[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 147 (Monday, October 1, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11036-H11037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE NAVY UDT-SEAL MUSEUM IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA, AS THE 
     OFFICIAL NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NAVY SEALS AND THEIR PREDECESSORS.

  Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2779) to recognize the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, 
Florida, as the official national museum of Navy SEALs and their 
predecessors.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2779

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. RECOGNITION OF NAVY UDT-SEAL MUSEUM IN FORT 
                   PIERCE, FLORIDA, AS OFFICIAL NATIONAL MUSEUM OF 
                   NAVY SEALS AND THEIR PREDECESSORS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The United States Navy SEALs are the most elite 
     fighting force in the world and bravely serve in combat 
     operations around the World.
       (2) The Navy SEALs trace their roots from the Navy Frogmen 
     of World War II.
       (3) The location recognized as the birthplace of the Navy 
     Frogmen, where thousands of brave volunteers were trained as 
     members of Naval Combat Demolition Units and Underwater 
     Demolition Teams during World War II, is now home to the Navy 
     UDT-SEAL Museum.
       (4) The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated 
     solely to preserving the history of the Navy SEALs and its 
     predecessors, including the Underwater Demolition Teams, 
     Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services 
     Maritime Units, and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders.
       (5) The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum preserves the legacy of the 
     honor, courage, patriotism, and sacrifices of those Navy 
     SEALs and their predecessors who offered their services and 
     who gave their lives in defense of liberty.
       (6) The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum finances, operations, and 
     collections are managed by UDT-SEAL Museum Association, Inc., 
     a nonprofit organization governed by current and former SEALs 
     and UDTs.
       (7) The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum seeks to educate a diverse 
     group of audiences through its comprehensive collection of 
     historical materials, emphasizing eyewitness accounts of the 
     participants on the battlefield and the home front and the 
     impact of Navy SEALs and their predecessors, then and now.
       (8) Since 1985, when the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum first opened, 
     it has become home to artifacts and photos telling the 
     history of Naval Special Warfare from the beginnings of 
     Underwater Demolition training in Ft. Pierce, Florida, 
     through the exploits of Navy Frogmen in the Atlantic and 
     Pacific war theaters of World War II, through the role of 
     Navy SEALs in fighting in the War on Terror and in Iraq.
       (9) The State of Florida, St. Lucie County, Florida, 
     thousands of private donors, and philanthropic organizations 
     have contributed millions of dollars to build, restore, and 
     expand the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum.
       (10) The United States Navy and the United States Special 
     Operations Command have provided many of the historical 
     materials and artifacts on display at the Navy UDT-SEAL 
     Museum.
       (b) Recognition of National Museum.--The Navy UDT-SEAL 
     Museum, located at 3300 North A1A, North Hutchinson Island, 
     in Fort Pierce, Florida, is recognized as the official 
     national museum of Navy SEALs and their predecessors.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Castor) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CASTOR. Mr. 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2779 to honor the legacy 
of the Navy SEALs by recognizing the Navy Underwater Demolition Team 
Sea, Air, Land, or UDT-SEAL, Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the 
official national museum of Navy SEALs and their predecessors. I thank 
my colleague from Florida (Mr. Mahoney) for bringing this measure to 
the floor of the House.
  Since the program's inception in 1962, the Special Operations 
Sailors, known as Navy SEALs, have risked their lives at sea, in the 
air and on land to protect the United States of America. The most elite 
fighting force in the world, the Navy SEALs have bravely executed some 
of the most dangerous combat operations in our Nation's history. 
Tracing the roots of these historic sailors, the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum 
in Fort Pierce, Florida, marks the birthplace of the Navy frogmen where 
thousands of brave volunteers were trained to become the first members 
of naval combat demolition units and underwater demolition teams during 
World War II. The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated 
solely to preserving the legacy of the Navy SEALs and its predecessors.
  Since 1985 when the facility first opened, the museum served both as 
a physical monument to our sailors' bravery as well as an educational 
repository that preserves the legacy of their honor, skill, courage and 
patriotism. The museum traces the SEALs' lineage from the UDTs 
conducting hydrographic reconnaissance on the beaches of Normandy to 
the present-day professionals who practice conventional warfare and 
counterterrorism. The museum exhibits memorialize the incredible 
courage and versatility of the Navy SEALs through emphasizing 
eyewitness accounts and photographs of sailors on the battlefield as 
well as on the homefront.
  The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, is an immensely 
important venture for the Navy underwater combat community as well as 
for the great State of Florida, preserving the rich history and valiant 
story of the Navy SEALs for both the program's veterans and future 
generations.
  Our Nation can express its great admiration for these brave sailors 
and the gratitude for this monument to their sacrifices by recognizing 
the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the official 
national museum of Navy SEALs and their predecessors.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2779, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2779, a bill that 
recognizes the Navy Underwater Demolition Team-SEAL Museum in Fort 
Pierce, Florida, as the official national museum of the Navy SEALs and 
their predecessors. H.R. 2779 has the strong bipartisan support of 44 
cosponsors, including the distinguished members of the Committee on 
Armed Services and my good friends Susan Davis of California and Thelma 
Drake of Virginia whose districts contain the majority of present-day 
SEALs units.
  The Navy SEALs are deservedly renowned around the world for their 
combat prowess and are a critical part of our special forces team. This 
elite fighting team and force traces its beginning to the Navy's World 
War II

[[Page H11037]]

frogman training facility in Fort Pierce, Florida, where this museum is 
located. During World War II, the Navy trained thousands of volunteers 
as combat demolition and underwater demolition experts at Fort Pierce. 
The brave men who mastered these difficult and dangerous skills set the 
standard for today's SEALs to attain.
  The Navy Underwater Demolition Team-SEAL Museum, which we designate 
today as the official national museum, has an impressive and 
comprehensive collection of material about these elite Navy fighting 
forces, providing the public with an excellent education of today's 
Navy SEALs and their predecessors.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that this bill has been brought to the 
floor. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mahoney), who is an 
outstanding leader and staunch supporter of the Nation's Armed Forces.
  Mr. MAHONEY of Florida. I would like to thank my good friend, the 
gentlewoman from Florida, and an original cosponsor of this bill for 
yielding time to me this afternoon. I would also like to recognize the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert) for his support for this 
important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2779, legislation that I 
introduced to recognize the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, 
Florida, as the official national museum of the Navy SEALs and their 
predecessors.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that there are many today watching and asking 
how important is it to create a national museum recognizing brave men 
and women who have served in underwater demolition teams as frogmen and 
today as SEALs. In my life, I have had the privilege and honor of 
knowing and learning about brave men who have served our Nation and 
have seen the hell of combat, people like Reggie White, my daughter 
Bailey's grandfather, who was a combat engineer and who, like the men 
of UDT, had the job of clearing Omaha Beach that fateful day of June 6, 
1944. My uncle, Bart Mahoney, a B-17 pilot, was one of the first to be 
shot down over Germany. Bart survived combat and then survived German 
concentration camps. Bobbie Maynard saw frontline action in Korea and 
survived some of the heaviest engagements in the Korean War. My friend, 
Pat Kelley, was a medic in Vietnam who had to endure the life-and-death 
realities of combat. These men are heroes. These men have seen the 
horrors of war and survived them. These men never bragged about their 
service. In fact, they rarely spoke of it, preferring to let the 
horrors of their experience rest. This bill is important because it 
gives voice to the heroes whose stories and honor need to be captured 
and passed down to future generations.
  The ground upon which the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum rests was the 
birthplace of the Navy frogmen. Through World War II, thousands of 
brave soldiers were trained as members of naval combat demolition units 
and underwater demolition teams at the site. Since that time, the 
frogmen have evolved into one of the elite fighting forces in the 
world, the Navy SEALs.
  The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated solely to 
preserving the legacy of the honor, courage, patriotism, and sacrifices 
of those Navy SEALs and their predecessors, including the underwater 
demolition teams, naval combat demolition units, Office of Strategic 
Service maritime units, and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders.

                              {time}  1500

  I would like to personally thank Captain Mike Howard, a retired Navy 
SEAL; Ruth McSween; Rolf Snyder; and others, who have made the UDT-SEAL 
Museum possible. I would also like to thank all the men and women who 
worked to preserve the legacy of the Naval Special Warfare community. 
Since the museum was opened in 1985, thousands of visitors have learned 
of the accomplishments of the Navy SEALs through the museum's artifacts 
and photos tracing the history of Naval Special Warfare from its 
beginnings during World War II, through the Navy's SEALs current role 
in fighting the war on terror and in Iraq.
  While we are here today to honor the Naval Special Warfare community, 
I would like to take a moment to remember Petty Officer First Class 
Robert Richard McRill and all of those who have paid the ultimate 
sacrifice while serving our Nation. Petty Officer McRill, from Lake 
Placid, Florida, was killed while serving in Iraq as part of SEALs 
Group Two when his team was hit by an IED.
  By designating the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum as the official national 
museum of Navy SEALs and their predecessors, we are honoring Mr. McRill 
and all the warriors who have served in Naval Special Warfare. I ask 
all my colleagues to join me in recognizing the honor, courage, 
patriotism and sacrifices of the SEALs and their predecessors by 
supporting this legislation.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from 
Washington (Mr. Reichert) for his support. I would also like to thank 
my colleague and friend from Florida (Mr. Mahoney) for bringing this 
thoughtful bill to the floor of the House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2779.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2779.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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