[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 2, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank 370 Members of the House of
Representatives for joining me in an effort to rename the Department of
Navy to be the Navy and Marine Corps.
I would also like to share with the House that last Thursday was a
very exciting day for this effort, the reason being that Mike Blum, a
Marine Corps League executive director, was the MC at a news conference
that was attended.
One of the speakers was United States Marine General Tony Zinni.
Senator Pat Roberts, from the Senate, introduced an identical bill to
the bill H.R. 24, which 370 Members cosponsored.
Also in attendance to speak was General Al Gray, a former commandant
of the United States Marine Corps.
There was a very impressive young man from Texas, Sergeant Eddie
Wright, a marine veteran and Bronze Star recipient, who lost both hands
in combat in Iraq in 2004. Despite his injuries, he became a Marine
Corps hand-to-hand combat instructor. He later retired and is now a
defense contractor. Sergeant Wright explained the importance of
teamwork between the Navy and Marine Corps because he said at the news
conference, if he had not had the Navy corpsman there, he would not
have been living today to appear at the news conference, calling for
this relationship to be publicly respected--the Navy and Marine Corps.
There also was a father, Dick Linn, whose son, Karl, was killed in
Iraq in 2005.
Tracy Della Vecchia, the MarineParents.com founder and executive
director, was there. Her Web site has over 130,000-plus members. It
provides support for parents of marines. She also spoke on behalf of
this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this news conference was to announce the
national spokesman. The national spokesman was also in attendance, and
he spoke as well--Lee Ermey, known as the ``Gunny,'' a Golden Globe-
nominated actor and marine veteran. Ermey is host of the History
Channel's ``Mail Call'' and ``Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey.'' He is a
star of major films, including ``Full Metal Jacket,'' ``Dead Man
Walking,'' and ``Toy Story.'' Lee Ermey has become the national
spokesman, and he intends to help us try to convince the Senate to
accept three words: ``and Marine Corps.''
Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record letters from Ike Skelton,
chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and also from Ranking Member
Buck McKeon.
House Committee on Armed
Services,
Washington, DC, January 26, 2010.
Hon. Walter Jones,
House of Representatives, 2333 Rayburn House Office Building,
Washington DC.
Dear Walter: I wanted to take this opportunity to commend
you on your continuing campaign to redesignate the Department
of the Navy as the ``Department of the Navy and Marine
Corps.'' Since 2001, you have worked tirelessly to bring
about this change, and I am proud that, as Chairman of the
House Armed Services Committee, I have included it in the
Chairman's mark of the National Defense Authorization Acts of
Fiscal Years 2008, 2009 and 2010. I regret, however, that the
Senate has not been as receptive to your effort, and so far,
we have been unable to carry this provision into a Conference
Report, and then into law.
Walter, your dedication to this matter has been steadfast,
and I commend your sincere desire to recognize the men and
women of the United States Marine Corps in this way.
Hopefully, 2010 will be different. With over 360 co-sponsors
of your bill H.R. 24, this effort has real momentum behind
it, and I will be pleased to support its consideration on the
House Floor and, of course, again carry it as part of the
Chairman's mark of the national defense authorization bill
for Fiscal Year 2011.
Very truly yours,
Ike Skelton,
Chairman.
____
House Committee on Armed
Services,
Washington, DC, February 3, 2010.
Hon. Walter B. Jones,
2333 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Jones: It is with great pleasure that I
join you and Chairman Ike Skelton in the effort to
redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of
the Navy and Marine Corps. For the past eight years, I have
worked with you to see this become a reality. Now is the time
to move forward. Through blood and sacrifice, the United
States Marine Corps deserves such recognition and I hope that
this year it becomes a reality.
As you are aware, the House version of the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) has carried this language since
2001. However, the Senate has yet to agree to our position in
order for this change to take effect. Today, more than 360
members of the House have agreed with us that this change is
necessary to reflect the true role of the Marine Corps within
the Department of Defense, as a coequal with the Navy. I look
forward to pushing this effort with you when it reaches the
House Floor in the spring as a standalone measure and will
continue to support the language in the FY11 NDAA.
Thank you for your steadfast dedication to this effort.
Sincerely,
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,
Ranking Member.
In the letters from the chairman and ranking member, they state that
they will bring this bill to the floor sometime in April as a
suspension bill, will pass it on the floor, and will send it to the
Senate. Then it will be up to the Senate to do what they will.
Hopefully, they will understand what Senator Roberts said. All we are
asking for are three words: ``and Marine Corps.''
Mr. Speaker, before I close, Dick Linn, who lost his son in Iraq in
2005, received condolence letters. He brought this up. I happen to have
these three posters of fallen heroes from Camp Lejeune. They are
marines who have died. Mr. Linn said that he was so disappointed and
that, when he received these condolence letters, he was so proud of his
son, who was a marine. I'll show you what he received.
Mr. Speaker, you can see on this letter--it's a blowup--the Secretary
of the Navy, Washington, D.C., Navy flag. Nothing. There is absolutely
nothing about the Marine Corps. Yet, the young man who died and many
others who have died who were also marines received the same kind of
letter, and there was nothing about the Marine Corps except in the body
of the letter.
If this should become law--and I hope that the Senate will see the
need for this, the need to recognize the Marine Corps and to say, Thank
you, Marine Corps. You are one part of the fighting team, the Navy and
Marine Corps. This is what it would have said:
The Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., with
the Navy flag and the Marine flag. That's what it should be. I want to
say before I close, Mr. Speaker, that the Navy and Marine Corps are one
fighting team. They should be represented in name as one fighting team,
Navy and Marine Corps.
Mr. Speaker, I want to close, but as I always do close with my heart
aching for all who have given their lives for this country in
Afghanistan and in Iraq, I ask God to please bless our men and women in
uniform and for God to please bless their families.
God, please, in your loving arms, hold the families who have given a
child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, I ask God to please bless this House and Senate that we
will do what is right in the eyes of God.
I ask God to please bless the President. Give him wisdom and strength
to do what is right for this country.
Three times, I will ask God: God, please, God, please, God, please,
continue to bless America.
____________________