[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 87 (Thursday, June 5, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3447-S3449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 D-DAY

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as all of us know, tomorrow, June 6, marks 
the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, which we have come to 
know as D-day. D-day, of course, was the greatest military operation in 
history--one that brought together 150,000 troops, 5,000 ships, and 
13,000 aircraft in a sweeping attack on Nazi-occupied France and marked 
the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. The 
Allied Powers, of course, united as one and changed the course of 
history. It was our troops and our allies who freed a continent from 
the clutches of tyranny and our troops who helped win a war.
  As a country, it is important that we recall occasions such as the 
70th anniversary of the Normandy invasion and D-day because the 
greatest danger is that we forget--we forget about the face of evil and 
what it means to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness--but it 
also means we need to remind ourselves on a regular basis about the 
heroism and courage and sacrifice of the people who gave all they had, 
including their lives, in order to preserve for us what we now have and 
what we too often take for granted.
  We often hear that freedom is not free, and, of course, we all agree 
with that, but it almost has become a cliche, and it should not be. 
When we think about our freedom, we ought to think about those men who 
stormed the beaches at Normandy, many of whom lost their lives. We must 
always remember those who fought in places such as Iwo Jima and ran 
into a buzz saw of enemy fire, many of whom never came back. We need to 
remember those important events on a day such as this, and we need to 
tell the story not only to remind ourselves, but we also need to tell 
the story to our children and grandchildren because they will, before 
long, have a responsibility for preserving this great experiment we 
have had in America for over 230 years--a self-governing democracy that 
has been purchased by the blood and the treasure of those who have gone 
on before. The free world as we know it owes its existence to the 
courage, grit, and sacrifice of those who fought in places like 
Normandy, and, of course, they will not be forgotten.
  For me personally, I can't help but think about Normandy--which my 
wife and I had an opportunity to visit a few years ago--without 
thinking of my father-in-law, who landed on Utah Beach on the second 
day of the Normandy invasion. He said that after the first day it was 
much easier to get on the beach, but the effort to clear out the German 
Army and the hedgerows was murderous work and very dangerous. 
Thankfully, he came home, like so many, as part of the ``greatest 
generation'' that helped to build America into the powerhouse we are 
today.
  My father-in-law passed away recently at the age of 96 and lived a 
long and rewarding life. But I can't let the occasion pass without 
remembering him as one of those brave men who stormed the beaches at 
Normandy 70 years ago.
  Of course, there is another chilling number when we think about World 
War II. Fifty million people lost their lives during World War II. It 
was the bloodiest conflict in the history of the world--50 million 
people.
  During World War II, of course, we recall that brutal dictators and 
totalitarian ideologies threatened the very existence of the civilized 
world, and we are reminded of people like Adolf Hitler and what he did 
and what other countries did in response either by way of appeasement 
or by way of challenging his aggression. And then we know about the 
war, of course, following the Pearl Harbor attack in Hawaii. America 
had to fight wars on two fronts--one in Asia and the other in Europe.
  When the United States crossed the Atlantic and joined its allies on 
the beach of Normandy, the rescue of Europe had begun. History tells us 
that the weather and conditions that day were harsh. In fact, one 
soldier described the battle as everything going wrong from the 
beginning. Without a doubt, they knew what awaited them there, and they 
were not deterred.
  You might wonder, as I have from time to time, what it took for our 
men and women in uniform to charge a beach occupied by the German 
military

[[Page S3448]]

in France. What could have inspired the kind of courage we have seen?
  Well, I had occasion to read a book a few years ago, as perhaps other 
colleagues have, written by James McPherson. It is called ``For Cause 
and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War.'' When you learn about 
the brutality of the Civil War and how many people lost their lives 
and, indeed, the likelihood of losing your life--being tragically 
injured, acquiring an infection, and then losing your life in some of 
the most painful and horrendous ways you can imagine--it was 
instructive for me to realize not only did they fight for our country, 
but they fought for each other as well, which, of course, is the lesson 
of all wars--fighting for a cause and fighting for each other.
  Undeniably, much of the success on D-day was the result of a great 
strategy and plan by American war planners, including a man born in 
Denison, TX, by the name of Dwight David Eisenhower, who served as the 
Supreme Allied Commander.
  I see my colleague from Kansas on the floor, and I know Kansas lays 
claim to Dwight D. Eisenhower, but I want to state here on the floor of 
the Senate that he was born in Denison, TX, and not in Kansas, although 
we are proud to share his legacy between both of our States and as a 
country.
  General Eisenhower's address to the troops on the eve of the landing 
stands as one of the most memorable exhortations to bravery in the face 
of evil in the annals of world history. I would like to take a moment 
to read some of those words.
  Here is what General Eisenhower wrote:

       Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary 
     Force! You are about to embark on a great crusade, toward 
     which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the 
     world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving 
     people everywhere march with you.

  He continued:

       The free men of the world are marching together to victory! 
     I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and 
     skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full 
     victory!

  At a different time, Eisenhower once said: ``Morale is the single 
most important factor in successful wars.'' Morale was what united the 
Allied Powers--not the desire to conquer real estate but the desire to 
defeat the tyrants of Europe, to liberate the prisoners of war and 
those in concentration camps, and to forever defeat the evil ideology 
that motivated Adolf Hitler and his ilk.
  We know the world we live in is always filled with great uncertainty 
and, unfortunately, with evil men and those who would smash democracy 
and self-government under the boot heel of dictators and tyrants. So 
while we always pray fervently for peace, we must also be ready to 
defeat tyrants, dictators, and those who would crush democracy under 
their boot heel. D-day reminds us that the United States can and should 
always stand with our friends against terror and tyranny.
  Back home in Texas, we have another reminder of this day. For the 
first time since the war, the battle flag that was raised above the USS 
Texas as it entered the waters off Point du Hoc on June 6, 1944, is now 
on public display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in honor of 
D-day's 70th anniversary. Crewman Emil Saul, who was aboard the USS 
Texas, preserved the flag for 48 years and gave it to the museum in 
1992. Now possessing the space and conditions to properly exhibit the 
flag, the museum has made this flag public for the first time in honor 
of the 70th anniversary of D-day. This flag, of course, symbolizes the 
valor our troops demonstrated that day and makes sure future 
generations will never, ever forget their sacrifices.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Kansas.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, thank you.
  I certainly appreciate the remarks of my colleague, the Senator from 
Texas, in regard to honoring those who served our country so nobly and 
so courageously 70 years ago, as we recognize this weekend the 
anniversary of that invasion of Europe, called D-day.
  We have many veterans in our country, many military men and women who 
continue to serve and many who now are veterans and have served in the 
past, and I am here today to pay tribute not only to those D-day 
military men and women and those who served our country on such a 
special occasion in which the course of history was changed, but also 
to pay tribute to all of those who served our country in all 
circumstances.
  I am not a veteran. I have great regard for those who are. My life is 
shaped by the fact that the Vietnam war was ongoing during my days as a 
high school student, and much of my time was spent talking to those a 
few years older than I who were volunteering or who were drafted, and 
those who were a little bit older than that who returned home after 
service in Vietnam. I clearly remember as a 16- or 17-year-old watching 
the evening news, ``CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite,'' and every 
day the news was consumed with reports from Vietnam, the consequences 
we found ourselves in, and the sacrifice men and women were making on 
that battlefield every day.
  Again, I didn't serve in Vietnam, but I learned a couple of things 
from my time observing our country and seeing the sacrifice and service 
of those who were willing to serve in that war. One of the things I 
take from that experience is we will always honor, care for, respect 
those who serve our country in the military in whatever circumstance 
they have been called to do that.
  It was a month ago that I was on the floor on this spot, concerned 
about the Department of Veterans Affairs and the way our veterans are 
currently being treated. I asked for a dramatic step of the Secretary 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit his resignation and for 
President Obama to accept it. As I indicated a month ago, that was the 
first and only time as a Senator that I ever asked a Cabinet Secretary 
to depart his or her position--and I didn't do it lightly--but what had 
transpired, and what has transpired over a period of time, is a 
Department of Veterans Affairs that many veterans no longer believe is 
capable of caring for them. In fact, what was so discouraging and 
disappointing to me was the number of veterans, men and women who 
served our country, who had lost faith, who had lost hope in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
  That Department was created in 1930 for purposes of providing the 
benefits and health care supporting those who were called to duty, 
those who responded to their country's call. I certainly know that 
throughout the course of history the Department of Veterans Affairs has 
had its challenges, but what seems so compelling to me over the last 
several years is the sense that no longer was there a plan, no longer 
was there the effort to make certain that Department lived up to its 
commitment to those who previously served our country.
  A lot has transpired in the last month, and there is now an Acting 
Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. And of course we have 
reports from across the country of secret lists, concerns about waiting 
times, and the potential of service men and women, veterans, who have 
suffered as a result of those lists, as a result of having to wait. I 
guess we will know more about that over the course of time.
  I am surprised and disappointed to learn that Kansas hospitals, 
Kansas facilities, the VA hospital in Wichita is on that list where 
investigations are now ongoing and where the Department of Veterans 
Affairs has admitted to a list that delayed access to health care. I 
would not have expected that in our State. I think we are different. We 
are special. But the reality is this challenge and the problems we face 
are systemwide and across the country. What we want is a Department of 
Veterans Affairs that is worthy of the sacrifice and service of the men 
and women who served in our military. We don't want damage control from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs. What we want is the end of damage 
to those who served our country.
  The purpose of my conversation on the floor today is to make certain 
we don't lose sight. The news cycle comes and goes, and while there are 
serious issues our country faces in many facets, I don't want this 
Senate to lose sight of its responsibility to make certain the 
Department of Veterans Affairs is caring for those who need our care 
and treatment.
  I am worried, and I hope my worries are unfounded. I have only served 
in

[[Page S3449]]

the Senate for 4 years. I have been frustrated by being a Member of the 
Senate. I came here to work on behalf of Americans, on behalf of 
Kansans. My plea is--my plea is to the Democratic leaders, to 
Republican leaders, to individual Senators, whatever party they are: 
Let's not follow the path we have followed so many times in the short 
period of time I have been here in which there is a Republican plan to 
fix a problem and there is a Democratic plan to fix a problem. Surely 
our veterans deserve something more than each of us being able to say 
we cast a vote for their benefit. Surely they deserve the opportunity 
to actually have legislation that will address the challenges and 
problems the Department of Veterans Affairs has. My plea and my request 
of all in this body is, for these veterans, to make certain we conduct 
ourselves in a different way than unfortunately I have seen in most 
instances as a Senator.
  We have this phrase around here, ``Well, we will get a side-by-
side,'' meaning there is a Democratic plan and a Republican plan; and 
when you talk about that. What that means is we never expect either one 
of those plans to pass. So to the chairman and ranking member of the 
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, to Senator Reid, the majority 
leader of the Senate: Please take us down a path that demonstrates once 
again the Senate can rise to the occasion and do something worthy of 
the veterans who have served our country.
  Every once in a while in this frustration about the way this place 
doesn't work, I will put on my running shoes and I will walk down to 
the Lincoln Memorial. It certainly is an inspiring visit to the Lincoln 
Memorial, but perhaps more importantly on that walk you now go by the 
World War II Memorial that memorializes those the Senator from Texas 
was talking about. You then walk by the Vietnam Wall, the war that was 
ongoing in my teenage years. On your way back you come by the Korean 
War Memorial, the forgotten war. What I am reminded of and what I would 
call to the attention of my colleagues is not a person recognized in 
any of those memorials volunteered or was drafted for purposes of 
advancing the cause of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. 
There was no interest in partisan politics by those who served our 
country. They served their country because they believed in a higher 
calling. They believed they could make a difference. They believed it 
mattered to their kids and grandkids. It was about freedom and liberty. 
It wasn't about who scores points in the next election.

  Please, leaders of the Senate, all of my colleagues, make certain we 
rise to the occasion, that we have the same standard, the same 
motivation, the same reason that we come here every day to be the same 
as theirs: to make America a better place, to make sure our kids and 
grandkids live with freedom and liberty, to make sure the American 
dream is alive and well. If there is an issue that we ought to be able 
to do that, an issue perhaps different than anything else we deal with, 
surely we have the ability as a Senate to deal with the issues 
necessary legislatively to resolve and address the problems of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and to make certain that every veteran 
who has served our country has the ability to access quality health 
care provided in a timely fashion, and that once again the Senate 
doesn't do what it has done too many times, and that is we all cast a 
vote and we can claim we have done something, we supported something, 
but the end result is that nothing happened. Let's avoid nothing 
happening.
  Finally, let me conclude by saying that World War II Memorial is 
special to me. I have a 98-year-old father home in Plainville, KS, a 
World War II veteran. I walked up to the World War II Memorial 10 years 
ago, just a few days before it was being dedicated, and I wanted to see 
what it was going to look like. It was an inspiring moment. I happened 
to have my cell phone with me and I walked over to the Kansas pillar 
and thought about those who served our country in that war, including 
my dad back home. I walked away from the memorial and used my cell 
phone to call my dad at home. The message I delivered to my dad that 
day was: ``Dad, I am at the World War II Memorial. It is a memorial 
built for you. Dad, I want you to know that I thank you for your 
service. I respect you and I love you.''
  That conversation, fortunately, took place on an answering machine 
and not in person, and was easier to deliver, although a few minutes 
later my cell phone rang and it was my dad, who said, ``Gerald, you 
left me a message, but I couldn't understand it. Could you tell me 
again?''
  The point I want to make is, we are called upon as American citizens 
and certainly as members of the Senate to do all that is possible to 
demonstrate that we thank our veterans for their service, we respect 
them, and we love them. The Senate needs to rise to the occasion and 
not let the partisan politics of this place and this country divide us 
in a way in which we only symbolically respond but the end result is 
that we fail those who served, and we fail our veterans who depend upon 
us just as we have depended upon them for their service to our country.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Florida.

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