[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 26012-26013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 93--RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE NATIONAL 
    GUARD ON THE OCCASION OF THE 365TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS HISTORIC 
  BEGINNING WITH THE FOUNDING OF THE MILITIA OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY 
                                 COLONY

  Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. 
Byrd, Mr. McCain, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. 
Cleland, Mr. Inhofe, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, 
Mr. Akaka, Mr. Allard, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. 
Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Carnahan, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
Dayton, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Lott, Mr. Leahy, 
Mr. Bond, and Mr. Rockefeller) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                            S. Con. Res. 93

       Whereas the National Guard is the oldest component of the 
     Armed Forces of the United States, founded on December 13, 
     1636, as the militia of the Massachusetts Bay Colony;
       Whereas the citizen soldiers and airmen of the National 
     Guard have fought in every major American conflict, from the 
     colonial wars of the 17th century to the ongoing operations 
     against the al Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban regime 
     in Afghanistan that harbored those terrorists;
       Whereas the National Guard traditionally has served with 
     distinction as America's first line of defense against the 
     consequences of natural and man-made disasters within the 
     United States;
       Whereas the men and women of the National Guard serve as an 
     indispensable part of critical United States military 
     operations around the world, including patrolling the no-fly 
     zones over Iraq and peacekeeping in the Balkans;

[[Page 26013]]

       Whereas headquarters elements of National Guard combat 
     divisions lead the United States' participation in the 
     multinational Stabilization Force in Bosnia;
       Whereas the men and women of the National Guard were among 
     the first to respond to the terrorist atrocities of September 
     11, 2001, including Air National Guard fighter crews who 
     scrambled on that day and Army National Guard personnel who 
     deployed to assist with rescue and recovery efforts in New 
     York and Virginia;
       Whereas the men and women of the National Guard, in keeping 
     with the National Guard's historic mission of homeland 
     defense, are flying combat air patrols to protect the safety 
     of American airspace and are performing critical security 
     roles in their State capacity at airports and other important 
     sites around the Nation; and
       Whereas the citizen soldiers and airmen of the National 
     Guard serve a critical role in protecting the freedom of 
     American citizens and the American ideals of justice, 
     liberty, and freedom, both at home and abroad: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That, on December 13, 2001, the occasion of the 
     365th anniversary of the founding of the militia of the 
     Massachusetts Bay Colony that was the precursor to the force 
     of citizen soldiers and airmen now proudly known as the 
     National Guard, Congress--
       (1) recognizes that anniversary of the National Guard as an 
     important milestone in the military tradition of the United 
     States;
       (2) honors the commitment and sacrifices made by the 
     458,400 citizen soldiers and airmen of the National Guard, 
     their families, their employers, and their communities;
       (3) recognizes the critical importance of the National 
     Guard, at home and abroad, to the national security of the 
     United States;
       (4) salutes the citizen soldiers and airmen of the National 
     Guard for their service on September 11, 2001, and their 
     continuing role in homeland defense and military operations 
     against the al Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban regime 
     in Afghanistan that harbored those terrorists;
       (5) supports a policy of providing the National Guard with 
     resources necessary to ensure its continued readiness; and
       (6) expresses the deep gratitude of the American people to 
     the men and women of the National Guard for their dedication 
     and commitment to the security and freedom of the United 
     States.

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