[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2817-H2819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO FIRST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE

  Mr. COTTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 324) to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to 
the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service 
during World War II, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 324

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The First Special Service Force (the ``Force''), a 
     military unit composed of volunteers from the United States 
     and Canada, was activated in July 1942 at Fort Harrison near 
     Helena, Montana.
       (2) The Force was initially intended to target military and 
     industrial installations that were supporting the German war 
     effort, including important hydroelectric plants, which would 
     severely limit the production of strategic materials used by 
     the Axis powers.
       (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volunteers of the 
     Force trained in hazardous, arctic conditions in the 
     mountains of western Montana, and in the waterways of Camp 
     Bradford, Virginia.
       (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 1,800 soldiers, 
     half from the United States and half from Canada.
       (5) The Force also contained a service battalion, composed 
     of 800 members from the United States, that provided 
     important support for the combat troops.
       (6) A special bond developed between the Canadian and 
     United States soldiers, who were not segregated by country, 
     although the commander of the Force was a United States 
     colonel.
       (7) The Force was the only unit formed during World War II 
     that consisted of troops from Canada and the United States.
       (8) In October 1943, the Force went to Italy, where it 
     fought in battles south of Cassino, including Monte La 
     Difensa and Monte Majo, two mountain peaks that were a 
     critical anchor of the German defense line.
       (9) During the night of December 3, 1943, the Force 
     ascended to the top of the precipitous face of Monte La 
     Difensa, where the Force suffered heavy casualties and 
     overcame fierce resistance to overtake the German line.
       (10) After the battle for La Difensa, the Force continued 
     to fight tough battles at high altitudes, in rugged terrain, 
     and in severe weather.
       (11) After battles on the strongly defended Italian peaks 
     of Sammucro, Vischiataro, and Remetanea, the size of the 
     Force had been reduced from 1,800 soldiers to fewer than 500.
       (12) For 4 months in 1944, the Force engaged in raids and 
     aggressive patrols at the Anzio Beachhead.
       (13) On June 4, 1944, members of the Force were among the 
     first Allied troops to liberate Rome.

[[Page H2818]]

       (14) After liberating Rome, the Force moved to southern 
     Italy and prepared to assist in the liberation of France.
       (15) During the early morning of August 15, 1944, members 
     of the Force made silent landings on Les Iles D'Hyeres, small 
     islands in the Mediterranean Sea along the southern coast of 
     France.
       (16) The Force faced a sustained and withering assault from 
     the German garrisons as the Force progressed from the islands 
     to the Franco-Italian border.
       (17) After the Allied forces secured the Franco-Italian 
     border, the United States Army ordered the disbandment of the 
     Force on December 5, 1944, in Nice, France.
       (18) During 251 days of combat, the Force suffered 2,314 
     casualties, or 134 percent of its authorized strength, 
     captured thousands of prisoners, won 5 United States campaign 
     stars and 8 Canadian battle honors, and never failed a 
     mission.
       (19) The United States is forever indebted to the acts of 
     bravery and selflessness of the troops of the Force, who 
     risked their lives for the cause of freedom.
       (20) The efforts of the Force along the seas and skies of 
     Europe were critical in repelling the advance of Nazi Germany 
     and liberating numerous communities in France and Italy.
       (21) The bond between the members of the Force from the 
     United States and those from Canada has endured over the 
     decades, as the members meet every year for a reunion, 
     alternating between the United States and Canada.
       (22) The traditions and honors exhibited by the Force are 
     carried on by 2 outstanding active units of 2 great 
     democracies, the Special Forces of the United States and the 
     Canadian Special Operations Regiment.

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf 
     of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to the 
     First Special Service Force, collectively, in recognition of 
     their dedicated service during World War II.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike 
     the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
     inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
       (c) Award of Medal.--Following the award of the gold medal 
     in honor of the First Special Service Force under subsection 
     (a), the medal shall be given to the First Special Service 
     Force Association in Helena, Montana, where it shall be 
     available for display or temporary loan to be displayed 
     elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations 
     associated with the First Special Service Force, including 
     Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Montana.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck under section 2, at a price sufficient 
     to cover the costs of the medal, including labor, materials, 
     dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and amounts 
     received from the sale of such duplicates shall be deposited 
     in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

       Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for 
     purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Cotton) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COTTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R. 324, as amended, 
currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COTTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today to seek swift approval of H.R. 324, a bill to grant the 
Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service 
Force in recognition of its superior service during World War II. The 
bill, introduced by my colleague from Florida (Mr. Miller), has 324 
cosponsors, befitting the storied history of this unit.
  Mr. Speaker, the bravery and valor of the Army Special Forces, more 
commonly known as the Green Berets, are well known to most Americans. 
But many don't realize that this unit was born out of the First Special 
Service Force and the courageous soldiers that fought with it during 
World War II. The award of the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition 
of their heroic service will help ensure that this unit attains the 
historical recognition it deserves.
  Formed in 1942 to take on the hardest jobs in the most adverse 
conditions, the First Special Service Force was composed of American 
and Canadian soldiers. The unit fought bravely in the Italian Apennine 
Mountains against elite German units--the 104th Panzer Grenadiers and 
the Hermann Goering Paratroops--who were defending Hitler's Gustav Line 
south of Rome. They defeated German forces at Monte La Difensa after 
fighting south of the center of the line at Monte Cassino and 
participated in the successful assault of Monte La Remetanea and 
several nearby mountains. Sadly, of the 1,800 of the First Special 
Service Forces fighting soldiers and their 800 support troops, there 
were 2,300 casualties suffered in the 250 combat days before the unit 
was disbanded in December of 1944.
  Mr. Speaker, the men of the Special Forces fought with their faces 
blackened by their own boot polish. They were so feared that the Nazi 
defenders called them the Black Devils and the unit took that name as 
its own, calling itself the Devil's Brigade. Proud of their strength 
and bravery, Special Forces soldiers left cards with their patch 
insignia and the phrase ``The Worst is Yet to Come'' on corpses in 
enemy territory.
  Following World War II, a permanent elite unit was formed based on 
the experiences of the Special Forces and OSS operatives during the 
war. Today, that unit has evolved into the Army's Green Berets and a 
similar unit in Canada, the Special Operations Regiment.
  Today, we hear stories of brave men and women in uniform defending 
freedom around the world. I've seen some of this awe-inspiring bravery 
firsthand in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a soldier myself. But as we 
hail our soldiers of today, let us remember the heroism and bravery of 
the Greatest Generation during World War II. This legislation 
authorizes the striking and award of a single gold medal that will go 
to the First Special Service Force Association in Helena, Montana, the 
original training site of the First Special Force, and the sale of 
bronze duplicates of that medal.
  I ask for immediate passage of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
                                                      Committee on


                                         House Administration,

                                     Washington, DC, May 20, 2013.
     Hon. Jeb Hensarling,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hensarling: I write to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on House 
     Administration in H.R. 324, to grant the Congressional Gold 
     Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force in 
     recognition of its superior service during World War II. The 
     bill, as introduced in the House on January 18, 2013, 
     contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on House Administration.
       I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House in an expeditious manner, and 
     accordingly, I will waive Committee consideration of 
     provisions that fall within the Committee's jurisdiction. 
     However, agreeing to waive jurisdiction over these amendments 
     should not be construed as waiving, reducing, or affecting 
     the jurisdiction of the Committee on House Administration.
       Additionally, the Committee on House Administration 
     expressly reserves its authority to seek conferees on any 
     provision within its jurisdiction during any House-Senate 
     conference that may be convened on this, or any similar 
     legislation. I ask for your commitment to support any request 
     by the Committee for conferees on H.R. 324 for provisions 
     within the Committee's jurisdiction.
       I ask that a copy of this letter and your response be 
     placed in the Congressional Record during any floor 
     consideration of H.R. 324.
       I look forward to working with you on matters of mutual 
     concern.
           Sincerely,
                                                Candice S. Miller,
     Chairman.
                                  ____



                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                     Washington, DC, May 21, 2013.
     Hon. Candice S. Miller,
     Chairman, Committee on House Administration, Longworth House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Miller: Thank you for your May 20 letter 
     regarding H.R. 324, a bill to grant the Congressional Gold 
     Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in 
     recognition of its superior service during World War II.
       I am most appreciative of your decision to forego 
     consideration of H.R. 324 so that it may move expeditiously 
     to the House floor. I acknowledge that although you are 
     waiving formal consideration of the bill, the Committee on 
     House Administration is in no way waiving its jurisdiction 
     over any subject

[[Page H2819]]

     matter contained in the bill that falls within its 
     jurisdiction. In addition, if a conference is necessary on 
     this legislation, I will support any request that your 
     committee be represented therein.
       Finally, I shall be pleased to include your letter and this 
     letter in the Congressional Record during floor consideration 
     of H.R. 324.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jeb Hensarling,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. I rise today to give great support for 
H.R. 324.
  Let me say, Mr. Speaker, at the outset that the Congressional Gold 
Medal is our highest honor; and there is no greater recipient that we 
can give this honor to than the First Special Service Forces, known as 
the Devil's Brigade. They were courageous. They risked their lives. As 
a matter of fact, they were the unit that led the liberation of France 
and Italy from the Nazis with daring, with courage, with skill. So it 
is very important for us to stand here today and to give great 
recognition to this unit.
  There is a special bond between Canada and the United States, and 
that special bond started in World War II. For it was the first unit--
and the only unit--where two nations, Canada and the United States, 
formed a force that accomplished what many felt was impossible.

                              {time}  1310

  You know, the Lord Jesus Christ said that there is no greater love--
no greater love--that you can show than one who would give his life for 
another.
  What a great honor this is, Mr. Speaker. I am just proud to join with 
my colleague, Mr. Miller from Florida--my good friend--and Mr. Cotton 
from Arkansas to give this recognition, this high nobility of purpose 
to the first unit.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have our Navy SEALs, our Green 
Berets, our Special Ops, those special soldiers who go where many times 
few others would go. But the foundation of that was the Devil's 
Brigade.
  I can just imagine that Nazi soldier who wrote that note, scared out 
of his wits when he called them the ``Black Devils,'' when they would 
go and put shoe polish on their faces so that they could be expertly 
disguised to go in and to help to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.
  So it is with great pleasure that I stand here to join my colleagues 
in urging unanimous passage of this extraordinary legislation to honor 
this extraordinary group of soldiers.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COTTON. I appreciate that reference to John 15:13, ``Greater love 
hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.'' 
Certainly, many members of the Devil's Brigade did that, as they do 
today in our Special Forces.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), the sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I also 
thank my friend, Mr. Scott, for his kind words. I also want to thank 
Chairman Hensarling and Ranking Member Waters and Subcommittee Chairman 
Campbell, with his Ranking Member Clay, all the members of the 
Financial Services Committee and the House leadership for their support 
in bringing to the floor here today H.R. 324. It is a bill that grants 
the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the First Special 
Service Force.
  I also want to thank the members of the First Special Service Force 
Association, specifically Mr. Bill Woon for his advocacy, and for the 
association's efforts in continuing to spread the inspirational story 
of a truly heroic group of American and Canadian servicemen.
  I would be remiss not to thank Congressman Al Green of Texas and 
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida for encouraging 
support from their caucus members for this broad bipartisan piece of 
legislation, and the 324 Members of this body who have cosponsored the 
bill.
  I join my colleagues today in support of a bill that bestows upon the 
First Special Service Force the Congressional Gold Medal. It's 
Congress' highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished 
achievement and contributions for their superior service during World 
War II.
  The First Special Service Force was a covert World War II military 
unit born through the efforts of President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime 
Minister Winston Churchill. The Force conducted ultrahigh-risk military 
missions in Italy and in France. Once sent into action, the First 
Special Service Force never failed a combat mission.
  The First Special Service Force achieved remarkable success in battle 
and contributed prominently in the liberation of Italy and France. Most 
notably, the Force conducted battles south of Cassino, including Monte 
La Difensa and Monte Majo, two mountain peaks critical to the German 
defensive line.
  During the night of December 3, 1943, the Force ascended to the top 
of the precipitous face of Monte La Difensa, where the Force suffered 
heavy casualties and overcame fierce resistance to overtake the German 
line.
  The First Special Service Force lost a total of 2,314 men, which was 
134 percent of the original combat force. These heroic servicemen 
represent the breadth of intrepidity and courage, and they have earned 
our country's deepest gratitude and highest praise.
  Though many of the brave troops of the First Special Service Force 
have been lost to us, this gold medal is an important step in 
immortalizing their service and honoring the forefathers of today's 
Special Forces.
  With just 6 days remaining until Memorial Day, I cannot think of a 
more appropriate way to honor the heroism and sacrifice of the warriors 
of the First Special Service Force, and I urge all of my colleagues to 
support this important piece of legislation.
  To all of the men and women who have guarded our great Nation in the 
name of protecting and defending liberty that we hold so dear, we say 
thank you. And to all of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, 
may you forever remain in our hearts and in our prayers.
  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. 
I'll just take this opportunity to join all of us in the Congress of 
the United States to salute the First Special Service Force for the 
outstanding work that they have done.
  I urge unanimous passage on this legislation, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. COTTON. I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I join my colleagues, the gentleman from Georgia and the gentleman 
from Florida, in urging unanimous passage of this very important 
legislation the week before Memorial Day to honor the Devil's Brigade.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 324, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. COTTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________