[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 30 (Thursday, March 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1207-S1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE HISTORY AND CONTINUED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN IN THE
ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES
______
CONGRATULATING THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
______
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF ENRIQUE ``KIKI'' CAMARENA
______
AUTHORIZING TESTIMONY AND SENATE LEGAL COUNSEL REPRESENTATION
______
AUTHORIZING RECORDS PRODUCTION
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the following matters, en bloc, introduced today: S. Res
441, S. Res. 442, S. Res. 443, S. Res. 444, and S. Res. 445.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the resolutions be considered and
agreed to en bloc, the preambles be agreed to en bloc, the motions to
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, there be no intervening
action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolutions were agreed to.
The preambles were agreed to.
The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:
S. Res. 441
Whereas women of diverse ethnic, religious, socioeconomic,
and racial backgrounds have made extraordinary contributions
to each service of the Armed Forces;
Whereas today women volunteer to serve the Nation and
distinguish themselves in the active and reserve components
of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard;
Whereas the contributions of generations of women have
contributed to the collective success of women in military
service and the freedom and security of the United States;
Whereas women have served with honor, courage, and a
pioneering spirit in every major military campaign in the
history of the United States since the Revolutionary War;
Whereas Dr. Mary E. Walker was the first, and remains the
only, woman awarded the Medal of Honor for her contributions
to military medicine and selfless actions during the Civil
War;
Whereas the role of women expanded during World War I, with
women serving as medical professionals and telephone
operators and in other support roles that were critical to
the war effort;
Whereas, during World War II, women served in every
military service and in every theater and received awards for
their gallantry, including four Silver Stars;
Whereas the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948
(62 Stat. 356, chapter 449) established permanent positions
and granted veterans benefits for women in the Armed Forces
and allowed women to serve during the Korean War as regular
members of the military;
Whereas, during the Vietnam War, roughly 7,500 women served
in the Armed Forces in Southeast Asia as Nurse Corps officers
and in other vital capacities where they saved lives and
supported their fellow service members;
Whereas, in 1976, the service academies first admitted
women, and in 1980, the first women graduated from the United
States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the
United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Coast
Guard Academy;
Whereas women were assigned to the first gender-integrated
units during the 1980s, with women serving alongside men in
Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and Operation Just Cause in
Panama;
Whereas an unprecedented 40,000 women deployed as uniformed
members of the Armed Forces in support of Operations Desert
Storm and Desert Shield;
Whereas, in 1991, Congress repealed laws prohibiting women
from flying combat missions and in 1993 repealed the
restriction on women serving on combat vessels;
Whereas, on June 16, 2005, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, an
Army National Guard Military Police Soldier, became the first
woman to receive the Silver Star since World War II for
exceptional valor during an ambush on her convoy in Iraq;
Whereas, on November 14, 2008, General Ann Dunwoody became
the first woman in
[[Page S1208]]
the military to achieve the rank of four-star general;
Whereas, according to the Department of Defense, there are
currently 203,375 women on active duty in the Armed Forces,
many of whom have been deployed in harm's way;
Whereas, as of January 2, 2010, 104 military women have
lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 20 military
women have lost their lives in Operation Enduring Freedom;
Whereas, as of February 6, 2010, 616 military women have
been wounded in action in Iraq, and 50 military women have
been wounded in action in Afghanistan;
Whereas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs,
as of February 1, 2010, there were 1,824,000 women veterans
of the Armed Forces;
Whereas women help make the military of the United States
the finest in the world by serving frequent and lengthy
deployments under the most difficult conditions;
Whereas women in the Armed Forces frequently balance the
rigors of a military career with the responsibilities of
maintaining a healthy family;
Whereas women serving in combat theaters have been exposed
to the same hazards and harsh conditions as male service
members, and have sustained grave injuries and have given
their lives in service to our Nation;
Whereas all service members, both men and women, deserve
fair compensation for service related injuries, proper health
care and rehabilitation, and the respect of a grateful Nation
for their selfless service, sacrifice, and loyalty; and
Whereas women have made our Nation safer and more secure,
while representing the values that we hold dear: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) acknowledges the contributions of women to our national
defense and their importance in the rich history of the
United States;
(2) celebrates the role that women have played in securing
our Nation and defending our freedom;
(3) recognizes the unique challenges that women have
overcome to expand the role of women in military service;
(4) agrees that programs available for women service
members and veterans should be strengthened and enhanced,
including for those who are dealing with invisible wounds of
war; and
(5) strongly encourages the people of the United States to
honor women veterans who have served our Nation and to
elevate their stature in our national conscience.
S. Res. 442
Whereas the name ``Lithuania'' first appeared in European
records in the year 1009, when it was mentioned in the German
manuscript ``Annals of Quedlinburg'';
Whereas the February 16, 1918, Act of Independence of
Lithuania led to the establishment of Lithuania as a
sovereign and democratic State;
Whereas, under the German-Soviet Treaty of Friendship,
Cooperation and Demarcation, on June 15, 1940, Lithuania was
forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in violation of
preexisting peace treaties;
Whereas, during 50 years of Soviet occupation of the Baltic
States, Congress strongly, consistently, and on a bipartisan
basis refused to legally recognize the incorporation of
Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania by the Soviet Union;
Whereas, on March 11, 1990, the Republic of Lithuania was
restored and Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to
declare independence;
Whereas, on September 2, 1991, the United States Government
formally recognized Lithuania as an independent and sovereign
nation;
Whereas Lithuania has successfully developed into a free
and democratic country, with a free market economy and
respect for the rule of law;
Whereas Lithuania is a full and responsible member of the
United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, the European Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization;
Whereas Lithuania assumed Presidency of the Community of
Democracies in September 2009, and will hold this position
until 2011;
Whereas, in 2010, the United States Government and the
Government of Lithuania celebrated 88 years of continuous
diplomatic relations;
Whereas the United States Government welcomes and
appreciates efforts by the Government of Lithuania to
maintain international peace and stability in Europe and
around the world by contributing to international civilian
and military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo,
and Georgia; and
Whereas Lithuania is a strong and loyal ally of the United
States, and the people of Lithuania share common values with
the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate hereby--
(1) congratulates the people of the Republic of Lithuania
on the occasion of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the
State of Lithuania;
(2) commends the Government of Lithuania for its success in
implementing political and economic reforms, for establishing
political, religious, and economic freedom, and for its
commitment to human rights;
(3) recognizes the close and enduring relationship between
the United States Government and the Government of Lithuania;
and
(4) calls on the President to continue to build on the
close and mutually beneficial relations the United States has
enjoyed with Lithuania since the restoration of the full
independence of Lithuania.
S. Res. 443
Whereas, 25 years ago, in March 1985, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena
made the ultimate sacrifice fighting drugs;
Whereas Special Agent Camarena, an 11-year veteran special
agent of the DEA, was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in
the line of duty while engaged in the battle against illicit
drugs;
Whereas Special Agent Camarena joined the DEA in June 1974,
as an agent with the Calexico, California District Office;
Whereas Special Agent Camarena was assigned to the Fresno
District Office in September 1977, and transferred to the
Guadalajara Resident Office in July 1981;
Whereas on February 7, 1985, when leaving the Guadalajara
Resident Office to join his wife, Geneva, for lunch, Special
Agent Camarena was surrounded by 5 armed men and forced into
a car, which sped away;
Whereas February 7, 1985, was the last time anyone, other
than his kidnappers, would see Special Agent Camarena alive;
Whereas the body of Special Agent Camarena was discovered
on March 5, 1985, on a ranch approximately 60 miles southeast
of Guadalajara, Mexico;
Whereas to date, 22 individuals have been indicted in Los
Angeles, California for their roles in the Camarena murder,
including high ranking government officials, cartel drug
lords, lieutenants, and soldiers;
Whereas of the 22 individuals indicted in Los Angeles, 8
have been convicted and are imprisoned in the United States,
6 have been incarcerated in Mexico and are considered
fugitives with outstanding warrants issued in the United
States, 4 are believed deceased, 1 was acquitted at trial,
and 3 remain fugitives believed to be residing in Mexico;
Whereas an additional 25 individuals were arrested,
convicted, and imprisoned in Mexico for their involvement in
the Camarena murder;
Whereas the men and women of the DEA will continue to seek
justice for the murder of Special Agent Camarena;
Whereas during his 11 year career with the DEA, Special
Agent Camarena received 2 Sustained Superior Performance
Awards, a Special Achievement Award, and, posthumously, the
Administrator's Award of Honor, the highest award granted by
the DEA;
Whereas prior to joining the DEA, Special Agent Camarena
served 2 years in the Marine Corps, as well as serving as a
fireman in Calexico, a police investigator, and a narcotics
investigator for the Imperial County Sheriff Coroner;
Whereas Red Ribbon Week, which has been nationally
recognized since 1988, is the oldest and largest drug
prevention program in the Nation, reaches millions of young
people each year, and is celebrated annually October 23
through October 31, was established to help preserve the
memory of Special Agent Camarena and to further the cause for
which he gave his life, the fight against the violence of
drug crime and the misery of addiction; and
Whereas Special Agent Camarena will be remembered as an
honorable and cherished public servant and his sacrifice
should be a reminder every October during Red Ribbon Week of
the dangers associated with drug use and drug trafficking:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) expresses its appreciation for the profound dedication
and public service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena;
(2) tenders its deep sympathy and appreciation to his wife,
Geneva, to his 3 children, Enrique, Daniel, and Erik, and to
his family, friends, and former colleagues of the Drug
Enforcement Administration;
(3) encourages communities and organizations throughout the
United States to commemorate the sacrifice of Special Agent
Camerana through the promotion of drug-free communities and
participation in drug prevention activities which show
support for healthy, productive, and drug-free lifestyles;
and
(4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy
of this resolution to the family of Enrique ``Kiki''
Camarena.
S. Res. 444
Whereas, in the case of City of Vancouver v. Galloway, Cr.
No. 171555V, pending in Clark County District Court in
Vancouver, Washington, the prosecution has requested
testimony from Allison Creagan-Frank and Bethany Works,
former employees of the office of Senator Patty Murray;
Whereas, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 704(a)(2) of the
Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 2 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 288b(a)
and 288c(a)(2), the Senate may direct its counsel to
represent present or former employees of the Senate with
respect to any subpoena, order, or request for testimony
relating to their official responsibilities;
Whereas, by the privileges of the Senate of the United
States and Rule XI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, no
evidence under the control or in the possession of the Senate
may, by the judicial or administrative process, be taken from
such control or possession but by permission of the Senate;
Whereas, when it appears that evidence under the control or
in the possession of the
[[Page S1209]]
Senate may promote the administration of justice, the Senate
will take such action as will promote the ends of justice
consistent with the privileges of the Senate: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved that Allison Creagan-Frank, Bethany Works, and any
other employee of Senator Murray's office from whom testimony
may be required, are authorized to testify in the case of
City of Vancouver v. Galloway, except concerning matters for
which a privilege should be asserted.
Sec. 2. The Senate Legal Counsel is authorized to represent
Allison Creagan-Frank, Bethany Works, and any other employee
of Senator Murray's office from whom testimony may be
required, in connection with the testimony authorized in
section one of this resolution.
S. Res. 445
Whereas, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
conducted an investigation into how politically powerful
foreign officials, their relatives and close associates have
used the services of United States professionals and
financial institutions to bring large amounts of suspect
funds into the United States to advance their interests and
to circumvent United States anti-money laundering and anti-
corruption safeguards;
Whereas, the Subcommittee has received a request from a
federal law enforcement agency for access to records of the
Subcommittee's investigation;
Whereas, by the privileges of the Senate of the United
States and Rule XI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, no
evidence under the control or in the possession of the Senate
can, by administrative or judicial process, be taken from
such control or possession but by permission of the Senate;
Whereas, when it appears that evidence under the control or
in the possession of the Senate is needed for the promotion
of justice, the Senate will take such action as will promote
the ends of justice consistent with the privileges of the
Senate: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of
the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, acting
jointly, are authorized to provide to law enforcement
officials, regulatory agencies, and other entities or
individuals duly authorized by federal, state, or foreign
governments, records of the Subcommittee's investigation into
how politically powerful foreign officials, their relatives
and close associates have used the services of United States
professionals and financial institutions to bring large
amounts of suspect funds into the United States to advance
their interests and to circumvent United States anti-money
laundering and anti-corruption safeguards.
____________________