken Calvert, Jim DeMint, Johnny Isakson, 
Jerry Lewis, John Shadegg and Zach Wamp. This resolution recognizes and 
honors the important service of those who volunteer their time to 
participate in funeral honor guards. These volunteers serve at the 
interment or memorialization of deceased veterans of the uniformed 
services of the United States at national cemeteries across the 
country.
  A veteran's family may request the presence of active duty military 
personnel to provide honor guard services at their loved one's funeral. 
Unfortunately at times like this when our military is so desperately 
needed overseas, there is a shortage of available active duty personnel 
who can perform this duty. Numerous veteran volunteers help fill this 
void and perform the honor guard duty themselves. These volunteers are 
once again answering our Nation's call by honoring the military service 
of their fellow veterans. I feel it is incumbent upon Congress to 
recognize the service of volunteer honor guards as well as the 
continuing contribution that these individuals make to our Nation and 
the families of their fallen brethren.
  I would like to specifically honor the many of my district's military 
retirees who are members of Semper Fi No. 1, an organization that 
performs volunteer honor guard services at Riverside National Cemetery 
and has been a driving force behind the creation of volunteer honor 
guard service throughout the Nation. I am proud to represent the many 
military retirees who serve as volunteer honor guards.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 260.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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