[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 42 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1501-H1506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING AND CONGRATULATING MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD ON ITS 150TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 371) honoring and congratulating 
the Minnesota National Guard, on its 150th anniversary, for its spirit 
of dedication and service to the State of Minnesota and the Nation and 
recognizing that the role of the National Guard, the Nation's citizen-
soldier based militia, which was formed before the United States Army, 
has been and still is extremely important to the security and freedom 
of the Nation.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 371

       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard traces its origins to 
     the formation of the Pioneer Guard in the Minnesota territory 
     in 1856, two years before Minnesota became the 32nd State in 
     the Union;
       Whereas the First Minnesota Infantry regiment was among the 
     first militia regiments in the Nation to respond to President 
     Lincoln's call for troops in April 1861 when it volunteered 
     for three years of service during the Civil War;
       Whereas during the Civil War the First Minnesota Infantry 
     regiment saw battle at Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg;
       Whereas during a critical moment in the Battle of 
     Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, 262 soldiers of the First 
     Minnesota Infantry, along with other Union forces, bravely 
     charged and stopped Confederate troops attacking the center 
     of the Union position on Cemetery Ridge;
       Whereas only 47 men answered the roll after this valiant 
     charge, earning the First Minnesota Infantry the highest 
     casualty rate of any unit in the Civil War;
       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard was the first to 
     volunteer for service in the Philippines and Cuba during the 
     Spanish-American War of 1898, with enough men to form three 
     regiments;
       Whereas one of the three Minnesota regiments to report for 
     duty in the War with Spain, the 13th Volunteer regiment, 
     under the command of Major General Arthur MacArthur, saw 
     among the heaviest fighting of the war in the battle of 
     Manila and suffered more casualties than all other regiments 
     combined during that key confrontation to free the 
     Philippines;
       Whereas after the cross-border raids of Pancho Villa and 
     the attempted instigation of a war between the United States 
     and Mexico, the border was secured in part by the Minnesota 
     National Guard;
       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard was mobilized for duty 
     in World War I, where many Minnesotans saw duty in France, 
     including the 151st Field Artillery, which saw duty as part 
     of the famed 42nd ``Rainbow'' Division;
       Whereas the first federally recognized Air National Guard 
     unit in the Nation was the 109th Observation Squadron of the 
     Minnesota National Guard, which passed its muster inspection 
     on January 17, 1921;
       Whereas a tank company of the Minnesota National Guard from 
     Brainerd, Minnesota was shipped to the Philippines in 1941 to 
     shore up American defenses against Japan as World War II 
     neared;
       Whereas these men from Brainerd fought hard and bravely as 
     American forces were pushed into the Bataan Peninsula and 
     ultimately endured the Bataan Death March;
       Whereas men of the Minnesota National Guard's 175th Field 
     Artillery, as part of the 34th ``Red Bull'' Division, became 
     the first American Division to be deployed to Europe in 
     January of 1942;
       Whereas when the 34th Division was shipped to North Africa, 
     it fired the first American shells against the Nazi forces;
       Whereas the 34th Division participated in six major Army 
     campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, which led to 
     the division being credited with taking many of the enemy-
     defended hills in the European Theater as well as having more 
     combat days than any other division in Europe;
       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard served with 
     distinction on the ground and in the air during Operations 
     Desert Shield and Desert Storm;
       Whereas Minnesota National Guard troops have helped keep 
     the peace in the former Yugoslavia, including 1,100 troops 
     who have seen service in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo;
       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard has participated in 
     keeping America safe after September 11th, 2001, in numerous 
     ways, including airport security;
       Whereas the Duluth-based 148th Fighter Wing's F-16s flew 
     patrols over cities after September 11th for a longer time 
     than any other air defense unit;
       Whereas over 11,000 members of the Minnesota National Guard 
     have been called up for full-time service since the September 
     11th terrorist attacks;

[[Page H1502]]

       Whereas as of March 20, 2006, Minnesota National Guard 
     troops are serving in national defense missions in 
     Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Iraq;
       Whereas more than 600 Minnesota National Guard troops have 
     been deployed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom;
       Whereas members of the Minnesota National Guard, serving in 
     the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division, 
     have been a part of the State's largest troop deployment 
     since World War II, with more than 2,600 citizen soldiers 
     called to service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom;
       Whereas the Minnesota National Guard has greatly 
     contributed not only to battles but to the suppressing of 
     violent riots, such as the 1947 national meat processors 
     strike, in which they aided helpless police officers, and the 
     fight against natural disasters such as the Red River flood 
     in 1997 in which they organized search and rescue missions, 
     helped shelter people who were left homeless, ran logistics, 
     and helped sandbagging efforts; and
       Whereas on April 17, 2006, the Minnesota National Guard 
     will celebrate its 150th anniversary along with its 
     historical and recent accomplishments: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) honors and congratulates the Minnesota National Guard 
     for its spirit of dedication and service to the State of 
     Minnesota and to the Nation on its 150th anniversary; and
       (2) recognizes that the role of the National Guard, the 
     Nation's citizen-soldier based militia, which was formed 
     before the United States Army, has been and still is 
     extremely important to the security and freedom of the 
     Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Kline) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Butterfield) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 371 
honoring and congratulating the Minnesota National Guard on its 150th 
anniversary. Since Minnesota's early days as a frontier territory, 
Minnesotans have stepped forward to protect and defend their fellow 
citizens.
  Tracing their origins back to the Territorial Pioneer Guard, today's 
National Guardsmen continue to proudly serve their State and Nation in 
times of crisis and need. It is this dual service that makes the 
National Guard unique among our Nation's military services. Whether it 
is reinforcing levees along the Red River that borders Minnesota and 
North Dakota, patrolling the skies above New York City, or escorting 
supply convoys in Iraq, members of Minnesota's National Guard have 
answered the call of State and national leaders, as they have done for 
150 years.
  In recent years, unprecedented natural disasters have highlighted the 
Minnesota National Guard's traditional State role. In April 1997, heavy 
winter snowfall and unseasonably warm spring temperatures combined to 
cause massive flooding of the Red River which forced the evacuation of 
50,000 citizens from Grand Forks, North Dakota. As we stand here today, 
Minnesota's National Guard is again moving to the Red River.
  National Guardsmen and residents of both States struggled valiantly 
to keep the rising water at bay. Despite their best efforts that year, 
the river could not be contained. Floodwaters quickly breached the 
levee near Breckenridge, Minnesota, forcing its 4,000 residents to 
flee. In the midst of heavy rain, snow and 60-mile-an-hour winds, 
Minnesota National Guardsmen seamlessly switched from their engineering 
mission to rescue and evacuation operations. Residents of western 
Minnesota remember the destruction wrought by the floodwaters, later 
described as a once-in-500-years event; but they also recalled that 
Minnesota's citizen soldiers were there to assist them throughout the 
disaster.
  In 2005, members of the Minnesota Guard were again called to the 
scene of a major natural disaster, and the aftermath of Hurricane 
Katrina soon developed into our Nation's largest evacuation and 
recovery operation.
  Quickly overwhelmed by the devastating effects of the hurricane, the 
State governments of Mississippi and Louisiana urgently requested 
assistance, and Minnesota National Guard in conjunction with units from 
other States responded. C-130s from the St. Paul-based 133rd Airlift 
Wing hauled more than 600 passengers and 370 tons of cargo to the 
stricken States while Minnesota Army National Guard aviators 
transported over 400,000 pounds of sand bags to help reinforce the 
failing levees.
  Since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the Minnesota National Guard 
has also answered the calls of our national leadership to perform vital 
Federal missions.

                              {time}  1430

  Following the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., F-16s from 
the Duluth-based 148th Fighter Wing provided combat air patrols over 
the two cities and deployed personnel and aircraft to an alert facility 
at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
  In the years since 9/11, Minnesota's Army National Guard has assumed 
key stabilization missions throughout the world.
  Though the treaty that ended years of conflict in the Balkans bears 
the name of an Ohio city, soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard 
played a large role in implementing that peace. In 2003, over 1,000 
soldiers from Minnesota took over peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, 
performing such vital missions as collecting weapons and identifying 
mine fields to protect the civilian population.
  The Balkan peacekeeping mission was expanded in 2004 when 1,000 
members of the 34th Infantry Division, the famed ``Red Bulls,'' 
deployed to neighboring Kosovo. I was privileged to witness the great 
work performed by Major General Erlandson and his Minnesota Guardsmen 
who served on the KFOR mission in Kosovo.
  The camaraderie and experience gained in Bosnia and Kosovo has lived 
on as those two previous deployments volunteered to accompany and 
assist their fellow Guardsmen as the 1st Brigade Combat Team from the 
34th Infantry Division moves out for duty in Iraq. Having just 
completed 6 months of training in Mississippi, the first BCT has now 
moved into theater to assume responsibility for stability operations in 
Iraq.
  As the 2,600 Minnesotans travel into harm's way, we must commend and 
remember the three members of the Minnesota National Guard who preceded 
them and made the ultimate sacrifice last year in defense of our 
freedom, 1st Lieutenant Jason Timmerman, Staff Sergeant David Day, and 
Sergeant Jesse Lhotka.
  As we honor the Minnesota National Guard today for 150 years of 
service, we would do well to heed the words taken from a speech 
Lieutenant Timmerman wrote for the Lake Benton High School Veterans Day 
Ceremony in 2003: ``Show respect to those who have served. Most 
important of all, show your gratitude by enjoying the freedoms and 
rights that so many service members have fought and died for. Don't let 
their deaths be in vein. Exercise your right to vote, your right to 
free speech, and be happy for your freedom to do as you wish.''
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
371, honoring and congratulating the Minnesota National Guard for its 
dedication and service to the State of Minnesota and to the people of 
this Nation. The role of the National Guard has been and will continue 
to be extremely important to the security and freedom of the United 
States, and it is especially appropriate that we recognize this great 
organization. And so I join my colleague from the other side of the 
aisle in supporting this measure.
  I would also like to recognize the gentlemen from Minnesota, Mr. 
Kennedy and Mr. Kline, for bringing this resolution forward today.
  Mr. Speaker, the National Guard represents the spirit of our Founding 
Fathers and our country's first citizen soldiers who formed the Guard 
before there was an Army. And the Minnesota National Guard traces its 
origins to

[[Page H1503]]

the formation of the Pioneer Guard in the Minnesota territory in 1856, 
2 years before Minnesota became the 32nd State in the Union. The 1st 
Minnesota Infantry was among the first regiments in the Nation to 
respond to President Abraham Lincoln's call for troops in April of 
1861, when these courageous soldiers volunteered for 3 years of service 
during the Civil War.
  Since then, the Minnesota National Guard has served our Nation in 
countless ways. Its historical accomplishments are too numerous to 
list, and its recent contributions have been extraordinary.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, we are a Nation at war. Since the September 11 
terrorist attacks, members of the Minnesota Guard have been keeping 
America's airports and waterways safe, and over 11,000 members have 
been called up for full-time service.
  More than 600 troops have been deployed to Afghanistan for Operation 
Enduring Freedom. More than 2,600 citizen soldiers have been sent to 
Iraq. Other members of the Minnesota Guard are conducting important 
national defense missions in Pakistan and Kuwait and Qatar and Oman.
  And so I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. 
The Minnesota National Guard deserves strong recognition, strong 
recognition for 150 years of dedicated service, and this is a fitting 
opportunity to honor its members, the sacrifices they are making every 
day, and their valuable contributions to the security and freedom of 
our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I now take a great deal of pleasure in 
yielding 5 minutes to the author of this bill, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy).
  Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Kline), my good friend and my colleagues.
  I am pleased to stand here and rise to speak in support of this 
resolution that we have offered to honor and congratulate the Minnesota 
National Guard on their 150th anniversary.
  On April 17, 2006, the Minnesota National Guard will celebrate 150 
years of history, a history that extends from the battlefields of the 
Civil War to the war on terror in the desert sands of Iraq.
  When President Lincoln sent out his calls for troops in the early 
days of the Civil War, among the first militia units to respond were 
from Minnesota. These men, who were from the 1st Minnesota Infantry 
Regiment, saw battle at Bull Run, Antietam and Gettysburg.
  At a pivotal moment in the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg in the fight 
to preserve our national union, the 1st Minnesota answered the call, 
even though it resulted in the suffering of the highest casualties of 
any unit in that war. In a real sense, they may have saved the Union.
  On July 3, 1963, as my colleague, Gil Gutknecht, so eloquently will 
speak of, 262 men of the 1st Minnesota Infantry closed the gap in the 
Union line, stopped the desperate Confederate attack at the center of 
the line on Cemetery Ridge. Only 47 of them answered the roll call the 
next day.
  Had these men not acted with courage and boldness to turn back the 
charge and buy the rest of the U.S. Army precious time to reinforce, 
Confederate forces may have been able to breach Union lines. What began 
as the beginning of the end of the war would have turned out 
differently on that day.
  Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege to go to Iraq three times to 
meet our soldiers and the commanders on the ground. I prefer to talk to 
the people who are there to learn what is going on, not to see the 
latest sensationalist 30-second story of gloom and doom and defeat.
  On one of these trips, I met with members of the Minnesota Guard 
serving with the 1st Cavalry Division. I asked them, what is your best 
and your worst experience here in Iraq? One of them said to me that his 
best experience was listening to the Iraqis complain to him. I said, 
you should be in Congress.
  He told me that you knew that they knew that the Iraqis would never 
have dreamed of complaining to one of Saddam's soldiers. But even 
though he stood there with a rifle over his shoulder, clearly having 
power over them, they felt comfortable complaining to him, confirming 
that he and his colleagues had given them a gift of incomparable value, 
the gift of freedom, the gift of freedom of speech, the gift of 
protest.
  That is what 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard now 
staging in Kuwait as part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 34th 
Red Bull Division, the highest rated brigade in the whole Guard, are 
bringing to the Middle East. That is why my nephew interrupted his 
college studies to recently serve a tour of duty with the Minnesota 
Guard.
  At the same time, while they are bringing safety and security to 
America by battling terrorists abroad, the Guard is also helping to 
bring relief to families in need at home. As we speak here today, 
members of the Minnesota National Guard are responding to destructive 
flooding in northwestern Minnesota where their experience, 
professionalism and planning are saving property and lives.
  These selfless deeds, at home and abroad, show the sacrifice and 
heartfelt dedication of every member of the Minnesota National Guard.
  That is why, Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that my colleagues and I 
rise to honor and congratulate the Minnesota National Guard for 150 
years of service to their State and country.
  I have absolute confidence that future generations of Americans will 
continue to witness firsthand the great deeds of the Minnesota National 
Guard, and will continue to have cause to say thank you.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the 
brave men and women who for the past 150 years have served Minnesota 
and Americans as members of the Minnesota National Guard.
  I would also like to honor the family members who have stood by our 
Guardsmen and women during times of peace and war.
  The men and women of the National Guard have contributed to the 
freedom and security of this country from their heroism in the Civil 
War to their service today in Iraq.
  The Minnesota National Guard was key in ensuring victory for the 
Union forces at Gettysburg. They saw battle in the Spanish American 
War, World War I, World War II, Afghanistan, and Operations Desert 
Shield and Desert Storm.
  These brave men and women have also worked to help and keep the peace 
in Bosnia, Kosovo and Croatia.
  Since September 11, over 11,000 members of the Minnesota National 
Guard have been activated to help serve and protect Minnesota and the 
United States. Today the members of the National Guard are serving both 
within the State and around the world.
  In Minnesota, members of the National Guard are critical to helping 
Minnesotans protect their businesses, their homes and their schools. 
And they are prepared to stand with them to help these very same 
citizens rebuild their lives after the flooding recedes in the Red 
River Valley.
  Just last month, I had the honor of attending, along with Congressman 
Collin Peterson, a send-off celebration for over 2,600 members of the 
Minnesota National Guard. They were being deployed to Iraq from Camp 
Shelby, Mississippi.
  And I also had the privilege of attending a deployment at St. Paul 
Holman Field. It was wonderful and a very special moment to be with 
these men and their families, these women and their families as they 
were deployed, because the sacrifices these men and women are making to 
serve our country, and being separated from their families and loved 
ones is truly something that we as Americans should honor and respect.
  It has also been my privilege to work closely with the Minnesota 
National Guard in my district to maintain the Arden Hills National 
Guard training site, as well as the Air Guard's Holman field facility. 
These two facilities are essential to keeping our community strong and 
the Guard prepared and Minnesota and our country safe.
  Mr. Speaker, the history of Minnesota's National Guard is a proud and 
distinguished history. Farmers, factory

[[Page H1504]]

workers, policemen, students, doctors, business owners, for the past 
150 years, have become citizen soldiers serving their country and their 
community.
  Every Minnesotan, and all of America, owes a debt of gratitude to the 
brave men and women who serve our country today as in years past. And 
today, we send them our thoughts and our prayers for a speedy return 
home and a very safe return home.
  And I would like to take a second to honor a veteran from Minnesota 
who is on the floor, Mr. Kline, and his family for the service that 
they have given our country, for the active duty are also standing side 
by side.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for her kind 
words. And now I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Ramstad).
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I too pay tribute to Colonel Kline for your 
heroic service to the country that we all love.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 371, to honor, congratulate and thank the brave men and 
women of the Minnesota National Guard on its 150th anniversary.
  The Minnesota National Guard represents the very best of duty, honor 
and country. I join the people of the Third Congressional District of 
Minnesota in thanking each and every Guard member, past and present, 
for their selfless service.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out by previous speakers today, the 
Minnesota National Guard traces its origins to the Pioneer Guard of the 
Minnesota territory in 1856, formed 2 years before Minnesota became the 
32nd State. The 1st Minnesota Infantry was among the very first 
regiments to respond to President Lincoln's call for troops during the 
Civil War.

                              {time}  1445

  In fact, the 1st Minnesota Infantry had the highest casualty rate of 
any unit in the Civil War. The Minnesota National Guard went on to 
serve bravely in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War 
II. The Minnesota National Guard also served with great distinction on 
the ground and in the air during Operations Desert Shield and Desert 
Storm, and Minnesota Guard troops have helped keep the peace in the 
former Yugoslav republics.
  Following the September 11, 2001, attacks by the terrorists on our 
country, the Minnesota National Guard provided airport security and the 
148th Fighter Wing flew F-16 security patrols over United States cities 
for a longer time than any other air defense unit.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, Minnesota National Guard troops are serving in 
the war on terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. More than 3,000 
citizen soldiers just recently were called to service in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and our thoughts and prayers are with each of 
those Minnesota troops. In addition, Minnesota National Guard troops 
are serving in national defense missions in numerous other countries as 
well.
  Off the battlefield, Mr. Speaker, the Minnesota National Guard has 
provided countless services to our communities, assisting citizens 
devastated by natural disasters and maintaining law and order.
  Mr. Speaker, great moments and triumphs in American history require 
valor, bravery, and selfless service, and the brave men and women of 
the Minnesota National Guard have led the charge for 150 years.
  To the men and women of the Minnesota National Guard, congratulations 
on your 150th anniversary, and thank you. Thank you for your service to 
Minnesota and your service to our Nation.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking member of the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I join my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, in congratulating our Minnesota 
National Guard on its 150th anniversary. As my colleagues from 
Minnesota and our floor manager on the Democratic side have mentioned, 
this Minnesota National Guard has had a great and distinguished career 
of service to the Nation.
  There is no greater public service than that of military duty. There 
is no longer a tradition than that of the citizen soldier. It goes back 
to the very beginnings and foundation of our Nation and of our fight in 
the Revolutionary War for independence.
  Our National Guardsmen served in the Civil War, Gettysburg. They 
served in the Spanish-American War and World War I, World War II, at 
Wood Lake, Philippines, Meuse-Argonne in France, and Bataan, North 
Africa, Sicily, in Korea, in Vietnam, in Kuwait, in Iraq. They have 
served in Bosnia and Kosovo. And after September 11 it was our 
Minnesota Air National Guard that flew cover for months over our 
Nation's capital. Our Guard unit from my district, from Duluth, put in 
endless and wearying hours. We could hear those aircraft in the wee 
hours of the morning, protecting us against the foe unknown or 
terrorist attack that we could not imagine, and they did it without 
complaint but with enormous professionalism.
  This coming Saturday Cloquet E Battery, the 216th Air Defense 
Artillery Unit, will return safely from their duty in Saudi Arabia and 
in Iraq.
  Over 11,000 of our Minnesota Guardsmen have served some two and three 
tours of duty in the gulf. We salute them, congratulate them for their 
extraordinary service.
  I have been, as many of my colleagues have already attested in their 
own experience, to both send-off and return ceremonies. The most 
impressive is the open arms, the love with which our citizen soldiers 
are received on their return, the grateful hearts, the admiration of 
friends and family for the service that they have performed so 
selflessly, the tears that are shed, the joy of relief at coming home, 
but also the anxiety about returning to their job, their place of 
employment.
  After two or three displacements, some have had concerns. 
Fortunately, employers in most cases have been responsive to their duty 
to our National Guard, and as they return home and continue their 
citizen soldier service to America, as we provide for those in the 
field the necessary body armor, equipment, support services to carry 
out their duties in the field, we must provide for them as they 
eventually become veterans and assure that they are treated with the 
respect of our World War II vets, our Korea vets. And we have learned a 
great deal from the Vietnam veterans. They too have taught us great 
lessons, and those lessons must not be lost upon this body nor upon the 
American public as we welcome home the Iraqi veterans and incorporate 
them again into society and accord them the support services that they 
will need and that they deserve and have truly earned.
  I join my colleagues in the delegation in saluting our Minnesota 
National Guard on its 150th anniversary, and I join my colleague, Ms. 
McCollum, in congratulating our colleague, the gentleman from 
Minnesota, manager of the bill on the floor, for his service to our 
country in the Marine Corps.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kind remarks.
  I would like now to yield 4 minutes to a real historian of this 
famous Minnesota National Guard, my colleague from the First District 
of Minnesota, Mr. Gutknecht.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I am very pleased to be here and join my colleagues from Minnesota. I 
want to thank my colleague from North Carolina for his kind remarks as 
well.
  Like the mighty Mississippi River, the tradition and pride of the 
Minnesota National Guard is long and deep. For 150 years Minnesotans 
have proudly taken their places in that long line of citizen soldiers, 
that long line that has never failed us.
  Much has been said already today and I will try not to be redundant, 
but I do want to share some of the history of this very historical 
Guard. As has been mentioned, they were organized before Minnesota even 
became a State. Now, 150 years is a long time and many things have 
changed in our State, in our Nation, in our world. But there has been 
one constant, and that is the professionalism and the sense of service 
that we take for granted from our own National Guard.
  As was mentioned, in April of 1861, it just so happened that the 
Governor of

[[Page H1505]]

the State of Minnesota, Governor Ramsey, was here in Washington, D.C. 
on other business when we heard of the firing on Fort Sumter. And 
President Lincoln put out a call for troops, and Governor Ramsey became 
the first Governor in the Union to rush over to the White House and 
volunteer troops to serve to defend the Union. And it then fell upon 
the Minnesota 1st Infantry to be the first regiments volunteered to 
serve in that battle for the Union. And the story has been told that 
when they marched off to war, they were 1,066 strong, but by the end of 
the day of fighting of July 2, 1863, only 47 could answer the call. 
They suffered on the late afternoon of July 2, 1863, the highest 
percentage of casualties of any unit that fought in that tragic war. 
But they held the line that day. And to this day many people believe 
that they deserve to be called the saviours of our country because of 
their sacrifices.
  Many years later the colonel who led that regiment, Colonel William 
Colville, was asked what he thought about as they charged down that 
hill that day, and he said, ``Gad, I thought of Washington.'' They knew 
what the stakes were, and they knew that they had to hold that line.
  Earlier in the day that pivotal battle was fought, General Hancock 
rolled by and he asked Colonel Colville, ``How long can you hold your 
position?''
  And he responded with a sentence which made military and political 
history and survives to this day as the motto of the 1st Infantry. He 
said, ``General, to the last man.'' And as we know, it became no idle 
boast.
  Since the Civil War, the Minnesota National Guard has honorably 
served in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, 
Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm. These soldiers helped defend the 
border against Pancho Villa and maintain the peace in Bosnia, Croatia, 
and Kosovo.
  Today more than 600 National Guardsmen from Minnesota have been 
deployed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. More than 2,600 
Minnesota citizen soldiers are serving in support of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. In January I saw firsthand the courage and dedication of the 
Minnesota National Guard at Camp Shelby. Awaiting their deployment to 
Iraq, these volunteer men and women maintain the historic spirit and 
tradition of the Minnesota National Guard.
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise in support of this resolution, and I 
congratulate and recognize the Minnesota National Guard's 150 years of 
dedicated service. Because of their sacrifices, our Nation and our 
State are more secure and millions around the world can look forward to 
a future of peace and freedom.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and 
colleague from Minnesota, the ranking member of the House Committee on 
Agriculture, Mr. Peterson.
  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise as well today to congratulate the Minnesota 
National Guard for their 150th anniversary, which I believe is 
officially on April 17. And it is with great pride that I do this 
because, as people have said, we have great shoulders in the Minnesota 
National Guard.
  As has been mentioned by other speakers, they have a rich history, 2 
years older than the State of Minnesota. They have participated in 
every military action that we have been involved in in this country. 
And as was mentioned today, we have over 2,600 soldiers that have 
recently been deployed, some of them yesterday, I believe, to Operation 
Iraqi Freedom. Many of those soldiers are from my district. Soldiers, 
too, of the 136th Infantry, called the Bearcats, they were also 
deployed in Bosnia. I had an opportunity to visit them there. I was as 
well in Camp Shelby a couple times to visit those folks. And typical of 
the Minnesota tradition, the Bearcats racked up the highest scores in 
the training that was done in Mississippi, higher than a lot of our 
regular Army forces. So we are very proud of them, and they believe in 
their mission. They are ready to go, and I am sure they are going to 
uphold the fine tradition of the Minnesota National Guard.
  I would also like to recognize and thank their families, their loved 
ones, and their communities and their employers because those are the 
folks that probably have got the toughest job in this whole situation, 
especially with these people that have been deployed two or three times 
in the last 5 years, which a lot of these soldiers have. So we want to 
recognize them as well.
  I also would like to recognize and thank the Guard and the members 
that are currently deployed to my communities in the Seventh District 
of Minnesota along the Red River in the north. We are again having 
another flood event up there that we seem to have every once in a 
while. We had a very serious one in 1997, where events very similar to 
what happened in New Orleans happened in the Red River Valley. The 
Guard did an outstanding job during that particular event. And today we 
have 136 Guardsmen that have been deployed up to the Red River Valley, 
and they are helping us get through this event again today.
  I also want to applaud the State of Minnesota, which has undertaken a 
conscientious policy of providing pay differential to State employees 
that serve in the National Guard.

                              {time}  1500

  Of the approximately 12,000 Guard members in the State, about 500 of 
them work for the State of Minnesota, and their lives and the lives of 
their families, during this difficult time of activation, have been 
made easier by Minnesota's pay differential policy.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also a cosponsor and strong supporter of 
legislation that would allow the Federal Government to follow Minnesota 
and provide pay differential for Federal employees activated in the 
Guard and Reserve. I hope that this body will pass this legislation 
soon, because it has worked well in Minnesota, and I know it will work 
well for the rest of the country.
  So, once again, I rise to congratulate the men and women of the 
Minnesota National Guard on their 150th anniversary, and thank all of 
them for their service to the State of Minnesota and their service to 
the country. I know that they will make us proud, as they always have.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
just to take a few seconds to extend my thanks to the gentleman from 
North Carolina and my colleagues from Minnesota for their support today 
of the Minnesota National Guard and their very kind remarks. I would 
urge all of my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 371 and say happy 
birthday to the Minnesota National Guard.
  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
resolution. I am proud of the Minnesota National Guard and its rich 
history. The First Minnesota Infantry regiment answered President 
Lincoln's call to duty in April 1861 and those Minnesota soldiers set 
the tone for the tenacity and bravery that has become the ingrained 
ethic of the Minnesota Guard.
  The people who make up the Minnesota Guard are some of the brightest 
our state has to offer. Today, more than 2600 Minnesota National Guard 
members are in or en route to Kuwait for final preparations before they 
head to Iraq. The 1st Brigade Combat Team will be deployed to Iraq and 
is expected to be the only National Guard Brigade Combat Team in Iraq--
all others are from active duty Army. This is the largest deployment of 
the Minnesota Guard since World War II.
  While these brave men and women are serving our State and our country 
in a dangerous place, it is extremely important that we do our part to 
support them and their loved ones during and after the mission in Iraq. 
We must provide a strong network of support for families of deployed 
soldiers, and assist those families and soldiers during the difficult 
transition period following deployment.
  I rise today in support of this resolution, in recognition of the 
Minnesota Guard's rich history, and in gratitude to those Minnesotans 
who have answered the federal call to duty.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
371.
  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.

[[Page H1506]]



                          ____________________