[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 200 (Thursday, December 7, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMEMORATING ADMIRAL LLOYD R. ``JOE'' VASEY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Hawaii and the 
veterans of the Pacific war, I speak today in support of H.R. 4300, the 
Admiral Lloyd R. ``Joe'' Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Display 
Establishment Act, which will establish a Pacific war memorial at Pearl 
Harbor.
  Pacific Historic Parks, a nonprofit organization based in Honolulu, 
will design and build the memorial in coordination with the National 
Park Service. The project will not require Federal funds, and I am 
grateful for their partnership.
  My sincere thanks to my friends and colleagues, Congressman Rob 
Bishop, for joining me in introduction of this bill, and working with 
Ranking Member Raul Grijalva to ensure its swift consideration by the 
Natural Resources Committee.
  ``Thank you,'' ``mahalo,'' to our over 990 cosponsors who built 
bipartisan support for this measure. I understand it will pass by 
unanimous consent later today.
  Seventy-six years ago today, Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, 
pulling our country into World War II in the Pacific. The Pacific 
Theater was the scene of fierce fighting, and more than 150,000 U.S. 
casualties on the Philippines, Guam, the Solomon Islands, and many 
places in-between.
  Brave Americans lost their lives in defense of our Nation. Today, at 
Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona symbolizes the start of the war, and the 
USS Missouri marks its conclusion. But there is no memorial recognizing 
the experiences and sacrifices of those who fought in the Pacific.
  Admiral Vasey served on the USS Gunnel during the Pacific war, and it 
is his vision that we are realizing with this memorial. After fighting 
for his country, he dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace in the 
Asia-Pacific region.
  In addition to his service in the U.S. Navy, he founded the Pacific 
Forum Center for Strategic and International Studies--CSIS. Admiral 
Vasey served as the Senior Adviser for Policy, Pacific Forum CSIS; the 
former chief of strategic plans and policies for the U.S. Pacific 
Command; and the Secretary to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  Admiral Vasey is 100 years old, and he will turn 101 on January 31, 
2018. He carries with him the memories of those lost in combat and the 
honor and responsibility of the veterans who survived. Hopefully, with 
passage of H.R. 4300, Admiral Vasey and the remaining survivors will 
find some peace, knowing that the fallen soldiers will be properly 
honored and future generations will visit the memorial and learn of the 
battles that they fought.
  We must share their stories of sacrifices in the hopes that we 
prevent future generations from waging war and participating in the 
historical racism that resulted in the internment of Japanese 
Americans, including both of my grandfathers.
  This spirit of American history must not be forgotten. The lessons 
were hard, but they helped shape a better nation. This country owes 
Admiral Vasey and the members of the Greatest Generation a heartfelt 
``thank-you,'' ``mahalo.''

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