[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 113 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE MAJOR GENERAL DAVID F. WHERLEY, JR. DISTRICT OF 
        COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD RETENTION AND COLLEGE ACCESS ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 23, 2009

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce, for myself and for 
Congressman Jose Serrano, the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. 
District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act. I 
introduce this bill a month after the heartbreaking collision of two 
Red Line Metro trains here in the District of Columbia that took the 
lives of nine area residents, seven from the District, including a 
local hero, Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. I introduced the 
District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act in 
May of this year, but after the Metro tragedy I said at the Wherleys' 
memorial service that I would rename this bill in honor of General 
Wherley, who not only fought for his country, but also never forgot the 
men and women who served under him at home or at war. Thereafter, 
Congressman Jose Serrano, chair of the Appropriations Financial 
Services subcommittee, was good enough to offer this renaming in his 
appropriations bill and to appropriate the funds without authorization 
this year and in prior years.
  Under General Wherley's command, the D.C. National Guard deployed 
several of its units in the Global War on Terrorism. General Wherley 
himself served courageously in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but at home 
he spent hours with me figuring out ways to get funds not only for his 
soldiers, but also for programs for the District's children. He was 
always successful because he would show up, not only in my office, but 
wherever he was needed to get funds or to do service.
  General Wherley was a full-service leader. He not only commanded the 
D.C. National Guard; he worked closely with me and with city officials 
on programs for our city, its disadvantaged youth, and on keeping our 
Guard competitive as a premier force at home as well as abroad. He 
became one of us when he and his wife, Anne, decided to purchase a co-
op in Southeast, D.C., here on Capitol Hill. Anne, who sadly also was 
killed in the train collision, was his high school sweetheart. At their 
joint memorial service, I only half-jokingly said that she did 
everything with him but run the D.C. Guard.
  As I highlighted when I originally introduced this bill earlier this 
session, the education incentive in my bill serves not only to 
encourage high quality recruits, but has had the important benefit of 
helping the D.C. National Guard to maintain the force necessary to 
protect the federal presence because this funding helps equalize an 
important benefit compared with what is offered by Guards in 
surrounding jurisdictions.
  A strong D.C. National Guard able to attract the best soldiers is 
especially important, given the dual mission of the D.C. National Guard 
to protect hometown D.C. as well as the federal presence. This unique 
responsibility distinguishes the D.C. National Guard from any other 
National Guard.
  While the appropriators treat funding for the D.C. National Guard as 
a programmatic request, under past administrations the Office of 
Management and Budget has contended that these funds are earmarks, 
putting them in jeopardy of consistent funding. It therefore is 
imperative that this important educational incentive be authorized to 
ensure its permanent sustainability.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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