[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2599-H2600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RENAMING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, in 1947, with the 
National Security Act, the United States Congress clearly stated that 
we have four separate military services, the Army, the Air Force, the 
Navy and the Marine Corps. Too many times people, both in the military 
and outside the military, do not realize that we have four separate 
services.
  The Department of the Navy was created to be the department for two 
equal services acknowledged by law, the United States Marine Corps and 
the United States Navy. Both the Navy and the Marine Corps have proud 
heritages. In my service in Congress and in my seven terms on the Armed 
Services Committee, many times in hearings we hear the Navy admirals 
and the Marines generals stating for the Record, we are one team, we 
are one fighting team.
  Madam Speaker, it is time for the Marine Corps to be recognized as 
the other three services are recognized. As a great defender of freedom 
for America with H.R. 346, this is the fourth Congress that I have 
introduced legislation to change the name of the Department of the Navy 
to be the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps.
  Madam Speaker, 121 of my colleagues last year cosponsored the bill. 
This year the bill is the same language. We are gaining large numbers 
from both parties who believe in the fairness of this legislation.
  I would like to share part of an editorial published last year in the 
Chicago Tribune, and I quote, ``No service branch shows more respect 
for tradition than the United States Marine Corps does, which makes it 
all the more ironic that tradition denies the corps an important show 
of respect: Equal billing with the other service branches.''
  Madam Speaker, I submit for printing in the Record the entire 
editorial from the April 21, 2006, Chicago Tribune.

               [From the Chicago Tribune, Apr. 21, 2006]

                        Step Up for the Marines

       No service branch shows more respect for tradition than the 
     U.S. Marine Corps does, which makes it all the more ironic 
     that tradition denies the corps an important show of respect: 
     Equal billing with the other service branches.
       The Continental Congress ordered ``two Battalions of 
     Marines'' to be raised in 1775 as landing forces for the 
     Navy. The Marines have remained within the Navy on government 
     organization charts ever since, even though the corps 
     functions through wartime and peacetime as a separate branch 
     in every other way.
       Like the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Marine Corps has its 
     own command structure. Its commandant holds equal status with 
     other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which happens to 
     be chaired for the first time by a Marine, Gen. Peter Pace.
       Several Marine veterans and supporters have launched an 
     online petition drive to support a bill proposed by Rep. 
     Walter B. Jones. The North Carolina Republican, whose 
     district includes Camp Lejeune, wants to fix the matter 
     simply by changing the Department of Navy to the ``Department 
     of the Navy and Marine Corps.''
       Jones has twice passed similar measures in the House with 
     bipartisan support, but the Senate was cool to them. Senate 
     Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, a Virginia 
     Republican, veteran and former Navy secretary, has promised 
     ``fair consideration'' for the legislation. That's Senate-
     speak for a reluctance to commit. His reluctance seems to be 
     rooted in a sense of tradition. But sometimes it's good to 
     break with tradition. The War Department, for example, became 
     the Defense Department after World War II. The Army Air Corps 
     was elevated in 1941 to the Army Air Forces and in 1947 to 
     the autonomous Air Force.
       The Marines have not asked for complete autonomy. Nothing 
     structurally needs to change in their relationship with the 
     Navy, which has served both branches well. The corps only 
     asks for recognition. Having served their nation proudly and 
     courageously since colonial days, the leathernecks have 
     earned a promotion.

  But sometimes it's good to break with tradition. The War Department, 
for example, became the Defense Department after World War II. The Army 
Air Corps was elevated in 1941 into the Army Air Force, and in 1947 to 
the autonomous Air Force.
  The Marines have not asked for complete autonomy. Nothing 
structurally needs to change in their relationship with the Navy, which 
has served both branches well. The Corps only asks for recognition, 
having served their Nation proudly and courageously since colonial 
days. The leathernecks have earned a promotion.
  Madam Speaker, I want to say more emphatically beside me is a poster, 
is a blow up of orders from the United States Navy to submit to the 
family of Michael Bitz, a Marine sergeant killed in Iraq. His family 
received a Silver Star for valor. He gave his life for this country.
  I have met his family, I have met his children, twins he will never 
know on earth because he died before they were born. You can see that 
the orders for Silver Star says at the top, the Secretary of the Navy, 
Washington D.C., and there is a Navy flag, but there is nothing about 
the Marine Corps about the heading.

                              {time}  1445

  We took these orders and we want to show you how, if this bill should 
become law, how the fairness will show itself. If you take the orders 
for Michael Bitz, again, a marine who died for this country, his family 
received a Silver Star, and should this bill ever become law, this is 
what the orders will say: the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps, 
with the Navy flag and the Marine flag.
  Madam Speaker, before I close, this is only an issue of fairness. The 
Marine Corps has earned this distinction to

[[Page H2600]]

stand with the other three services and be recognized as a separate 
service.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I ask God to please continue to bless our 
men and women in uniform. I ask God, in his loving arms, to hold the 
families who have given a child dying in Afghanistan or Iraq. And I 
close by asking God to please continue to bless America.

                          ____________________