[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 182 (Monday, December 7, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H13527-H13529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING 373RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL GUARD

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 940) recognizing and honoring the National 
Guard on the occasion of its 373rd anniversary.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 940

       Whereas the National Guard celebrates its 373rd birthday on 
     December 13, 2009;
       Whereas the National Guard and its citizen-soldiers have 
     participated in all major American conflicts, most recently 
     Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom;
       Whereas the National Guard is the oldest component of the 
     United States Armed Forces;
       Whereas the National Guard has served with distinction as 
     America's first line of defense against natural and man-made 
     disasters within the United States;
       Whereas Colonial and State militias were the precursors to 
     the National Guard;
       Whereas the militia stood their ground during the opening 
     shots of the Revolutionary War at Lexington Green and Concord 
     Bridge in 1775;
       Whereas more than 164,000 members of the militia from the 
     13 colonies served under the command of George Washington 
     during the Revolutionary War;
       Whereas in 1824, the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment, New York 
     Artillery became the first military organization in the 
     United States to adopt the title ``National Guard'';
       Whereas during the Mexican War of 1846-1848, more than 70 
     percent of the total manpower effort was from citizen-
     soldiers through volunteer militiamen;
       Whereas the Union and Confederate Armies relied heavily on 
     militias and volunteer regiments during the Civil War of 
     1861-1865;
       Whereas, on April 15, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln 
     invoked the Calling Forth Act of 1792 and ordered 75,000 
     militiamen into Federal service for 90 days;
       Whereas during the Spanish-American War in 1898, over 
     160,000 National Guardsmen volunteered for active duty;
       Whereas a group of National Guardsmen from Arizona, New 
     Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas were called the ``Rough Riders'' 
     and were led by Lieutenant Colonel and future United States 
     President Theodore ``Teddy'' Roosevelt;
       Whereas in 1902, Major General Charles W. Dick, commander 
     of the Ohio Division of the National Guard and a member of 
     the United States House of Representatives, became president 
     of the National Guard Association;
       Whereas the Militia Act of 1903 created the modern National 
     Guard and affirmed the National Guard as the primary 
     organized combat Reserve force of the Armed Forces;
       Whereas in World War I, the National Guard made up 40 
     percent of the United States combat divisions;
       Whereas the National Defense Act of 1920 established the 
     Army of the United States, to consist of the Regular Army, 
     the Organized Reserve Corps, and the National Guard, when 
     called into Federal service;
       Whereas an amendment to the National Defense Act enacted on 
     June 15, 1933, established the National Guard of the United 
     States as a Reserve component of the Army;
       Whereas the National Security Act of 1947 established the 
     Air National Guard as a Reserve component of the Air Force;
       Whereas more than 300,000 members of the National Guard, 
     including 18 infantry divisions, participated in World War 
     II;
       Whereas more than 138,000 members of the Army National 
     Guard and more than 45,000 members of the Air National Guard 
     were called to active duty during the Korean War;
       Whereas almost 23,000 members of the Army and Air National 
     Guard were mobilized for two years of active duty during the 
     Vietnam War;
       Whereas more than 70,000 members of the Army and Air 
     National Guard were called upon to participate in Operation 
     Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991;
       Whereas since the attacks on September 11, 2001, hundreds 
     of thousands of members of the Army and Air National Guard 
     have been called upon by their States and the Federal 
     Government to provide security at home and combat terrorism 
     abroad; and
       Whereas more than 50,000 members of the Army and Air 
     National Guard were deployed in the Gulf States following 
     Hurricane Katrina in 2005: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) thanks the members of the National Guard for their 
     service in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, and 
     their continuing role in homeland security and military 
     operations;
       (2) supports providing the National Guard with the 
     necessary resources to ensure its readiness;
       (3) expresses its condolences and gratitude to the families 
     of those members of the National Guard who have lost their 
     lives through their dedication and commitment to the freedom 
     and security of the United States while serving in the 
     National Guard; and
       (4) honors and supports the compassionate, courageous, and 
     dedicated members of the National Guard who serve a critical 
     role in protecting the United States and its citizens' 
     freedoms and treasured liberties.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 940, introduced by my colleague 
from Ohio (Mr. Latta), which recognizes the 373rd birthday of the 
Nation's military first responders, our National Guard.
  On December 13, 2009, we will celebrate the enormous contributions 
that our Nation's citizen soldiers and airmen have contributed to our 
national defense for over 300 years. Our forefathers relied on its 
citizen soldiers to protect this young Nation, and today we continue to 
rely on our citizen soldiers to protect the values and the rights that 
Americans enjoy today.
  Our men and women in the National Guard not only volunteer to serve 
overseas in our Nation's defense, they are also an integral part of our 
local communities, providing assistance, support, and protection to 
their neighbors and loved ones in cases of natural and man-made 
disasters within the United States.
  The history of the National Guard began back during the early days of 
our Nation. The colonists adopted the English militia system which 
required all males between the ages of 16 and 60 to bear arms and 
contribute to the defense of their community. In those early years, the 
militia provided the first line of defense in our Nation, which 
continues to this very day.

[[Page H13528]]

  Throughout our Nation's conflicts, the National Guard has been an 
integral part of our country's national defense. During World War I, 
the National Guard made up 40 percent of America's combat divisions. 
The National Defense Act of 1933 established the National Guard as a 
reserve component of the Army, and the National Defense Act of 1947 
established the air component of the National Guard as a reserve 
component of the Air Force.
  More than 300,000 members of the National Guard participated in World 
War II, over 180,000 members of the National Guard participated in the 
Korean War, and nearly 23,000 members of the National Guard deployed in 
support of the Vietnam War. More than 50,000 members of the National 
Guard were deployed to the Gulf States in support of Hurricane Katrina. 
Today, Mr. Speaker, almost a quarter of a million members of the 
National Guard have been mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle, 
Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  So, today, we are here to express our appreciation to those who serve 
in the National Guard and their families, who are also making a 
contribution in defense of our Nation, and we are here to express our 
gratitude and respect to those of the National Guard who have given 
their lives in defense of our Nation. Our sympathy and our prayers are 
with their families and their loved ones, and their sacrifices will 
never be forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, as a former Lieutenant Governor of Guam, I came to rely 
on the National Guard to be always there, always ready to respond to 
local issues. On September 11, the National Guard immediately responded 
to the new and urgent national requirement to protect our airports. The 
National Guard is a critical component of our national defense. And I 
am also proud to represent the Guam National Guard, which has the most 
membership per capita of any other State National Guard in this 
country.
  So I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 940 and join us 
as we wish America's National Guard a very happy birthday.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 940, which 
recognizes the service and sacrifices of the members of the Army and 
Air National Guard on the occasion of the 373rd anniversary of the 
National Guard.
  I want to commend Representative Robert Latta of Ohio for sponsoring 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, America is such a dynamic, forward-moving, ever-changing 
Nation that few institutions can survive for long unless they 
repeatedly prove their worth and are capable of changing to meet new 
challenges. For more than 300 years, the National Guard has repeatedly 
demonstrated its worth and value to this Nation in the crises of peace 
and war. The courage, commitment, and sacrifices of the National Guard 
members have been an integral part of every war this Nation has ever 
fought.
  These citizen soldiers most recently have accepted an entirely new 
role in our national security and enthusiastically transformed 
themselves and their units from a ready Reserve to an operational 
Reserve, where repeated deployments to combat have become the norm and 
not the exception.

                              {time}  1230

  While providing significant combat power to support ongoing wars, the 
Guard has remained true to its mission: to support the individual 
States in times of natural disasters. With this dual requirement to 
support not only the Nation, but also the people of the States from 
which they come, the National Guard is indispensable to the well-being, 
safety, and security of all Americans. This is why it is, therefore, 
right and proper that we recognize the National Guard for 373 years of 
outstanding service.
  I urge all Members to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this point 3 
minutes to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Latta).
  Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it is very appropriate that we assemble here today on 
December 7, ``a day that will live in infamy,'' words that were spoken 
by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on this House floor 68 years ago 
tomorrow. On that December 7, the United States lost many courageous, 
dedicated, heroic, compassionate men and women when the Pacific fleet 
was attacked at Pearl Harbor by forces of the Imperial Japan Navy.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 940, which I introduced 
last week on December 1.
  As it has already been pointed out very eloquently about the 
background of the National Guard, the Guard dates its origins back to 
December 13, 1636, when the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay 
Colony ordered existing militias to be organized into three regiments. 
Since then, the National Guard has fought in every major American 
conflict. From the shot that was heard around the world at Lexington 
Green and later at Concord Bridge in April of 1775 to our men and women 
who are standing strong today and fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 
National Guard and its citizen soldiers have been there for us no 
matter what, always ready, always there.
  The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the 
United States. The National Guard's number one priority is the security 
and defense of our homeland at home and abroad. Americans have relied 
on their National Guard for more than three-and-a-half centuries, even 
before the United States existed.
  I want to thank all past and present members of the National Guard 
for their service and response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, 
and their continuing role in homeland security and military operations 
around the world.
  In today's world, it is essential that we honor and support all of 
our servicemembers who have sacrificed so much for us to ensure that 
our freedoms and liberties are secure in the United States. We need to 
support and provide our men and women of the National Guard and all the 
Armed Forces with the necessary resources to ensure their readiness and 
success.
  As the National Guard's official song goes, ``Defending freedom, 
protecting dreams, this is the spirit of what it means to me. For my 
God and my home that I love: I Guard America, Guarding America, 
America.''
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend 
from Florida for yielding on this very important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 940, 
a resolution that recognizes and honors the National Guard on its 373rd 
anniversary. The National Guard has a long and proud history as the 
oldest component of our Armed Forces.
  The roots of the National Guard date back to our early colonial and 
State militias, which were vital during the Revolutionary War. It was 
the National Guardsmen who made up the Rough Riders in the Spanish-
American War. More recently, on this date the Japanese attacked Pearl 
Harbor, and the Greatest Generation went to war. And it is fitting that 
we pass this resolution today in memory of all those who served, but in 
particular those who were in the National Guard.
  More than 16 million Americans fought in World War II, and about 2 
million of them are still alive today, but they are dying at a rate of 
about 900 a day, according to the Department of Defense. The National 
Guard have made up 40 percent of the U.S. combat divisions and included 
300,000 members and 18 infantry divisions in World War II.
  Since the establishment of the National Guard, men and women have 
served valiantly in every American conflict, including our recent 
efforts in the Middle East in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation 
Iraqi Freedom.
  As the father of a former National Guardsman who has served in Iraq 
with the Army, I have the greatest respect and gratitude for the 
National Guard

[[Page H13529]]

and the job that they perform. Earlier this year, I had the privilege 
to travel to Iraq and Afghanistan to meet many of our soldiers and 
leaders on the ground, and it was there I witnessed the National Guard 
firsthand.
  I commend and thank the National Guard and all of our men and women 
in uniform for their selfless service to their country. And I urge my 
colleagues to support the National Guard and our troops and vote in 
favor of this important legislation.
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 940.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BORDALLO. 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.

                          ____________________