[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8925-H8927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION 
                                  DAY

  Mrs. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 27) supporting the 
goals and ideals of ``National Purple Heart Recognition Day,'' as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
  The text of the Senate concurrent resolution is as follows

                             S. Con. Res. 27

       Whereas the Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration 
     in present use;
       Whereas the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the 
     President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces 
     who are wounded in action against an enemy of the United 
     States or are wounded while held as prisoners of war, and is 
     awarded posthumously to the next of kin of members of the 
     Armed Forces who are killed in action against an enemy of the 
     United States or who die of wounds received in action against 
     an enemy of the United States;
       Whereas the Purple Heart was established on August 7, 1782, 
     during the Revolutionary War, when General George Washington 
     issued an order establishing the Badge of Military Merit;

[[Page H8926]]

       Whereas the award of the Purple Heart ceased with the end 
     of the Revolutionary War, but was revived in 1932, the 200th 
     anniversary of George Washington's birth, out of respect for 
     his memory and military achievements; and
       Whereas observing National Purple Heart Recognition Day is 
     a fitting tribute to George Washington and to the more than 
     1.5 million recipients of the Purple Heart: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Purple 
     Heart Recognition Day'';
       (2) encourages all people in the United States to learn 
     about the history of the Purple Heart and to honor its 
     recipients; and
       (3) calls upon the people of the United States to conduct 
     appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
     demonstrate support for members of the Armed Forces who have 
     been awarded the Purple Heart.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
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 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 27, which 
calls upon this Nation to take one day per year to honor those brave 
warriors whose tremendous dedication and self-sacrifice have earned 
them the Purple Heart.
  As noted earlier today, the Purple Heart is awarded by a grateful 
Nation to those brave soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen who have 
been wounded in battle while protecting their fellow citizens from 
enemies of the United States.
  Established in 1792 during the Revolutionary War as the Badge of 
Military Merit, this sacred metal was revived in 1932, 200 years after 
the birth of George Washington. To date, there have been over 1.5 
million recipients of the Purple Heart. This number gives me pause. 
Over 1.5 million Americans have been wounded, injured, and some have 
even given their lives so that we might stand here today as the oldest 
democracy in the world. Their families have endured hardship; their 
children have had to deal with fear and uncertainty that their brave 
and heroic father or mother may not return from keeping them safe.
  I cannot help but feel that we, as beneficiaries of this sacrifice, 
owe these brave men and women time to reflect on the price of our 
freedom. We should stand shoulder to shoulder with the military 
families of this great Nation to recognize our military going into 
harm's way, to pray for their safe return, and when that fateful moment 
comes, to honor the bravery and the courage of warriors who did not 
blink in the face of danger, but who sacrificed for the democratic 
ideals that we cherish.
  That is why a resolution supporting a national day to commemorate our 
brave men and women who have so valiantly earned the Purple Heart has 
been brought to the floor of Congress today.
  I want to take this moment to recognize our colleagues in the other 
body, the gentlewoman from New York, the honorable Mrs. Clinton, and 
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Hagel) for their sponsorship of this 
resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution that calls 
upon all people in the United States to conduct appropriate ceremonies, 
activities and programs to demonstrate support, thanks and appreciation 
for the estimated 1.5 million very special members of the Armed Forces, 
past and present, who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
  The Purple Heart is awarded only for those who are killed or wounded 
in action against the United States of America. So it is fitting that 
we honor and recognize their sacrifices on National Purple Heart 
Recognition Day, as well as recall GEN George Washington's order 225 
years ago on August 7, 1782, that established the Badge of Military 
Merit, the predecessor of the Purple Heart.

                              {time}  2015

  In 2001, in connection with the announcement of the creation of the 
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, my former colleague, Ben Gilman, a 
New York Representative, a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps, 
made the following statement. It is a statement that for me helps to 
put in context why we should make a special effort on National Purple 
Heart Recognition Day. Congressman Gilman said: ``The Purple Heart is 
probably the most recognizable military award in the United States. 
Every school child knows the medal is awarded to our brave American 
military who are wounded in the line of duty.''
  If we are to ensure that Americans, even down to every school child, 
continue to recognize the significance of the Purple Heart and the 
sacrifices of the men and women who earned it, then we must make the 
effort to commemorate and educate this and future generations. Support 
for this resolution is one way to begin that effort.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Hall).
  Mr. HALL of New York. Madam Speaker, National Purple Heart 
Recognition Day is August 7, 2007. This year, we celebrate the 225th 
anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit. This medal, the forerunner 
of the modern Purple Heart, was designed by GEN George Washington in 
his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, in the Hudson River Valley.
  The badge, given for ``any singularly meritorious Action,'' was the 
``figure of a Heart in Purple Cloth or Silk edged with narrow Lace or 
Binding to be worn on the uniform coat above the left breast.''
  After falling into disuse after the Revolutionary War, GEN Douglas 
MacArthur had a new medal designed based on the Badge of Military 
Merit. This medal, the modern Purple Heart, was awarded for meritorious 
action or for receiving a wound in combat with the enemy.
  Since that time, more than 1.5 million people have received the 
Purple Heart. These men and women sacrificed for our country. Many 
never came home. The Purple Heart recognizes their sacrifice and their 
service protecting the rights and liberties we enjoy at home.
  National Purple Heart Recognition Day serves to remind the country of 
those who have suffered injury or death in the defense of our country. 
It is always right to remember and honor those who have sacrificed, and 
this resolution encourages Americans to learn more about the history of 
the Purple Heart and its recipients.
  This year, on National Purple Heart Recognition Day, recipients and 
their families will come together at the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in 
the town of New Windsor at the New Windsor Cantonment site in the 
Hudson River Valley of New York, in New York's 19th Congressional 
District, which I am proud to represent, and Orange County, a county 
which the aforementioned Congressman Gilman represented so ably. There, 
they will recognize the anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit, the 
75th anniversary of the Purple Heart, and, most importantly, the price 
that the recipients and their families have paid protecting our 
country.
  I ask that the House pass this resolution to recognize those who will 
gather in New Windsor on August 7 to honor the sacrifices and suffering 
of Purple Heart recipients and their families and to remember those who 
paid the ultimate price and are no longer with us
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 27, as 
amended.

[[Page H8927]]

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate concurrent resolution was concurred 
in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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