[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7739-H7742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SUPPORTING DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT WEEK

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1644) expressing support for designation of a 
``National Veterans History Project Week''.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1644

       Whereas 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Veterans History Project by the United 
     States Congress in order to collect and preserve the wartime 
     stories of United States veterans;
       Whereas Congress charged the American Folklife Center at 
     the Library of Congress to undertake the Veterans History 
     Project and to engage the public in the creation of a 
     collection of oral histories that would be a lasting tribute 
     to individual veterans;
       Whereas the Veterans History Project relies on a corps of 
     volunteer interviewers, partner organizations, and an array 
     of civic minded institutions nationwide who interview 
     veterans according to the guidelines it provides;
       Whereas these oral histories have created an abundant 
     resource for scholars to gather first-hand accounts of 
     veterans' experience in World War I, World War II, the Korean 
     War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the 
     Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts;
       Whereas there are 17,000,000 wartime veterans in the United 
     States whose stories can educate people of all ages about 
     important moments and events in the history of the United 
     States and the world and provide instructive narratives that 
     illuminate the meanings of ``service'', ``sacrifice'', 
     ``citizenship'', and ``democracy'';
       Whereas more than 70,000 oral histories have already been 
     collected and more than 8,000 oral histories are fully 
     digitized and available through the website of the Library of 
     Congress;
       Whereas the Veterans History Project will increase the 
     number of oral histories that can be collected and preserved 
     and increase the number of veterans it honors; and
       Whereas ``National Veterans Awareness Week'' has been 
     recognized by Congress in previous years: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of a ``National Veterans 
     History Project Week'';
       (2) recognizes ``National Veterans Awareness Week'';
       (3) calls on the people of the United States to interview 
     at least one veteran in their families or communities 
     according to guidelines provided by the Veterans History 
     Project; and
       (4) encourages local, State, and national organizations 
     along with Federal, State, city, and county governmental 
     institutions to participate in support of the effort to 
     document, preserve, and honor the service of United States 
     wartime veterans.


[[Page H7740]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on House Resolution 1644.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill, H. Res. 1644, the National Veterans History 
Project Week, comes to us from our colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) 
to honor the lives of our Nation's veterans, and I thank him for 
introducing the resolution before us today.
  I would like to yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin for as much 
time as he may consume.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from 
California for yielding me this time and for his support of H. Res. 
1644.
  Mr. Speaker, as the author of the Veterans History Project, I rise in 
strong support of this resolution before us this evening. The Veterans 
History Project, however, isn't new. It's been in existence for 10 
years. We celebrated its 10-year anniversary just this year.
  Simply put, it's the last task of a grateful Nation to our veterans 
to ask them to help us preserve an important part of American history--
what it was like for them to serve our Nation during times of conflict 
and times of peace. And since the creation of the Veterans History 
Project, we have close to 80,000 veterans' stories that have been 
recorded, collected, and are now being archived in probably the best 
place in the entire world where it can and should be archived--out of 
our own Library of Congress here in Washington, D.C.
  The genesis of the Veterans History Project occurred over a Father's 
Day weekend back home in my city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. I was sitting 
around the picnic table with my father, who is a Korea generation 
veteran, Elroy, and his brother, my uncle, Don Kind, who was with a 
bomber crew in the Pacific during the Second World War, and they 
started sharing with me their experience in serving our Nation. And I 
told them to wait. Since my two little boys were toddlers at the time 
and couldn't understand or wouldn't understand what they were saying, I 
ran into the house, grabbed the family video camera, set it up on the 
picnic table, and then asked them to continue talking about their 
experience serving our Nation. And I got to thinking, given the advent 
of modern technology today, how accessible it is for most families, 
most people, we should be doing this nationwide, and that was the basis 
of the Veterans History Project.
  Today, it is the largest oral history collection in the United 
States, and I believe it's the world's largest oral history collection. 
I want to commend the leadership of the Library of Congress, under 
Colonel Bob Patrick, who heads up the Veterans History Project and his 
25-person staff there, but also especially our own Librarian of 
Congress, Dr. Jim Billington, for his leadership on this as well.
  What I've discovered throughout the years in conducting many of the 
interviews myself and reading many of the transcripts of the Veterans 
History Project is a common theme that runs through most of the 
stories. First, most of the veterans don't feel they did anything 
special. They were only doing their duty. They were answering the call 
to service. And secondly, one of the great motivators in having them do 
that, especially at times of conflict, was not letting their colleagues 
down serving next to them. And yet these are ordinary Americans from 
all walks of life, from every corner of America who went on to do 
extraordinary things, and each of them had a role to play at times of 
conflict, at times of peace.
  Sometimes it's difficult asking our veterans to come forward and 
share their stories because they don't feel like they have much to 
contribute or anything significant, but each of them do in their own 
way.
  And I also want to thank the tremendous support and contribution of 
so many organizations and entities around the country that have been 
helping to get the word out that this Veterans History Project, in 
fact, exists, from the VFW and American Legion halls through the 
Nation, AARP has been a major sponsor of this legislation, to countless 
social and community organizations in all of our towns and communities. 
And that has been one of the great challenges, because the clock is 
ticking and time is of the essence.
  We are losing close to 1,700 veterans a day, mainly of the World War 
II and Korea generation who are passing away. And if we don't go and 
talk to them and record their stories, they take with them an important 
part of American history--their service to our Nation. And that's why 
the Library of Congress, again, has been working furiously to try to 
get the word out about the existence of this project, and they have 
done a commendable job in doing it.
  That's why I think this resolution is necessary to have Congress 
consider designating a week for the Veterans History Project which 
would help us get information out to even more people. And it's as 
simple as a person just approaching their own family member, friend, 
neighbor, loved one in their life and asking them to share their story 
and then setting up that family video camera across the kitchen table 
and letting them go. It could be a 10-minute interview; it could be 2 
hours, depending on how much the veteran wants to share. And that's 
what makes these stories so remarkable.
  I had an at-risk high school back in La Crosse, Wisconsin, who has 
taken the lead for a number of years of those students that are 
actually going out making contact and interviewing these veterans. Many 
of these kids are at risk of dropping out. They're not the greatest 
performers in school, and yet this is a project that has caused the 
history to come alive in their own lives. They have to do a little bit 
of research, some background on the veterans and the time period in 
which they're going to conduct the interview, and then it gives them a 
chance to connect with the veterans in their own community. It's been a 
great bridge between the older and younger generation.
  And I asked one of the students who got done interviewing a veteran, 
who participated in it, what he thought of it. And he said, you know, 
I've never been a great student. I don't like doing a lot of reading. 
History bores me to death. But by doing this project, I felt as if I 
was doing my own small contribution to preserving American history.
  That's what this is about. It's about preserving these stories so 
future generations never forget. And if I had a nickel every time a 
family member or acquaintance or some stranger walked up to me said, 
Gee, I wish I had talked to my father or mother or grandfather or 
grandmother before they had passed away, I would probably be the 
richest person in the whole world right now. There is a lot of regret 
out there. But it doesn't have to be that way with the help and 
cooperation of so many people throughout the Nation.
  I've been especially pleased with the strong bipartisan support that 
this and previous Congresses have shown toward the Veterans History 
Project, but there's still so much work that needs to be done, 
especially now with so many of our veterans returning home from 
conflicts overseas, whether it's Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever our 
troops are serving us throughout the globe.
  So I would encourage my colleagues to support this resolution, to 
support the Veterans History Project overall, help get the word out. 
And for those who are looking for more information about what this is 
and how they can participate, they can go to the Library of Congress 
Web site, loc.gov, and read and download the information, or they can 
contact any one of our congressional or Senate offices or get in touch 
with a veterans service organization right in their own community who 
would have this information readily available.

                              {time}  2030

  In 10 years, there are close to 80,000 stories.

[[Page H7741]]

  And one final note, I also want to thank and commend the National 
Court Reporters Association. My wife, who happens to be a court 
reporter, very early on in the creation of this project approached them 
to see if they could volunteer their time in transcribing a lot of 
these video interviews so there is a written record of it, too. Many of 
them throughout the Nation have stepped up and have donated countless 
volunteer hours in transcribing these videotapes, so there is a written 
record.
  The library now is creating books and documentaries based on these 
interviews. Historians have a place to go and receive original 
historical research for books and articles that they are writing. It 
has really turned into a treasure trove of information, and again an 
important part of American history, what it was like for our veterans 
to serve our Nation during times of peace and also during times of war.
  I encourage my colleagues to support the resolution. I want to thank 
Chairman Filner for his support of the resolution, and the gentleman 
from Tennessee, and encourage its passage.
  Mr. FILNER. I thank the gentleman. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. 
Kind. You have done an incredible job. I happen to be an historian 
myself. I have done a lot of work in oral history, and you described it 
so eloquently. I wish my father, who was in World War II, we could have 
taped before he died.
  Just a couple of weeks ago when I was back home, I met with a group 
of black soldiers who in 1946, 2 years before the Executive order that 
integrated our armed forces, the black soldiers had been approached by 
General Eisenhower to say hey, the Battle of the Bulge has taken so 
many of our infantrymen, who will volunteer to join the infantry, the 
white infantry? About 5,000 volunteered. To hear their stories, and I 
referred them. I said get right over to our project; we need to hear 
that because most of us don't know about that little history, and that 
is very inspiring to hear what they were able to do.
  Thank you for your leadership. I think, as you said, it is not only 
to maintain our own history, but to bridge the gap between generations. 
So I thank the gentleman once again.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 1644, a bill expressing the 
support of the House of Representatives for the designation of a 
National Veterans History Week.
  On October 27, 2000, Public Law 106-380 was signed by President 
William Jefferson Clinton to establish the Veterans History Project. 
The legislation before us supports the designation of a National 
Veterans History Project Week, recognizes National Veterans Awareness 
Week, and calls on the people of the United States to interview at 
least one veteran in their families or communities according to 
guidelines provided by the Veterans History Project, and encourages 
local, State and national organizations along with Federal, State, city 
and county governmental institutions to participate in support of the 
effort to document, preserve, and honor the service of United States 
wartime veterans.
  The Veterans History Project is maintained by the American Folklife 
Center in the Library of Congress. It collects, preserves, and makes 
accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that 
future generations may hear directly from veterans and better 
understand the realities of war.
  The collection features firsthand accounts of U.S. veterans who 
served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, 
the Persian Gulf War from 1990-1995, or Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, 
2001 to present.
  It also contains the accounts of U.S. citizen civilians who actively 
supported war efforts such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight 
instructors, medical volunteers, defense contractors, and so on. 
Citizens can participate by obtaining a field kit from the Library of 
Congress which contains the tools necessary to conduct interviews or 
help veterans with the interview process.
  Several Members of Congress have already participated in interviews 
relating to their military service. I am one of them. Other Members are 
Cliff Stearns, the deputy ranking member of the committee, who reported 
his experience as an Air Force captain during the Vietnam War; and 
Ranking Republican Steve Buyer , who recorded his experiences during 
the Persian Gulf War in Iraq.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1644, and just to 
thank the gentleman. We had the Traveling Vietnam Wall in my hometown 
of Johnson City, Tennessee, a little over a year, a year and a half 
ago. We had thousands of people come by. I was able to participate 
myself as a veteran. We got hundreds of stories from during the Vietnam 
War.
  In a small church in Sevierville, Tennessee, a small Baptist church, 
15 young men went off to World War II and three did not return. I asked 
them to record this history for their church and for their community.
  My history professor in college, Dr. Preston Hubbard, wrote a book 
``Apocalypse Undone,'' recounting his capture in the Philippines, the 
Death March, and time as a slave laborer in Japan for 4 years, an 
incredible account.
  I spoke recently to a 96-year-old veteran at the Mountain Home VA 
Medical Center in Johnson City about his experience before there was 
World War II when the U-boats wolf pack were sinking our ships taking 
supplies to England. He flew missions to bomb those before there was a 
war. I looked at his record and that part was inked out. That is a 
history that would have been lost without this.
  My own father-in-law flew combat missions in Burma supporting 
Merrill's Marauders during World War II.
  I was in a Hardees one morning campaigning, shaking hands. I sat down 
to talk to two gentlemen, and who did I talk to but two veterans who 
had survived the Battle of the Bulge, and they shared their stories 
with me.
  One veteran in the same county the very same day had won a Silver 
Star after having a severe head injury. And I asked him how he was 
doing. He said he was cutting back on his farming a little bit; he was 
87 years old. That is the generation that built this Nation. To lose 
those histories, and I agree with you completely, how many times have 
we heard, I wish I had taken a note of it, I talked to someone who 
served and gotten their story.
  It is not all, most of us veterans won't share everything we did. I 
want to make that clear, too, for the House tonight. There are some 
things that probably just need to be left unsaid. But those stories 
have meant a lot to me and my family, and I would encourage now that we 
have an opportunity for all veterans who can and are able to and are 
willing to, to share these stories and document them. They are very 
important, because as was stated, we are losing 1,500 to 1,700 World 
War II veterans per day.
  I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote for this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I have had the honor, privilege of chairing the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee for the last 4 years. The voters of this Nation have changed 
the party in charge, and so I think this will probably be my last day 
on the floor as the chairman. I just want to thank the veterans of this 
Nation from around the country and around the world. I have met with 
them. They have changed me as a person. I have learned incredible 
amounts from them. I have learned how much we have to do to fulfill our 
commitment to our Nation's veterans.
  I think we have done a lot in this committee for the last 4 years. 
Some of our staff is here, and I want to thank them because they have 
made it all possible. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we have a fellow from the 
Military Fellows Program who worked with us for a year that the Speaker 
set up for us to bring in the military folks from different services 
and from different occupations to both help us and to help them with a 
year on Capitol Hill. One of those is completing his year just about 
now, Ricco Player. We want to thank you, Ricco, for all of your work. 
As a marine, he is going to be deployed to Afghanistan after Christmas, 
so we wish him the best but we want to thank him for the work. He has 
taught us a lot, and hope that you will bring back some of our 
knowledge to your fellow marines.

[[Page H7742]]

  In the last 4 years, Mr. Speaker, we have added almost $25 billion to 
the health care needs of our veterans. That is over a 65 percent 
increase. That is unprecedented in the history of VA to have such an 
increase, and we needed to do that. We have literally hundreds of 
thousands of new veterans, many with brain injury, many with PTSD, 
post-traumatic stress disorder. We have veterans from Vietnam War who 
are aging, and even earlier wars, obviously. So we have tremendous 
need, and we put in billions of dollars into especially mental health 
care of our Nation's veterans.
  We wrote a GI bill for the 21st century which matched the GI bill 
really from 1944, the original GI bill.

                              {time}  2040

  I don't know about you, Mr. Speaker, but I'm here because of the GI 
Bill. My dad came back from the war. He got some education, and we were 
able to buy a house. We were middle class for the first time in our 
lives because of the GI Bill, like 8 million other families who took 
advantage of that.
  So we have brought those benefits in line to what it really costs to 
go to college. As you have seen today, we have worked on homeless 
veterans, and we have worked on women veterans. We have tried to 
improve access for rural veterans. We have done quite a bit.
  I am looking forward to working with our counterparts in the new 
Congress to continue the progress that we have made for veterans. We 
intend to cooperate fully. Mr. Roe has been very good to work with.
  I am not sure who the chairman will be from your side, but we have 
established, I think, good working relationships with nearly every 
member of your committee.
  So, as we conclude this bill, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank again the 
staff of our committee. I want to thank the staffs on both sides of the 
aisle for their work and for doing so much for veterans during the last 
4 years.
  I would urge passage of the Kind bill, H. Res. 1644.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1644.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________