[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 30 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1010-H1013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING LIEUTENANT GENERAL RUSSEL L. HONORE
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 944) honoring the service and accomplishments
of Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore, United States Army, for his 37
years of service on behalf of the United States, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 944
Whereas Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore is a native of
Lakeland, Louisiana;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore graduated from Southern
University and A&M College in 1971 with a bachelor's degree
in vocational agriculture and, upon graduation, was
commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States
Army;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore graduated from Troy State
University with a master's degree in human resources,
received an honorary doctorate in public administration from
Southern University and A&M College, and received an honorary
doctorate in law from Stillman College;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore served in a number of
infantry command positions in the Army, including overseas
tours in Germany and as a commanding officer in the Second
Infantry Division in Korea;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore saw action in Iraq and
Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore served as vice director
for operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington,
District of Columbia, deputy commanding general and assistant
commandant of the United States Army Infantry Center and
School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and assistant division
commander, maneuver/support for the First Calvary Division at
Fort Hood, Texas;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore commanded the Joint Force
Headquarters for Homeland Security;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore commanded the First
United States Army, which is responsible for the training and
deployment of 500,000 National Guard and Reserve members.
Whereas the awards and decorations of Lieutenant General
Honore include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with
Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak
Leaf Cluster, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion
of Merit with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal,
the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious
Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Army
Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf clusters;
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore led the Joint Task Force
Katrina following the hurricane's destruction of the Gulf
Coast in 2005, where he commanded all active-duty troops from
all military branches dedicated to the storm recovery
operations; and
Whereas Lieutenant General Honore and his wife Beverly
raised four children, Stephanie, Kimberly, Stephen, and
Michael, and their son Michael has served in Iraq as an Army
sergeant: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors Lieutenant General Honore for his 37 years of
service on behalf of the United States;
(2) commends Lieutenant General Honore for his dedication
and commitment to the Army and his leadership in the post-
Katrina recovery effort; and
(3) recognizes Lieutenant General Honore as a soldier,
commander, and leader and for displaying throughout his
distinguished military service the highest levels of
leadership, professional competence, integrity, and courage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut.
General Leave
Mr. COURTNEY. 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
gentleman from Connecticut?
There was no objection.
{time} 1630
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H. Res. 944, honoring the service and
accomplishments of Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore, United States
Army, for his 37 years of service on behalf of the United States.
And let me first take a moment to thank Representative David Scott of
Georgia for helping us to recognize General Honore and getting this
resolution to the floor here today. And I want to certainly allow him
the spotlight in terms of talking about this extraordinary gentleman.
Very briefly, he is a native of Lakeland, Louisiana, graduated from
Southern University and A&M College in 1971. Upon graduation, he was
commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
During his career, General Honore has served a number of infantry
command positions in the Army, including tours in Germany and as
commanding officer of the Second Infantry Division in Korea. He had
also seen action in Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm and
served as Vice Director for Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff
here in Washington, DC.
Through his efforts and command, he was responsible for the training
and deployment of a half million National Guard and Reserve members. In
addition, he led the Joint Task Force Katrina following the hurricane's
destruction of the gulf coast in 2005, where he commanded all active
duty troops from all branches dedicated to storm recovery operations.
This Nation owes a debt of gratitude to General Honore for his
commitment to the defense of our great Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 944, which honors the
distinguished career of Army Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who is
retiring, as has been said, after 37 years of service to this great
Nation.
The United States Army is known for its tradition, strength, and
valor, and Lieutenant General Honore exemplifies what it means to be a
soldier. The general has had a career that young soldiers dream about.
He saw action in both Iraq and Kuwait during the first Gulf War. He has
earned 15 awards and decorations and has served overseas in both
Germany and Korea. But perhaps
[[Page H1011]]
his most significant contribution to the Nation was as commander to the
Joint Task Force Katrina following the devastation of the gulf coast in
2005.
The general commanded troops from all branches of our military in one
of the worst natural disasters that our country has ever experienced.
He was working not only to help repair his native State of Louisiana,
but he was working to repair his country, and he did so in exemplary
fashion.
I wish to honor Lieutenant General Honore and his family, Beverly,
Stephanie, Kimberly, Stephen, and Michael, the best in what comes next
for them, and I thank them for their commitment to this country as a
family. I congratulate the general on his magnificent career, and I
urge all Members to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 5 minutes to my
friend and colleague, the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Scott).
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. To my two distinguished colleagues who have
taken the leadership on this time on the floor, I thank you for your
graciousness in allowing us to bring up H. Res. 944 and at the same
time to recognize what is arguably an extraordinary and great moment in
American history.
For this man, Lieutenant General Russel Honore, the only word that
comes to mind, Mr. Speaker, is that word ``great.'' There have been
some great moments and great events in the last 7 years of this country
that have threatened the very foundation of our country. The 9/11 of
2001 that launched the vicious attack on this country that led us into
this extraordinary period of this war on terror, and then just 4 years
later a great catastrophe, one of the greatest natural disasters to
have ever hit the United States of America and to the gulf coast of
this country: Hurricane Katrina. Great events, great occasions bring
forth the need to rise up to this occasion and these great occasions
great men.
We are here today to honor a great American, and we ought to pause
for a moment and think about this word ``great'' that we are using to
describe this great American, Lieutenant General Russel Honore. The
word ``great'' means something of great magnificence. When that
question was put to the great philosopher Aristotle, what does it take
to be a great man, Aristotle said the first thing you've got to do is
know thyself.
Well, I am here to tell you, Mr. Speaker, Russel Honore knew himself,
and not only did he know who he was, Russel Honore knew whose he was,
that he was foremost and first of all a child of God that had been
brought on this Earth for a great need and a great occasion.
Later on in history that question was put to the great Roman general
and soldier Marcus Aurelius. The question was put to Marcus Aurelius,
what does it take to be a great man? Marcus Aurelius said, in order to
be a great man, you must, first of all, discipline yourself. And so
much has been said about the great soldiering of this great American.
The hallmark word is ``discipline,'' ``focus.'' He endured hardness and
toughness as a good soldier, and through that discipline came the
loyalty, came the courage that it took to fighting the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan but, more than that, to expound the toughness and the
discipline that was needed to our fellow soldiers that came under his
care. For there is no greater thing of General Honore than the love of
his soldiers, and he exemplified that by heading up the commandant post
in my district at Fort Gillem, Georgia. For three-quarters of the
National Guard that had to be positioned, had to be trained, had to be
deployed into the war zones came through the hand of Russel Honore at
Fort Gillem in Clayton County and Forest Park in Georgia and my
congressional district.
And, finally, that question was put to the great Messiah and prophet
Jesus Christ when He was asked, Jesus, what does it take to be a great
man? And Jesus replied, first of all, in order to be a great man, you
must sacrifice yourself. And, oh, what a great sacrifice. And you must
love your fellow man as you do yourself. And what greater exemplary of
that was in going down into Katrina and not just soldiering, not just
taking the time to protect the area, but clothing the people there,
finding food and shelter for them, and taking the time to stop beside
the road of the agony that they were experiencing, put an arm around
them, and help that gulf coast to recovery.
Yes, ``greatness'' is the word for General Russel Honore. And we are
so grateful for him, for the role that he has played, and for the
greatness of this man. For he came at the most opportune time to
provide the most opportune service, and he is truly a great American
serving a great Nation.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as
he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And, Mr. Speaker, I will just tell you it's a privilege to stand on
the floor here today to hear the testimony of my colleagues on both
sides of the aisle in tribute to this great American.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here today in support of H. Res.
944, recognizing the 37 years of service of Lieutenant General Russel
Honore.
At a time it seemed our country's civil fabric was tearing before our
very eyes, all of us felt we saw a Nation in peril. The efforts of
elected officials at the local level, at the State level, at the
Federal level were not up to the task of dealing with the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina. It took officers of the United States Armed Forces
who provided the security that the whole country longed to see, and at
the center of that was Lieutenant General Russel Honore.
Mr. Speaker, it was my honor to go with my committee to the City of
New Orleans in October of that year to try to help with the restoration
of some of the medical care of the City of New Orleans, and during that
trip, I went to the Oschner Clinic, which is there near downtown New
Orleans. It's on a natural sort of rise between the Mississippi River
and downtown New Orleans, so it was buffeted by the winds of the storm
but spared from the floodwaters and was struggling valiantly to keep up
with the stream of human injury that was coming through the doors on a
24-hour-a-day basis.
Specifically, I spoke with some doctors in the emergency room at the
Oschner Clinic. The feeling at the clinic was that they were going to
be okay from the standpoint of did they have enough diesel fuel to run
their generators, did they have enough medicines, but the civil unrest,
which was building outside their walls, clearly continued to imperil
them. Again, these were individuals who had ridden out the storm. They
had stayed in the hospital during the storm to see the sick and wounded
who managed to come in. They had stayed at their posts as the
floodwaters rose around them, not knowing if the floodwaters would stop
before they got to their doors, but, indeed, stop they did.
But you can imagine the heartbreak of this young emergency room
physician who described to me 3 days into their turmoil, 3 days into
their task, saved from the winds, spared from the waters, but they
could hear the civil unrest boiling outside the doors. They could hear
the gunshots. They could hear the shouts of the crowds. And they knew
that their facility was clearly going to be targeted because they had
seen on the news where other health care facilities had been targeted,
because of perhaps drug-seeking behavior, who knows why, but they were
very much at risk.
This emergency room doctor had brought his wife to the hospital
because he felt she wasn't safe at home. He described how they had
spent the night under his desk in their office waiting for the end to
come. They had survived the winds. They had survived the water. They
were not going to survive the riots outside the door.
And then right before dawn, he heard a helicopter. Not unusual
because there were news helicopters circling around the city on an
almost continual basis. But this was a different kind of helicopter. It
had a much throatier roar. And then there was another one and another
one and another one. And they turned on the television to see the
landing of Lieutenant General Russ Honore taking command of the city,
taking control back. I cannot tell you today the relief in this young
man's
[[Page H1012]]
voice as he described that scenario that unfolded before him.
I'm happy to come to the floor with my colleagues and honor the
service of Lieutenant General Russ Honore.
Thank you, sir, for what you did in restoring order to our country.
Thank you for helping that young family in the emergency room that day.
This Nation will forever be in your debt.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson).
Mr. JEFFERSON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia, Representative David
Scott, for bringing this resolution to the floor today to honor General
Russel L. Honore.
While General Honore deserves to be honored for his service to our
Nation and by the people of Georgia for the experiences he has had in
connection with them, in truth he belongs, at his roots, to the people
of Louisiana.
General Russel Honore was born in Louisiana in the rural parish of
Pointe Coupee. I have known him for 39 years. I met him when he was a
brash, young ROTC cadet at the college we both attended, Southern
University and A&M College in Baton Rouge. In fact, we've often kidded
that since I was a few years ahead of him at Southern and his battalion
commander there when he joined our ROTC, I can take some real credit
for his success as a soldier.
However that may be, Russel Honore showed the attributes back then
that led to what can only be described as a legendary career in the
U.S. Army. He was a serious student, an eager participant in everything
the ROTC had to offer outside of the classroom and inside, and he had a
big, courageous, fun-loving heart.
We who have known him for years, then, are not surprised that he led
with distinction commands in Fort Hood, Texas; Washington, D.C.;
Georgia; and Korea; and most recently as commander of the U.S. Southern
Command for Homeland Security.
Americans, however, will always remember him most for the order he
brought out of the chaos in the aftermath of the terrible storms
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that ripped apart the lives of our people
in Louisiana. He, more than anyone else, took charge of the urgent
rescue and relief of flooding victims there and made the bureaucracy
bow to reason and good judgment.
We applaud him for that. We congratulate him on a distinguished
military career. A grateful Nation, therefore, wishes General Russel
Honore God's choicest blessings in his retirement years.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 944, honoring the service and accomplishments of Lieutenant
General Russel L. Honore United States Army, for his 37 years of
service on behalf of the United States. I would like to thank my
distinguished colleague Congressman David Scott for introducing this
important legislation, of which I am proud to be an original cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Katrina was one of the darkest hours of our
Nation's recent history. Although the courage and generosity
demonstrated by the American people was nothing short of heroic, the
response of the federal government, especially FEMA, was nothing short
of an embarrassment. I never imagined that my neighbors in New Orleans
would be called and treated like refugees in war ravaged developed
countries. The response of the Bush Administration was unacceptable.
However, even in the midst of tragedy and mismanagement, many
Americans throughout this country stepped up to help those affected by
this disaster. This demonstrated that once again in our darkest hour
that we united as a nation to help our brothers and sisters who sought
to recover and rebuild their lives. In particular, a small number of
extraordinary individuals became true heroes; one of the most
remarkable was Lieutenant General Russel Honore.
Called by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin a man who can ``get some stuff
done,'' Lieutenant General Honore's life is truly an American story.
Born in Lakeland, Louisiana, General Honore graduated from Southern
University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After graduating
with a baccalaureate degree in vocational agriculture, General Honore
was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.
General Honore eventually graduated from Troy State University with a
master's degree in Human Resources and received an honorary doctorate
in public administration from Southern University and A&M College.
General Honore began his distinguished military career serving in a
number of infantry command positions for the Army, including overseas
tours in Germany and as a commanding officer in the Second Infantry
Division in Korea. He saw action in Iraq and Kuwait during Operation
Desert Storm. Honore's experience and skill made him a logical
candidate to serve as vice director for operations for the Joint Chiefs
of Staff; deputy commanding general and assistant commandant of the
United States Army Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning, Georgia;
and assistant division commander, maneuver/support for the First
Calvary Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
But more than his impressive record of military service, Lt. General
Russel Honore is perhaps best known for his strong leadership
attributes. Lieutenant General Honore commanded the First United States
Army, responsible for the training and deployment of 500,000 National
Guardsmen and reserve service members. Lieutenant General Honore also
led the Joint Task Force Katrina, following the hurricane's destruction
of the Gulf Coast in 2005, where he commanded all active-duty troops
from all military branches dedicated to the storm recovery operations.
Mr. Speaker, my home district in Houston has been pleased to welcome
with open arms well over 100,000 survivors fleeing the storm, including
a reported 21,000 children. I spent countless hours after this immense
tragedy with the men, women, and children who fell victim to this
catastrophic storm; I witnessed first hand the terror and despair of
children separated from their parents, men and women who had lost their
entire livelihoods, and families who had seen homes full of memories
and treasures destroyed in flood waters. I represent thousands of the
Katrina evacuees who continue to reside in Houston, I consider their
plight and hardship a personal one with which I am intimately familiar,
and I am proud of my community's response to this tragedy.
In the hours, days, weeks, and months after the Katrina struck the
gulf coast, the actions of Lt. General Honore and those like him were a
lifeline for thousands of displaced, frightened, and imperiled
residents. His bravery was so often the difference between life and
death, or between hope and despair. Those of us who were on the ground
in those days and weeks following the storm know just how valuable his
actions were, just how vital his leadership was, and just how much the
region needed many more leaders like him.
I would like to commend Lieutenant General Honore for his 37 years of
service on behalf of the United States. Lieutenant General Honore has
proven his dedication and commitment to the Army and his leadership in
post-Katrina recovery effort. I recognize his loyalty as a soldier,
commander, and leader and for displaying throughout his distinguished
military service the highest levels of leadership, professional
competence, integrity, courage. Many of those who survived this storm
did so only because of the bravery, selflessness, and immense
leadership of Lt. General Honore and other heroes like him.
Over two years have passed since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf
Coast, and we continue to mourn the at least 1,836 innocent victims of
the storm. We also continue to address the difficult issues raised by
the storm, including the rebuilding of affordable housing in the area,
and the restoration of local education systems. As a proud Houstonian,
a firsthand witness to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina,
and a believer in the power of the American people, as demonstrated by
Lt. General Honore, I strongly urge my colleagues to remember those who
perished, honor those who found such bravery within themselves, and to
continue to work to provide for the still-suffering victims of the
storm.
In a recent media interview, Lt. General Honore spoke of what he
hoped his legacy would be. He spoke of an effort to guide civilian
America, encouraging a ``culture of preparedness'' in the spirit of his
own cold-war upbringing. He stated that despite government investment
in disaster response mechanisms, civic response remains weak, stating,
``I'm sure you and your wife have a plan to meet at Uncle Joe's house,
but does your plan include asking Mrs. Smith next door if she needs a
ride?'' This is a vital, and too often overlooked, component of
disaster planning.
Mr. Speaker, I would again like to voice my support for H.R. 944, and
finally give back something to a man that has already given so much to
his country.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further requests
for time. Again, I urge passage of the resolution, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) that the House suspend the
[[Page H1013]]
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 944, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________