[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 178 (Friday, November 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14659-S14660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMEMORATING CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF NAVY'S ``GREAT WHITE FLEET''
Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now
proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 55, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent
resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 55) commemorating the
centennial anniversary of the sailing of the Navy's ``Great
White Fleet,'' launched by President Theodore Roosevelt on
December 16, 1907, from Hampton Roads, Virginia, and
returning there on February 22, 1909.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
concurrent resolution.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I join with my colleague in the Senate
from Virginia, Senator Jim Webb. I am also pleased to note that
Representative Thelma Drake from Virginia is the champion and author of
this resolution in the House of Representatives.
Our resolution is introduced for the purpose of commemorating the
centennial anniversary of the sailing of the Navy's ''Great White
Fleet,'' launched by President Theodore Roosevelt on December 16, 1907,
from Hampton Roads, Virginia, and returning there on February 22, 1909.
This major historical event will be commemorated in a Navy ceremony
onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, at Naval
Station Norfolk, Virginia on December 15, 2007.
The launching of the Great White Fleet marked the emergence of the
United States as a true global seapower, able to dispatch 16 new
battleships on a worldwide deployment for 14 months. The battleships,
which were painted entirely white, were manned by 14,000 sailors and
conducted visits across the world to reinforce friendships and
partnerships with other nations. At the same time, the Great White
Fleet demonstrated the naval presence of the United States.
This resolution commemorates the wisdom of President Theodore
Roosevelt in developing and launching the Great White Fleet, and the
resolution indicates that the Congress supports a one-time designation
of a day to celebrate the 100th centennial of the Fleet and the special
role it played in building enduring friendships with important allies
and partner nations.
The resolution also commends efforts by the Department of the Navy to
maintain and strengthen our cooperative partnerships with foreign
nations and safeguard our Nation's interests in the maritime domain;
commends efforts by the Department of the Navy in leading the
development of a Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower; and
honors the sacrifices made and services rendered by the servicemembers
of the Navy, Marine
[[Page S14660]]
Corps, and the Coast Guard and the civilians who constitute our
maritime services.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to
reconsider be laid upon the table.
The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 55) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Con. Res. 55
Whereas the launching of the Great White Fleet marked the
emergence of the United States as a true global seapower,
able to dispatch 16 new battleships on a worldwide deployment
for 14 months;
Whereas these battleships were painted entirely white, with
gilded scrollwork on their bows, and subsequently came to be
known as the ``Great White Fleet'';
Whereas the 4 squadrons of 4 battleships each, manned by
14,000 sailors, sailed 43,000 miles and made 20 port calls on
6 continents;
Whereas the Fleet, in conducting visits to important
nations such as Australia, served to reinforce a friendship
and partnership that continues to this day;
Whereas the Fleet, in providing a tangible demonstration of
the forward naval presence of the United States in the
Pacific, also reinforced the message of how important
maritime stability and security are to the United States;
Whereas the Fleet, in response to one of the worst natural
disasters in European history, was able to immediately divert
to Messina, Sicily, to offer humanitarian aid to the Italian
people; and
Whereas the Fleet, in executing a range of missions and
returning to the United States after 14 months at sea,
displayed to the world a number of core American values,
including compassion, showed its flexibility by responding to
unforeseen events, and demonstrated the ability of the United
States to project maritime power as a stabilizing force: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) commemorates the wisdom of President Theodore Roosevelt
in developing and launching the Great White Fleet;
(2) supports a one-time designation of a day to celebrate
the 100th centennial of the Great White Fleet and the special
role the Fleet played in building enduring friendships with
important allies and partner nations;
(3) commends efforts by the Department of the Navy to
maintain and strengthen our cooperative partnerships with
foreign nations and to safeguard our Nation's interests in
the maritime domain;
(4) commends efforts by the Department of the Navy in
leading the development of a Cooperative Strategy for 21st
Century Seapower; and
(5) honors the sacrifices made and services rendered by the
servicemembers of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard
and the civilians who constitute our maritime services.
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