[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H2910]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MARINE CORPS LEAGUE SUPPORT FOR REDESIGNATING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
          NAVY AS THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, the Navy and Marine Corps have operated as 
one entity for more than two centuries, and H.R. 24 would enable the 
name of their department to illustrate this fact.
  For the past 7 years, the full House of Representatives has supported 
this change as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. This 
year I'm grateful to have the support of Senator Pat Roberts, a former 
Marine who recently introduced a companion bill in the Senate, S. 504. 
I hope that the Senate will support the House position and join in 
bringing proper respect to the fighting team of the Navy and Marine 
Corps. The Marines who are fighting today in Afghanistan and Iraq 
deserve this recognition.
  Madam Speaker, last month I had the privilege of addressing more than 
200 Marine Corps veterans and retirees at the Marine Corps League's 
mid-winter conference. The Marine Corps League has nearly 70,000 
members nationwide, and their shared mission is preserving the 
traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine 
Corps.
  As in years past, I spoke to their mid-winter conference about 
legislation introduced like H.R. 24 to designate the Department of the 
Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Marine Corps 
League has proudly endorsed this legislation and has pledged to work 
with my office to secure its passage by the House and Senate. Over the 
years I have been encouraged by the overwhelming support I have 
received for this change from so many members and veterans of the 
United States Armed Forces.
  I am honored to have the support of Michael Blum, the national 
executive director of the Marine Corps League. He's a highly decorated 
combat marine, who served honorably off the coast of Cuba during the 
Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He also served his country in the 
Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam. It is because of great marines like 
Michael Blum that I continue to champion this cause for the United 
States Marine Corps.
  Madam Speaker, I want to also thank Senator Pat Roberts for joining 
me on the Senate side in this effort to rename the Department of Navy 
to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
  And before I close, I would like to point out the importance of this. 
There are many important reasons why this should take place. The 
history of both the Navy and Marine Corps, the fact that they are one 
fighting team. But, Madam Speaker, with our Marines and Army and other 
personnel dying in Afghanistan and Iraq, I want to show you exactly why 
and how this would be important to a Marine family who lost a loved one 
fighting for this great Nation.
  I have a poster that is actually a letter from the current Secretary 
of the Navy. It's a condolence letter. Certainly I took the family's 
name out and the deceased's name. And I will read just one sentence, 
Madam Speaker: From the Secretary of the Navy, November 18, 2008: ``On 
behalf of the Department of the Navy, please accept my very sincere 
condolences on the loss of your son Captain Joseph A. Marine.'' 
Obviously we substituted that last name out of respect.

                              {time}  1645

  Madam Speaker, if this should become the law of the land, and it is 
so, so justified that we would have the Department of Navy and Marine 
Corps as one, one fighting team, this is what the condolence letter 
would say, Madam Speaker. It would say the Secretary of the Navy and 
Marine Corps, Washington D.C., November 18 of 2008, and it would say, 
``Dear Marine Corps Family: On behalf of the Department of Navy and 
Marine Corps, please accept my very sincere condolences.''
  Madam Speaker, this is only right. I want to thank the House of 
Representatives, Congressman and former Chairman of the Armed Forces 
Committee, Duncan Hunter, and present Chairman Ike Skelton for always 
supporting this legislation, and my many colleagues who have done so. 
This year, with the help of Senator Pat Roberts, I think this can 
become a reality.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I ask God to continue to bless our men and 
women in Afghanistan and Iraq, to bless their families, to bless the 
families who have given a loved one dying for freedom. And I ask God 
three times, please, God; please, God; please God, continue to bless 
America.

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