[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E71]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL PRAYER ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 24, 2012

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, today the House considered the World War II 
Memorial Prayer Act, which I cosponsored and was pleased to vote in 
favor of. The bill directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to 
include President Franklin D. Roosevelt's prayer with the nation on D-
Day at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.
  It is not possible to overstate the importance of D-Day in World War 
II, or the enormity of the battle the 160,000 Allied troops faced. The 
victory there allowed 100,000 soldiers to start to march across Europe 
to defeat Hitler and the Nazi forces. The battle came with an enormous 
cost; 9,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, including thousands of 
American troops there to help liberate Europe and win the war.
  At home, as the battle was being waged on the beaches of Normandy, 
President Roosevelt led the nation in a prayer over the radio. The 
moving prayer concluded with these words:

       With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces 
     of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and 
     racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and 
     with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a 
     sure peace--a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy 
     men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, 
     reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be 
     done, Almighty God. Amen.

  As the author of the original legislation to create the World War II 
Memorial, I think it is fitting to include President Roosevelt's prayer 
at the Memorial grounds. The prayer is not only important historically, 
but it allows us to honor those for whom the country was praying, but 
also those at home who were comforted by this prayer.
  It will be 25 years ago next month that an important question was 
posed to me at a fish fry in Jerusalem Township, Ohio, by a World War 
II veteran, Roger Durbin. Mr. Durbin was a veteran of World War II and 
he wanted to know why there was no memorial for the war in our nation's 
capital. We set to work together, and 17 years later the nation 
dedicated the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, 
DC. Unfortunately, Roger passed away before the dedication. But I am 
sure he would be pleased with the passage of this bill here today.

                          ____________________