[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 46 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SELECTION OF SENATOR ROBERT DOLE FOR THE 2014 NATIONAL VETERANS AWARD

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                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 24, 2014

  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of National Veterans Day in 
Birmingham, it is my privilege to inform this House that a 
distinguished American statesman and patriot, Senator Robert Dole, has 
been selected as the recipient of the 2014 National Veterans Award.
  The National Veterans Award was created in Birmingham for America's 
first official National Veterans Day observance November 11, 1954 as 
authorized by Congress and tirelessly advocated by Raymond Weeks. Each 
year, the award recognizes an outstanding veteran who has made the 
greatest contribution to veterans and veterans organizations in 
America.
  As one of the greatest of our ``Greatest Generation,'' Bob Dole 
embodies the values celebrated by this award and essential to the 
preservation of our freedom: duty, honor, and service to country.
  Senator Dole's life story should inspire every American. As a young 
man, he left his home state of Kansas to answer the call of duty during 
World War II. He received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his 
valor in combat. As so many know, he was gravely wounded on the 
battlefield while leading a platoon of the 10th Mountain Division in 
Italy in April 1945.
  Returning home, Bob Dole surmounted the challenge of physical injury 
and entered into a new form of service to his country: public service. 
He was elected to this House in 1960 and elected in 1968 to the U.S. 
Senate, where during his 28 years of service he earned recognition as 
one of the true legislative giants in the history of the chamber. He 
was the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 1976 and the 
Republican presidential candidate in 1996.
  Throughout his service in elected office, Senator Dole stood as a 
principled voice for fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, a strong 
national defense and American values. He was skilled in working in a 
bipartisan manner on issues including hunger and the Americans with 
Disabilities Act. The National Veterans Award specifically recognizes 
his unwavering support of our troops in the field and his commitment to 
ensuring quality medical care for veterans.
  After leaving government service, Senator Dole accepted a new mission 
that will stand as an enduring and indeed monumental legacy: the 
construction of the National World War II Memorial on our National 
Mall. His leadership of the national campaign for the memorial was 
instrumental in bringing this long-held dream to honor those who fought 
on overseas battlefronts and those who contributed here at home into 
magnificent reality.
  At the dedication ceremony on May 29, 2004, Senator Dole said, ``What 
we dedicate today is not a memorial to war, rather it's a tribute to 
the physical and moral courage that makes heroes out of farm and city 
boys and that inspires Americans in every generation to lay down their 
lives for people they will never meet, for ideals that make life itself 
worth living.''
  As a congressman, I have cherished the opportunity to welcome and 
express gratitude to veterans brought to the World War II Memorial by 
Honor Flight. Senator Dole is known for coming to the memorial to meet 
with Honor Flight groups, and I have personally witnessed how proud and 
privileged veterans from Alabama have felt to be in the presence of 
this American hero. It is altogether appropriate that Senator Dole has 
been recognized with his own bronze plaque at the memorial.
  Senator Dole has always been modest about the immense contributions 
that he has made to the good of our nation, often minimizing them with 
his quick wit and willingness to share credit. But his steadfast 
devotion to the cause of freedom towers as sure and lasting as any of 
the glorious monuments in our nation's capital. With the support of his 
lovely and accomplished wife Elizabeth, he continues to provide wise 
guidance and inspiration to our country.
  National Veterans Day in Birmingham takes pride in being the home to 
the largest and longest-running commemoration of Veterans Day in the 
U.S. The recipient of the National Veterans Award holds a special and 
esteemed place in this tradition. For lifelong defense of liberty and 
dedication to America, Senator Robert Dole honors us by accepting the 
2014 National Veterans Award in the name of the veterans across many 
generations who have sacrificed to keep us all free.

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