[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 14, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H231-H234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE USO TO OUR ARMED 
                                 FORCES

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 322) expressing the 
Sense of Congress regarding the contribution of the USO to the morale 
and welfare of our servicemen and women of our armed forces and their 
families, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 322

       Whereas the United Service Organizations, Incorporated (the 
     USO), a nonprofit, charitable organization, was founded in 
     1941 to provide morale and recreation services to military 
     personnel and in 2006 is celebrating its 65th anniversary of 
     service to United States servicemembers around the world;
       Whereas the USO is chartered by Congress and is endorsed by 
     the President and the Department of Defense to provide 
     morale, welfare, and recreation-type services to members of 
     the Armed Forces and their families;
       Whereas the USO operates 124 centers around the world, 
     including six mobile canteens, through which support is 
     provided to members of the Armed Forces and their families, 
     who visit those facilities more than 5,000,000 times per 
     year;
       Whereas the USO relies on over 33,000 volunteers providing 
     approximately 400,000 hours of service per year, in both 
     peacetime and time of conflict;
       Whereas the USO plays an important role in contributing to 
     the success of the Nation's military mission by providing a 
     reliable private connection directly supporting the morale, 
     welfare, and recreational needs of the members of the Armed 
     Forces; and
       Whereas the crucial link to home provided by the USO is 
     made possible through the generous contributions of more than 
     1,000,000 American citizens and scores of corporations: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress extends its appreciation to the 
     United Service Organizations, Incorporated (the USO), on its 
     65th anniversary and recognizes that the work of that 
     organization in supporting the members of the Armed Forces 
     and their families is a valued contribution to the success 
     and mission of the Armed Forces.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. 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 the resolution 
currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the United Service Organizations, established on 
February 4 of 1941, has become a national treasure. In every war and 
every theater of operation since World War II where Americans have been 
deployed, the USO has been there to entertain and to increase the 
morale and welfare of the men and women in the military and their 
families. As the chairman of the USO Caucus it is my pleasure to bring 
this resolution to the floor today.
  When the organization was formed, the military was expanding rapidly 
for the impending conflict. Between 1940 and 1944 the size of our 
military grew from 50,000 to over 12 million. At its high point during 
the Second World War the USO had over 3,000 clubs and 1.5 million 
volunteers to provide services to military personnel. On the 
entertainment side, the U.S. provided 428,521 shows and performances. 
To put this figure into perspective around the world, the USO would do 
sometimes 700 shows a day. It estimates that over 7,000 entertainers 
were sent overseas to entertain our troops.
  Today, USO facilities are visited over 5 million times a year; and 
although the USO does have a paid staff, the bulk of the service that 
they provide is through 12,000 volunteers who donate over 450,000 hours 
annually.
  In 2005, the USO sent out over 50 celebrity entertainment tours. 
Almost

[[Page H232]]

200,000 servicemembers in some 30 countries were visited by these 
tours. The USO has distributed over 750,000 care packages to deploying 
servicemembers, and last year they had three care package stuffing 
parts right here on Capitol Hill for troops deploying to Iraq and 
Afghanistan. I have helped stuff packages myself, as have many other 
Members of Congress and their staff. We have to date stuffed and sent 
12,000 care packages. My goal is to increase that number to 20,000 a 
year. It is the least that we as Members of Congress can do.
  H. Con. Res. 322 will recognize the thousands of men and women, 
mostly volunteers, who have made the USO possible, for without them the 
USO would not be half of what it is.
  Every time I have the opportunity to go overseas to Iraq, 
Afghanistan, to Bosnia and other areas of operation around the world, 
the men and women tell me all the time, send us more USO shows.

                              {time}  1430

  Send us more of those USO care packages. To me, Mr. Speaker, that 
says that our USO continues to be the single most important morale 
booster to our men and women serving overseas. From the Second World 
War to Iraq, the USO has been there and is there today, and we are here 
for the men and women of the USO.
  God bless them and the incredible work that they do.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the USO Congressional Caucus, I join my 
colleague and good friend, Congressman Miller, on the House Armed 
Services Committee, who is our founding co-chair of the USO Caucus, in 
support of House Concurrent Resolution 322. This resolution recognizes 
the 65th anniversary of the United Service Organizations and extends 
Congress's appreciation to the USO for 65 years of dedicated service in 
support of our Armed Forces and their families.
  I have personally seen the impact of the USO on the lives of our 
Nation's military during visits, as my colleague mentioned, to Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and military facilities around the world. I have also seen 
the work of the USO closer to home. The congressional care package 
stuffing party, which was held in the Rayburn foyer last September, 
helped provide care packages stuffed by Members of Congress and our 
staffs for soldiers deploying from the Continental United States 
Replacement Center in my district at Fort Bliss, Texas.
  Also at Fort Bliss in December, the USO established a Wounded Warrior 
Room at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, providing soldiers 
recovering from combat injuries a place to relax during their 
treatment. And later this spring, the USO will open a new center on the 
main post of Fort Bliss to serve both those currently stationed at Fort 
Bliss and also the nearly 20,000 soldiers who will be coming to El Paso 
as part of the decision of BRAC and the overseas rebasing troop 
movements.
  While we see every day the good things that the USO does for our 
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, many Americans may not remember 
how the USO came into existence. The year was 1941, and President 
Franklin D. Roosevelt challenged six private organizations to take 
responsibility for the leave recreation of the armed services. The six 
organizations were the Salvation Army; the Young Men's Christian 
Association, the YMCA; the Young Women's Christian Association, the 
YWCA; the National Catholic Community Services; National Travelers Aid 
Association; and the National Jewish Welfare Board. These six 
organizations pooled their resources together and became known as the 
United Service Organizations, or more commonly referred to today as the 
USO. The USO incorporated on February 4, 1941, and remains a private 
nonprofit organization that is supported entirely by over 1 million 
American citizens and hundreds of corporations.
  Back in its early days, USO facilities were opened in such unlikely 
places as churches, log cabins, museums, castles, barns, beach clubs 
and yacht clubs, railroad sleeping cars, and even some storefronts. 
These USO facilities were many things to so many people, a place to see 
movies or a place to dance and meet people, a quiet place to talk or 
write letters back home, a place to find religious counsel, and always 
a place to go for free coffee and doughnuts. By 1944, the USO had more 
than 3,000 clubs across the country. However, by 1947 the USO had all 
but disbanded.
  During the Korean war, the USO eventually reopened 24 clubs 
worldwide; and during the conflict in Vietnam, the first USO opened in 
a combat zone. It is here where I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I 
have personal knowledge of just what the USO means to a young soldier 
far away from home, bringing a little bit of home to a combat zone.
  As the draw-down in Vietnam ended, the USO began to provide new 
programs to help servicemembers and their families transition back into 
civilian life. With the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 
USO opened its first center in Afghanistan, the Pat Tillman USO Center, 
at Bagram Air Base in 2005. Today there are more than 124 airport and 
family centers worldwide, located in 10 countries and 21 States.
  The USO is also recognized for its entertainment effort on behalf of 
our servicemembers and their families. In fact, one cannot recognize 
the USO and not remember that the most beloved and recognized 
entertainer, the great Bob Hope, was part of the heart and soul of the 
USO. Bob Hope began his first USO tour in 1942 and continued to 
entertain and support our troops for more than five decades. Bob Hope 
brought laughter and joy to thousands of men and women deployed around 
the world, and he and other entertainers volunteered to entertain the 
troops both in the United States and abroad, often under some of the 
most trying situations and conditions.
  Today that same commitment and dedicated spirit lives on in the 
hundreds of entertainers that have volunteered and continue to support 
our deployed troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
Freedom, as well as other bases around the world.
  Today the USO continues its outstanding achievement under the 
leadership of president and chief executive officer Ned Powell; chief 
of staff Sarah Farnsworth; and senior staff, Michael Farley, John 
Hanson, Keith Weaver, Bruce Townsend, and Hilary Welch; and the 
contributions from the USO World Board of Governors. These great people 
continue to help build and sustain the USO. But the most critical 
component of the USO and what makes it so special and what makes it so 
unique are the over 33,000 volunteers and paid staff members who 
contribute over 400,000 hours of service annually. These are people 
that are the heart and soul of the USO and provide direct comfort and 
assistance to our troops and their families, and I want to thank them 
all and honor them for their service to our troops and their families.
  Congress also recognizes the important role that the USO plays in 
support of our servicemembers and their families; and to further 
provide support to the USO, it established the USO Congressional 
Caucus. As co-chair of the caucus, I am pleased that over 150 of my 
colleagues have joined that effort to enhance the outreach to our 
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coast guardsmen, and their 
families.
  So today, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of 
this great resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), a gentleman 
who has three sons serving in our Armed Forces today, one of whom 
returned from service in Iraq last year.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for House 
Concurrent Resolution 322, and I appreciate the leadership of my Armed 
Services Committee seatmate Jeff Miller for authoring the resolution. 
He and his wife, Vicky, are tireless advocates for our military heroes 
who protect American families. I am also grateful for the USO Caucus 
leadership of Congressman Jeff Miller and Sylvestre Reyes, two of the 
most dedicated Members of Congress.
  Created in 1941 by the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 
the United Service Organizations delivers

[[Page H233]]

encouragement and optimism to our brave men and women in uniform. The 
USO is ably led by president and CEO Ned Powell, who is a distinguished 
graduate of Washington and Lee University in Virginia.
  Throughout the past six decades, the USO has evolved continuously to 
meet our soldiers' needs during wartime and peacetime. From operating 
clubs where troops can meet, to sponsoring Bob Hope's historic shows, 
the organization has a tremendous record of providing critical comfort 
and aid to our servicemembers. Today, with the help of 12,000 
volunteers providing nearly 450,000 hours of service per year, the USO 
operates 124 centers and six mobile canteens around the world. On the 
State level, we have had outstanding programs such as in South Carolina 
with Redd Reynolds entertaining National Guard troops.
  I am proud to join Congressman Jeff Miller and Congressman Sylvestre 
Reyes in congratulating the USO for its 65th anniversary of dedicated 
service. As American soldiers risk their lives in the war on terrorism 
to protect American families, the USO's mission is more important than 
ever. I appreciate the USO firsthand from my knowledge as a Member of 
Congress, a 31-year veteran, and as the parent of three sons currently 
serving in the military.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget 
September 11.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and thank my colleagues from Florida and Texas for introducing it.
  Established on February 4, 1941, at the direction of President 
Roosevelt and chartered by Congress in 1979, the USO has long provided 
generously for the morale and welfare of our troops. Through their 
various programs, events and campaigns, the USO extends a touch of home 
to the men and women of our nation's military. The USO benefits from 
the generosity of many Americans, as the bulk of the service delivery 
is provided by 12,000 volunteers who donate over 450,000 hours 
annually.
  Funded through the generous contributions of the American people, 
organizations and corporations, the USO operates 124 centers worldwide 
and 6 mobile canteens. With overseas centers located in Germany, Italy, 
France, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iceland, Bosnia, Japan, 
Qatar, Korea and Kuwait; the USO has built an extensive network--with 
service members and their families visiting USO centers more than 5 
million times each year.
  Many of us in this Chamber have participated in or witnessed 
firsthand the good work done by the USO for many of our constituents. 
Since 2003 the USO has distributed over 1 million prepaid phone cards 
as part of Operation Phone Home. The cards have been distributed in 
Iraq, Afghanistan, hospitals, and even to service members impacted by 
Hurricane Katrina. In 2005 the USO sent out over 50 celebrity 
entertainment tours. Almost 200,000 service members in 30 countries 
were visited by these tours. Additionally, over 750,000 care packages 
were delivered to deploying service members. Last year the USO held 
three care package stuffing parties on Capitol Hill for troops 
deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, where Members of Congress and Staff 
were able to assemble about 12,000 care packages.
  More than just entertainment, the USO also provides critical services 
such as ``newcomer'' briefings for troops and family members and new 
spouses; family crisis counseling and support groups for families 
separated by deployments; housing assistance; and nursery facilities.
  Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the House USO Caucus, it gives me great 
pride to rise in strong support of this resolution and in support of 
the USO for all of the work they have done for our military community 
and our nation.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 322, acknowledging the contributions of the United Service 
Organization to the morale and welfare of the servicemen and women of 
our armed forces and their families.
  It is with great honor I join Congressman Reyes and my fellow 
colleagues in supporting the United Service Organization (USO), an 
organization I know well as a Vietnam-era Marine. The USO was formed in 
response to a 1941 request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the 
purpose of providing the men and women of the Armed Forces with 
comfort, hospitality, and recreation. The USO continues to successfully 
fulfill this mission in collaboration with the U.S. government and 
numerous private organizations.
  Since the opening of the first center in 1963, the USO has grown to 
over 120 centers worldwide, ranging from Seattle, Washington to Seoul, 
Korea. Annually, 12,000 volunteers donate 450,000 hours of their time 
assembling and delivering over 750,000 care packages to deployed 
service members. Last year, Members of Congress and their staff 
participated in three care package stuffing events that assembled about 
12,000 packages for troops deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan.
  As our military continues to grow and change, the mission of the USO 
also continues to expand and incorporate new ideas to better serve our 
servicemen and women. In 2003, the USO began ``Operation Phone Home,'' 
which distributed over one million prepaid phone cards to our troops, 
enabling them to communicate with family members while stationed 
overseas.
  The most well-known programs sponsored by the USO are the Celebrity 
Entertainment shows, which have proven to be an effective morale 
booster. In 2005, the USO sent over 50 celebrity entertainment tours in 
30 countries, which were attended by almost 200,000 service members. 
Longtime USO entertainer, Bob Hope, is perhaps the most memorable 
advocate of the USO. His legacy continues to inspire and attract 
celebrities, entertainers, and the American people to donate their time 
and talents in support of the troops.
  The USO provides a channel for American citizens to express 
appreciation and admiration to those who bravely defend the United 
States overseas, and to let our military men and women know they are 
cared for and not forgotten. The USO embodies the generous spirit of 
the American people and their unwavering support for our servicemen and 
women. On the 65th Birthday of the USO, I, sincerely extend my thanks 
for providing so much support and comfort to our Armed Forces.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. 
Res. 322, recognizing the importance of the United Service 
Organization's (USO) many contributions and to their vital role in the 
betterment of the lives of our servicemen and women.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  February 14, 2006--On Page H233 the following appeared: Ms. 
Jackson Lee of Texas...
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: Ms. Jackson-Lee 
of Texas.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  We are sending an increasing number of soldiers, both enlisted and 
reserve, to serve in locations far from home, which shows that the 
USO's work is just as necessary today as it was 65 years ago. In 1941, 
President Franklin D. Roosevelt challenged 6 private organizations to 
provide morale boosting support for our servicemen and women. The USO 
has met that challenge head-on.
  As a member of the congressional USO Caucus, and a member who has 
visited war zones around the world throughout my years in Congress, I 
have seen evidence of the services they provide our soldiers and the 
value of these welcoming facilities.
  The organization is well-know for inviting Hollywood entertainers to 
perform concerts, boosting morale, and providing temporary reprieve 
from the daily stresses of their profession. However, the USO provides 
more than just mere entertainment for the armed services, offering less 
publicly known programs, such as crisis counseling and support groups 
for both military personnel and their families.
  The USO operates 124 of these facilities around the world, including 
49 overseas. As a testament of their good work and its commitment to 
expanding its efforts, the USO just opened its newest facility in 
Kuwait, just two weeks shy of the organization's 65th birthday. This 
center is the 6th in the Persian Gulf region, showing that the 
organization has continued with its tradition of providing support 
where support is needed, be that at home, or halfway around the world.

  For soldiers unable to meet their families at a facility, the 
organization reaches out providing phone cards and care packages, so 
that at the very least, they can hear a familiar and soothing voice, 
and enjoys a taste of home.
  The USO's charter may be signed into law, but it still operates as a 
non-profit, charitable organization relying on both private 
contributions and support of volunteers. Thankfully, the organization 
is in no short supply of either with scores of companies and 33,000 
volunteers offering their support. The USO serves as the bridge between 
concerned citizens wanting to make a difference, and our servicemen in 
need of assistance. With that said, I can not understate the value of 
the organization's work in enhancing both the lives of soldiers on the 
ground, and their families' safe at home. For all of the aforementioned 
reasons I hope my colleagues will vote to recognize the many 
contributions the USO has made in enhancing the lives of our soldiers.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to today in support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 322 to recognize the outstanding contributions of 
the United Service Organization (USO) to the morale and welfare of our 
servicemen and women in the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. I 
also take this occasion to commend the USO upon their 65th anniversary.
  The USO has served as a source of support, entertainment, and morale 
for American troops since its chartering in 1941. Established at the 
request of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the USO has served our 
Nation's

[[Page H234]]

servicemen and women ever since. I commend the efforts of those six 
civilian agencies--the Salvation Army, Young Men's Christian 
Association, Young Women's Christian Association, National Catholic 
Community Service, National Travelers Aid Association and the National 
Jewish Welfare Board--that came together in support of our troops in 
creating the USO, bringing about its official incorporation in New York 
on February 4, 1941.
  The USO has strong ties to Guam. Burgeoning with U.S. military 
personnel following the liberation of the island, the USO first came to 
Guam in the early 1950s. Delivering entertainment and laughs to those 
serving on Guam, the USO's work on Guam was but a small glimpse of its 
work lifting the morale of servicemen and women around the world.
  The combat zones of the past included Korea, Vietnam and Kuwait. 
Today the USO brings entertainment to our men and women serving in 
Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa among many other places. For 
65 years, wherever you found America's military, you found the USO, no 
matter the location or the danger.
  The USO not only brings entertainment, a piece of home and a smile to 
troops deployed abroad through its shows, but serves as a ``home away 
from home'' for servicemen and women in 124 centers around the world. I 
am pleased to state that this proud tradition will soon be resurrected 
on Guam. The USO will re-open its Guam branch on March 23, 2006. With 
the military presence on Guam steadily growing, the USO has once more 
answered the call to service. With growing unease in Asia, the 
strategic location of Guam is increasingly valued. The men and women 
who serve on the island provide stability to the region and security to 
our Nation. The USO will once again ensure that these men and women, 
their families and their guests nonetheless always have the support 
they need. No doubt this branch will also bring to Guam many of the 
USO's trademark shows.
  Let me take this chance to say, on behalf of the people of Guam, 
welcome back to the USO. As we say on Guam, Hafa Adai and Si Yu'os 
Ma'ase (thank you) for their work.
  Our Nation enjoys a spirit of brotherhood, of service and of charity 
that is a reflection of a national value of selfless service. The USO 
embodies this national value. And the people who are the USO live this 
national value. Over 12,000 volunteers donate over 450,000 hours 
annually thereby allowing the USO to serve our Nation's greatest 
servants. Not to be forgotten are the celebrities and entertainers that 
often headline USO tours, lending their time and talents to honor those 
people who provide them the very opportunity to live the American dream 
they have realized. And providing the foundation upon which the USO can 
operate are countless thousands of U.S. donors, both private and 
corporate, who make giving a centerpiece of their lives.
  I join my colleagues in commending the USO and all of the men and 
women who over time and who now make up this great organization for the 
service they provide to those who serve our Nation in uniform. Like our 
military men and women, you too are heroes. You are what makes America 
great. God Bless the USO, God Bless our men and women serving around 
the world today and God Bless America.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the United Service Organizations, whose world headquarters are located 
in my district and this year will celebrate its 65th anniversary of 
serving the men and women of our armed forces.
  At the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt the USO was 
formed in 1941 as a means of promoting troop morale by providing 
entertainment, recreation and support. Relying solely on charitable 
contributions and the generosity of individuals, the USO has served 
troops in each American conflict since World War II.
  Perhaps at its most well known during World War II, the USO provided 
over 400,000 shows and performances to our armed forces, sending 7,000 
performers overseas and performing as many as 700 shows in a single 
day. It was during this time that the great Bob Hope first performed 
for our soldiers. His famous USO career spanned six decades, headlining 
over 60 tours and delivering countless one-liners. In 1997, the USO 
successfully worked with Congress to designate Bob Hope the first 
honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.
  Today the USO is still going strong. In 2005, the USO sponsored over 
50 celebrity entertainment tours, visiting nearly 200,000 service 
members in over 30 countries. The volunteer base has grown to over 
12,000 people who donate over 450,000 hours of service each year.
  The USO, however, provides more than just uplifting entertainment to 
our troops. Over 750,000 handmade care packages were sent to service 
members deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan last year. Additionally, the 
USO has made communication to the home front more affordable and 
accessible through the Operation Phone Home which distributed over one 
million prepaid phone cards to deployed troops.
  All of this would not be possible were it not for the dedication of 
the USO staff and volunteers who so graciously give their time and 
energy to help those who are defending our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask 
that you join me in commending the USO and its members for all of their 
work and in congratulating them on 65 years of dedicated services to 
our troops.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Issa). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
322, as amended.
  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. MILLER of Florida. Mr. 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 question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________