[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SENATE COMMENTS ON MARINE TRAGEDY

  (Mr. OLSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was stunned to watch the senior 
Democrat leader of the other body implying that the blame for Monday's 
tragic deaths of seven marines is the result of the recent automatic 
cuts to defense spending, also known as sequestration--``the 
sequester.'' His outrageous comments referring to the dead marines' 
training with explosives implied that the sequester which the President 
insisted upon was ``going to cut back this stuff''--their training.
  I'm appalled because this senior Democrat should know that the 
sequester cuts have not even been fully implemented. They could not 
have played a role in these marines' deaths.
  As an American who has proudly worn the uniform of a naval officer, I 
am furious that a Member of Congress would play politics with such a 
tragedy. The families of these seven marines deserve an apology. I pray 
that they will get it.
  Semper fi, Marines. Semper fi.

                          ____________________