[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.

                          ____________________