[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               AUTHORIZING AIR FORCE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Energy 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4583, and 
that the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4583) to extend the authorization for the Air 
     Force Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial in the 
     District of Columbia or its environs.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 4583) was read the third time and passed.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for their support in 
passing H.R. 4583. This is legislation that will extend the 
authorization for the Air Force Memorial Foundation until December 2, 
2005. I, along with my fellow marines, fully support the effort to 
recognize with an appropriate monument the selfless service and 
sacrifices of the many valiant veterans of the Air Force and its 
predecessor organizations.
  I also note the Air Force Memorial Foundation has already begun the 
process of considering and selecting sites. In pursuing that effort, I 
encourage the foundation to identify a location that will suitably 
express an appropriate theme and do so in a manner that does not 
infringe upon or detract from other prominent memorials.
  In this regard, I note the property known as the Arlington Naval 
Annex overlooking the Pentagon, the southeast portion of Arlington 
Cemetery, will soon be available. This location offers a suitable 
prominent setting for the memorial, and I hope it will be fully 
considered by the Air Force.
  As this entire process moves forward, I request the Air Force 
carefully consider this property and report its findings to my 
Subcommittee on National Parks and the rest of the Senate Energy 
Committee.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

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