[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 409--HONORING THE DEDICATION AND COURAGE OF THE 
                            BUFFALO SOLDIERS

  Ms. HARRIS (for herself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Menendez, 
Mr. Coons, Mr. Tillis, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Booker, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Scott, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. McCaskill, 
Mr. Carper, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. 
Peters) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 409

       Whereas by the Act of July 28, 1866 (14 Stat. 332, chapter 
     299), after the end of the Civil War, African American men 
     were allowed to serve in segregated units of the United 
     States Army;
       Whereas the first Buffalo Soldiers were former slaves and 
     former African American soldiers that fought in the Civil 
     War;
       Whereas the first Buffalo Soldiers comprised the 9th and 
     10th cavalry regiments and were the first African Americans 
     to serve in the United States Army during peacetime;
       Whereas, in the history of the United States, Buffalo 
     Soldiers have made many significant military contributions 
     and have fought to preserve and protect the United States;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers fought shoulder-to-shoulder with 
     white soldiers in many battles;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers were instrumental in the 
     exploration and settlement of land in the West;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers participated in the tragic history 
     of removing Native Americans from the land on which Native 
     Americans lived;
       Whereas Native Americans in the Midwest bestowed the 
     nickname ``Buffalo Soldiers'' to the members of the 9th and 
     10th cavalry regiments for--
       (1) the bravery and courage that the members exhibited; and
       (2) the jackets of buffalo fur that the members wore during 
     the cold winter months;

       Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers rode alongside Theodore 
     Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in Cuba during the Spanish-
     American War;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers were among the first park rangers 
     to serve in the newly created National Park Service under 
     President Theodore Roosevelt;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers from the 9th, 10th, 24th, and 25th 
     regiments served in Yosemite National Park and Sequoia 
     National Park and helped arrest poachers, fight forest fires, 
     and preserve the natural resources of the United States;
       Whereas, serving nobly as park rangers, Buffalo Soldiers--
       (1) constructed in Yosemite National Park one of the first 
     arboretums in the United States;
       (2) cleared miles of forest;
       (3) built trail roads into national parks for the enjoyment 
     of all people in the United States; and
       (4) helped build the first trail to the summit of Mount 
     Whitney in Sequoia National Park;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers were subjected to racial prejudice 
     but continued--
       (1) to serve honorably and bravely in the United States 
     Army; and
       (2) to fulfill the duties conferred on them with pride and 
     distinction;
       Whereas, earning a reputation for being courageous and 
     daring--
       (1) more than 200,000 African Americans served in World War 
     I; and
       (2) more than 1,000,000 African Americans served in World 
     War II;
       Whereas during World War II, Buffalo Soldiers branched out 
     and formed other famous units, including the famed Tuskegee 
     Airmen and the Fighter ``Red Tails'' Group;
       Whereas 23 Buffalo Soldiers have received the highest 
     military distinction of the Congressional Medal of Honor;
       Whereas, in 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive 
     Order 9981, which--
       (1) stipulated equal treatment and opportunity for all 
     African American service members; and
       (2) brought an end to the Buffalo Soldiers;
       Whereas Buffalo Soldiers have honorably answered the call 
     to duty, serving with great valor and distinction in the 
     armed forces of the United States;
       Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers are a significant part of the 
     history of the United States; and
       Whereas there are currently over 20 chapters of the 9th and 
     10th Cavalry Association in the United States and 1 in 
     Germany: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the dedication and courage of the Buffalo 
     Soldiers;
       (2) recognizes the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers; and
       (3) recognizes the contributions that the Buffalo Soldiers 
     have made to the National Park System and to military history 
     in the United States and throughout the world.

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