[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 136 (Friday, September 9, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY OFFICE OF THE GENERAL 
                                COUNSEL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. RANDY FORBES

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 9, 2016

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues in the House to 
join me in honoring the Department of the Navy Office of the General 
Counsel as it celebrates 75 years of providing timely, effective, and 
candid legal advice and counsel to the Navy and Marine Corps.
  The origins of DON OGC can be traced back to 1862, when the first 
civilian attorney was appointed to serve as Solicitor of the Navy. 
However, it was not until September 10, 1941, when James Forrestal, 
then Under Secretary of the Navy, recruited attorneys from private 
practice and formally established DON OGC's predecessor organization, 
the Procurement Legal Division, to consistently address the numerous 
legal issues surrounding the rapid increase in volume and complexity of 
ship and aircraft acquisition during World War II mobilization efforts.
  Over the last three quarters of a century, what began as a small 
cadre of civilian attorneys has evolved into an elite government law 
firm composed of civilian and military attorneys, and professional 
support staff, located in 140 offices worldwide. In addition, DON OGC 
has expanded its practice areas beyond business and commercial law to 
include acquisition integrity, federal employment/labor law, 
environmental law, fiscal law, intellectual property law, real estate 
law, ethics and standards of conduct, energy law, Freedom of 
Information Act/Privacy Act, intelligence law, cyber security law, arms 
control law, legislation, and litigation, to ensure its attorneys 
possess the expertise needed to support the multifaceted mission of the 
warfighter.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate DON OGC on 75 years of dedicated service 
to our Sailors and Marines across the globe, and wish DON OGC continued 
success in expertly navigating the legal challenges confronting the 
Navy and the Marine Corps and significantly contributing to the 
national defense.

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