[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 79 (Monday, May 14, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
                    RENAMING 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. Mr. Speaker, this week the House will 
consider the 2008 defense authorization bill. For the sixth year in a 
row, the bill contains language to rename the Department of the Navy to 
be the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
  I want to thank House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton and Ranking 
Member Duncan Hunter for their continued support for this change 
because the need to recognize the coequal status of the Navy and the 
Marine Corps team is long overdue. I have continued to introduce 
legislation to rename the department. I hope this year the Senate will 
support the House position and join in bringing the proper respect to 
the fighting team of the Navy and Marine Corps.
  Over the years, this name change has received not only the support of 
the full House Armed Services Committee but also the support of former 
Navy Secretaries and Marine Corps Commandants.
  The Honorable Wade Sanders, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy 
for Reserve Affairs, 1993 to 1998, voiced his support for the change 
when he stated: ``As a combat veteran and former Navy officer, I 
understand the importance of the team dynamics and the importance of 
recognizing the contribution of team components. The Navy and Marine 
Corps team is just that, a dynamic partnership, and it is important to 
symbolically recognize the balance of that partnership.''
  General Carl Mundy, the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps stated: 
``I believe the changes you propose will do much to clarify the 
relationship, responsibilities, and functions of the appointed civilian 
authority over the United States naval services. I believe that any 
Secretary, present, past or future, will be very proud to bear the 
title `Marine' as well as `Navy.' ''
  Admiral Stansfield Turner, United States Navy, Retired, former 
Director of Central Intelligence, stated: ``I think this change in 
title enhances the prestige and pride of the people in the Marine 
Corps. And it does not necessarily take anything away from the Navy in 
that process.''
  Mr. Speaker, last year an editorial in the Chicago Tribune on April 
21, 2006, also supported the change stating: ``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 services and 
the branches.''
  Mr. Speaker, as I begin to close, I want to show the Members of the 
House, these are the orders from the Secretary of the Navy. Sergeant 
Michael Bitz, United States Marine Corps, was killed for this country 2 
years ago and his family received in his memory the Silver Star for 
Valor. And yet, Mr. Speaker, you can see that the title of the order 
says the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. and the Navy flag. 
This was a Marine who gave his life for this country.
  Isn't it proper that the orders for the Silver Star should look like 
this and say at the top the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps, 
Navy flag, Marine flag, they are one fighting team and they should be 
recognized as a fighting team.
  It is about time, after 40-some years, the House, with the Goldwater-
Nichols bill, said there are four separate branches: The Marine Corps, 
the Navy, the Air Force, and the Army, and it is time that the Marine 
Corps be recognized as one of the strongest fighting teams in this 
country.

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