[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5544-H5547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE VETERANS
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 413) recognizing the service of United States
Merchant Marine Veterans.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
Whereas the United States Merchant Marine served as the
Nation's first Navy and helped George Washington's
Continental Army defeat the British Navy;
Whereas since 1775, United States Merchant Mariners have
served valiantly in times of peace and in every war;
Whereas after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001,
29 United States Merchant Marine Academy cadets operated a
fleet of boats in New York Harbor, transporting firefighters
and other emergency equipment workers, medical supplies, and
food;
Whereas today, more than 8,000 Merchant Mariners serve in
the Military Sealift Command, most of them working in support
of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
[[Page H5545]]
Whereas the United States Merchant Marine Academy is the
only one of the five service academies that sends its cadets
into war, and 142 undergraduates of the Academy were lost
during World War II;
Whereas during World War II, Merchant Mariners served
honorably in combat but were denied veterans benefits and
recognition at the end of the war despite sustaining the
highest rate of casualties of any of the armed services;
Whereas more than 95 percent of the Allied Forces and
materiel that was transported during World War II was
transported by Merchant Marine ships;
Whereas the Merchant Mariners of World War II were denied
the unprecedented benefits of the Servicemen's Readjustment
Act of 1944 (known as the ``GI Bill of 1944'');
Whereas the story of the United States Merchant Mariners of
World War II is one of patriotism, of youthful exuberance, of
dedication to duty, of bravery in the midst of battle, and of
a Nation that forgot these heroes after the end of the war
for more than 40 years until 1988, when they were given
veteran status;
Whereas by that time, over 125,000 of those Merchant
Mariners had died and many had lost out on opportunities and
benefits they greatly deserved; and
Whereas, on National Maritime Day, Congress recognizes the
tremendous sacrifices and contributions of the Merchant
Marine and its veterans and the entire maritime industry to
the Nation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That on National Maritime Day, the House of
Representatives recognizes the heroic and invaluable
sacrifices that the United States Merchant Marine veterans
have made to help ensure our Nation's prosperity and safety.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
General Leave
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
on H. Res. 413.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and
Maritime Transportation, I am honored to take this opportunity afforded
by National Maritime Day to pay tribute to our Nation's merchant
mariners and to the entire maritime industry.
I also honor the tireless work of the men and women of the United
States Coast Guard, who ensure the safety and security of our Nation's
ports, who protect our economic interests in the maritime environment
around the world and who, every year, save the lives of thousands of
mariners in distress.
In 1933, the United States first honored our merchant mariners
through the designation of May 22 as National Maritime Day. Seventy-
four years later, we again pause to honor the service and sacrifices of
our merchant mariners by considering H. Res. 413, offered by my
distinguished colleague, Congressman Bob Filner, the chairman of the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
H. Res. 413 pays special tribute to the estimated 250,000 Americans
who served in the War Shipping Administration, moving 95 percent of the
goods and materiel used by the allies used during World War II.
The Congressional Research Service report said more than 50 percent
of those who served in the Merchant Marine in World War II were under
the age of 25, and some 20,000 of these men were killed or wounded in
the war, yielding among the Merchant Marine the highest casualty rate
of any service, according to the U.S. Maritime Service Veterans.
Despite their gallant service, World War II-era U.S. merchant
mariners have still not received many of the benefits given to those
who served in the other U.S. military forces engaged in World War II.
U.S. merchant mariners have still never been made eligible for the GI
Bill or for the housing, educational or unemployment benefits that the
bill provided for other U.S. veterans.
Not until 1988 were World War II-era merchant mariners made eligible
for services from the Veterans Administration. Not until 1998 were they
made eligible for burial and cemetery benefits. While these are
important benefits long overdue to World War II-era merchant mariners,
many of these mariners were no longer with us when these benefits were
extended. Even fewer of the World War II-era mariners are with us
today. For many, therefore, any benefits granted now come too late.
Further, even for those who are still with us, it is too late to give
them the opportunities that they might have had, had they been eligible
for the benefits of the GI Bill at the conclusion of their service.
I urge my colleagues to take this opportunity to honor all of those
who served in our Nation's Merchant Marine during World War II, and I
hope that the experience of these mariners will be a lesson to ensure
that we never, never again deny any veteran who has served the United
States any of the benefits he or she has earned.
As I close, I also honor the vital role that our merchant mariners
continue to play in responding to our Nation's emergencies. Most
recently, the U.S. merchant mariners help evacuate an estimated 160,000
people from Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and provided aid and
emergency assistance along the gulf coast to the victims of Hurricane
Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
Merchant mariners also continue to provide the sealift capacity that
keeps our Armed Forces equipped to fight the global war on terrorism.
More than 8,000 merchant mariners serve in the Military Sealift
Command, and the Seafarers International Union has written that
civilian crews and military support ships have moved some 79 million
square feet of cargo to United States troops in Iraq and throughout the
world since 9/11. Without these highly trained men and women, we will
likely be unable to equip our Armed Forces with the supplies they need
to defend our Nation.
I honor all of the members, past and present, of the United States
Merchant Marine. I urge the passage of H.R. 413 and again commend my
colleague, Congressman Filner, for his tireless efforts on behalf of
our World War II-era merchant mariners.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Maryland
in honoring the men and women who served in the United States Merchant
Marine, and H. Res. 413 does just that. It recognizes the important
role the Merchant Marine plays in ensuring our national security and
strengthening our national economy.
The 465 U.S.-flag oceangoing commercial vessels and the approximately
69,000 men and women that comprise the U.S. Merchant Marine provide
critical services to the United States, the transportation of maritime
commerce to and from U.S. ports and their support for our armed
services in times of national emergency.
It's appropriate that we do this today. This is National Maritime
Day, which was designated by Congress to pay tribute to the merchant
mariners, both current and past, and recognize their faithful service
to the United States of America. Since 1933, the Nation has celebrated
and commemorated the service of the merchant mariners on May 22 each
year.
I, too, commend the resolution sponsored by my friend and colleague
from California (Mr. Filner) for introducing this legislation. I join
him in urging all Members to support this bill and the United States
Merchant Marine.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Filner). He is the author
of this resolution, and, without a doubt, in this Congress, be it on
whatever side, either side of the aisle, he has distinguished himself
as being a fierce fighter for the rights and benefits of our veterans.
{time} 1115
Mr. FILNER. I thank the chairman not only for his kind words, but for
bringing this resolution to us on National Maritime Day, and for his
making the connection between what we are doing today and the
historical record that we as a Nation, I think, have to recognize and
correct.
This resolution, H. Res. 413, does recognize the heroic and brave
service of the Merchant Marine veterans who have gone unheralded by
this country for far too long. Of course, this is the best time to do
this, on National Maritime Day, which was first celebrated in
[[Page H5546]]
1933. It is intended to recognize the invaluable role that the maritime
industry in general and the Merchant Marine in particular served to our
Nation's economy and to our security.
Throughout our Nation's history, the Merchant Marine has played a
crucial part in ensuring our freedom and security during war and in
transporting our commerce during peace.
This day was conceptualized by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a former
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, who firmly believed, as we continue
to, that the Nation needed a strong Merchant Marine to serve as an
auxiliary to our naval and other military forces during war. In fact,
the Merchant Marine has participated in every war since serving as the
Nation's first Navy, helping George Washington's Continental Army
defeat the British.
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, 29 Merchant Marine
Academy cadets operated a fleet of boats in New York Harbor,
transporting the firefighters and other emergency equipment workers and
medical supplies.
It is interesting to note that the United States Merchant Marine
Academy is the only one of our five military academies that will send
its cadets into war; and, in fact, we have lost 142 of those cadets
since World War II.
Today, more than 8,000 merchant mariners serve in the Military
Sealift Command, most working in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom.
I thank my colleague for bringing up the situation of our World War
II veterans. As he said, it is too late to give them education
benefits. But I have a bill, H.R. 23, that says we want to give you a
belated thank you with a payment for the last years of their life, most
of whom are over 80 right now.
During World War II, these merchant mariners traversed the dangerous
U-boat-laden waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific, faced down fierce
air attacks from kamikaze planes, and were instrumental in every
theater of war by carrying 95 percent of all tank supplies and troops
during the Great War. As a result, they suffered, as was pointed out,
the highest casualty rate of any of the military branches.
It is indisputable that the allied forces would not have been able to
begin, sustain, or finish World War II without their valiant and
selfless service.
When I first heard of the plight of the merchant mariners of World
War II, I could not believe the treatment that they have received. They
did not receive any recognition as veterans that they deserved, or the
benefits of the GI bill which they had earned. And their fight for
equality continued for over 40 years, when they finally attained
veteran status after a lengthy court battle. By then, over 125,000 of
them had died.
I actually had the privilege of receiving the heart-wrenching
testimony during a hearing before the Veterans' Affairs Committee from
one of the named parties in that suit, in the 1980s, a merchant mariner
named Stanley Willner. He was captured, interned, beaten, starved, and
tortured as a POW for 3 years. He actually was one of the unfortunate
group of Allied Forces who was forced to build the infamous bridge on
the River Kwai.
Upon release, he weighed a mere 74 pounds. When he returned home,
even his wife couldn't recognize him. Well, neither did his country.
The brave merchant mariner received just 2 weeks of medical care and
little else for his incredible service and sacrifice. What a travesty
of justice.
Mr. Speaker, there are many more stories like this that tell about
the merchant mariners of World War II, of opportunities lost and dreams
foreclosed. It is long overdue that we treat these veterans the same as
we try to do with all other veterans: Do our best to make them whole
again.
As such, in recognition of the 74th anniversary of National Maritime
Day, I invite all of the country and my colleagues to join me in
recognizing the brave men and women of the sea who, like the Merchant
Marine veterans of World War II, serve selflessly to ensure our
Nation's continued safety and prosperity by voting in favor of this
resolution, and then taking action, hopefully in a few weeks, where we
give a belated ``thank you'' to the merchant mariners of World War II
and pass H.R. 23.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished lady from New
Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter) 4 minutes.
Ms. SHEA-PORTER. I thank the gentleman for bringing this to the
floor.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of recognizing what our maritime
men did for us during World War II. The danger that they lived through,
the sinking of their ships, the efforts to protect our other soldiers
and bring supplies to them was nothing short of heroic.
When I spoke to some of these brave men, I talked about how my father
had joined the Navy, and one of the reasons he liked to say was because
he always was fed, and he always had ice cream. I never really thought
about where all that came from.
And then I met a constituent of mine in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, who
wrote a letter to me speaking about his father who was a merchant
marine and what he had been deprived of after World War II. And here is
what Larry Warren had to say.
``I am writing on behalf of all World War II Merchant Marine
veterans, but one in particular, my father Fred Warren of Wolfeboro.
They need help.
``My father served with the Merchant Marines during World War II. His
hearing is damaged from working in the engine rooms, and his lungs are
damaged from the asbestos used in the construction of the merchant
ships. He survived typhoons in the Pacific, German U-boats in the
Atlantic, and Axis torpedo bombers in the Mediterranean. I don't know
all the harrowing experiences. He doesn't talk about it.
``He was lucky to have made it home. Many didn't. The casualty rate
for World War II merchant marines was one in 26, higher than any branch
of the armed services. Merchant Marines fought and died with members of
our Armed Forces; some were captured and held POWs. Merchant ships and
the crews on them were considered expendable by the Allied leaders.
Freedom is not free, and the merchant marines of World War II paid
dearly.
``My father has never received help in any form from our government
because merchant mariners were denied benefits under the GI bill; no
low-interest loans, no unemployment pay, no free college training, no
health or prescription drugs, nothing. World War II merchant mariners
were not even considered veterans until an act of Congress in 1988.
``I respect all of our veterans and consider them heroes, but I am
especially proud of my father. In my eyes, he is a hero, too. It is
time to make amends.''
It is time to make amends. It is time to reward these men and their
widows for what they have gone through. And we thank them; and there is
no better way to thank them first by recognizing through this
resolution, and then by recognizing them with the next bill that
hopefully will pass through Congress that will provide some financial
support and say to them, as we have tried to say to all veterans,
``Thank you very much for saving our country.''
Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the brave
men and women who have served this country, in peace and in war, as
Merchant Mariners. The United States Merchant Mariners have supported
and served alongside our Armed Forces in every major seafaring conflict
since the birth of this Nation.
In times of peace, Mariners make the seas their home, transporting
American goods all over the world and bolstering our national economy.
In times of war, from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts today in
the Middle East, Merchant Mariners have served as a lifeline to our
international military operations, transporting troops, equipment, and
needed supplies to theaters of operation.
The dedication and sacrifice of our Merchant Mariners is
unassailable. Despite higher casualty rates than any branch of regular
military service in World War II, Merchant Mariners have continued to
answer the call to war with unflinching patriotism and valor.
Today, National Maritime Day, we should take time to reflect on the
devotion of all our Merchant Mariners and the deep and lasting debt
owed them by a grateful Nation.
Therefore, it is with great pride that I honor the service and
sacrifice that the brave men and women of the United States Merchant
Marine exemplify, on this, the 75th celebration of National Maritime
Day.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, 189 years ago, on May 22, 1819, the
steamship Savannah departed Savannah, Georgia, on the first
transatlantic voyage by a steamship. This voyage demonstrated the
commercial viability of
[[Page H5547]]
steamships and meant that commercial shipping was no longer totally
dependent upon the wind.
The U.S.-flag merchant marine has continued to promote international
transportation and global trade. U.S.-flag shipping companies lead the
way in the invention and development of containerized shipping and the
double-stacked train system. If it were not for visionaries such as
Malcolm McLean, cargo would still be transported in small boxes and
loaded on a ship like you see in old movies. Today's modern
containership can carry over 12,000 20-foot containers, equivalent to
6,000 semi-trailer trucks on our highways.
The merchant marine has also made significant contributions to the
freedom and liberty that we enjoy in the United States. Civilian
mariners served gallantly during World War II transporting arms and
supplies in support of our military forces. More than 700 cargo ships
and 6,000 mariners died in that war. U.S. mariners have continued to
service during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and now
in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Mr. Speaker, President Franklin D. Roosevelt first called on
Americans to commemorate National Maritime Day in 1933. Today, it is
fitting that the House of Representatives recognize National Maritime
Day to honor the men and women that have served our Nation in the U.S.
merchant marine. They have transformed our Nation from an island nation
into the hub of the world's commerce. They have shown how U.S.
technology can revolutionize the world.
Yet to many Americans, maritime transportation is the invisible
component of our global transportation system. People have no idea how
goods manufactured in China suddenly appear on store shelves in their
neighborhood. This global logistics system is now vital to the U.S.
economy. U.S. manufacturers no longer have large warehouses stocked
full of spare parts for their factories. They are dependent on a ``just
in time'' delivery system that will supply them with the components
they need within days or hours of their being assembled. If this global
trade were to be shut down for a few days, store shelves would begin to
become empty and factory production lines would be shut down.
I hope that in the coming year we can help Americans understand the
important contributions that the U.S. merchant marine makes to all of
our lives and that we develop legislation to help increase the size of
the U.S.-flag fleet competing in the world trade.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
House Resolution 413, recognizing the service of U.S. Merchant Marine
veterans today on National Maritime Day.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding back, I just want to
associate myself with the words of Ms. Shea-Porter and Mr. Filner, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 413.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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