[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23646-23647]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




DECLARING EMPORIA, KANSAS, AS THE FOUNDING CITY OF VETERANS DAY HOLIDAY

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 159) declaring 
Emporia, Kansas, to be the founding city of the Veterans Day holiday 
and recognizing the contributions of Alvin J. King and Representative 
Ed Rees to the enactment into law of the observance of Veterans Day.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 159

       Whereas in 1953, Alvin J. King of Emporia, Kansas, proposed 
     that Armistice Day be changed to Veterans Day to recognize 
     and honor all veterans from all wars and conflicts;
       Whereas in 1953, Veterans Day was first organized and 
     celebrated in Emporia, Kansas;
       Whereas although Alvin King was only 15 years old when the 
     United States went to war in 1917 and never served in the 
     Armed Forces, he had a deep respect for veterans;
       Whereas Alvin King's stepson, John Cooper, whom he had 
     raised, was killed in action in Belgium during World War II 
     while serving with Rifle Company B, 137th Infantry Regiment;
       Whereas after World War II, Alvin King developed 
     friendships with the surviving members of Rifle Company B, 
     137th Infantry Regiment;
       Whereas in the early 1950s, Alvin King suggested either 
     creating a special day to honor all veterans or adapting 
     Armistice Day so that it was dedicated to all veterans since, 
     at that time, Armistice Day honored the veterans of World War 
     I;
       Whereas by 1953, the community of Emporia, Kansas, had 
     raised enough money to send Alvin King and his wife, 
     Gertrude, to Washington, D.C. to garner support for an 
     official veterans day;
       Whereas Alvin King had a friend and supporter in 
     Representative Ed Rees of Emporia, Kansas, who was strongly 
     in favor of King's idea and said ``it would give the holiday 
     a new meaning and more widespread patriotic observance'';
       Whereas on June 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 
     who was raised in Kansas, signed into law the Act proclaiming 
     November 11 as Veterans Day (Public Law 380 of the 83rd 
     Congress);
       Whereas on October 8, 1954, President Eisenhower issued a 
     presidential proclamation concerning Veterans Day in 1954 in 
     which he stated, ``On that day let us solemnly remember the 
     sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, 
     in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage 
     of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of 
     promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not 
     have been in vain''; and
       Whereas the first nationwide observance of Veterans Day was 
     on November 11, 1954: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress hereby--
       (1) encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for 
     veterans on Veterans Day by treating that day as a special 
     day of remembrance;
       (2) declares Emporia, Kansas, to be the founding city of 
     Veterans Day;
       (3) recognizes Alvin J. King, of Emporia, Kansas, as the 
     founder of Veterans Day; and
       (4) recognizes that Representative Ed Rees, of Emporia, 
     Kansas, was instrumental in the efforts to enact into law the 
     observance of Veterans Day.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran).

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 159, a bill that I introduced to encourage Americans to 
honor the duty and sacrifices of the members of our Armed Services by 
proclaiming Veterans Day as a special day of national remembrance.
  In addition, this resolution recognizes the community of Emporia, 
Kansas for its efforts to pay tribute to our Nation's veterans and to 
declare Emporia, Kansas as the originating city of Veterans Day.
  The resolution also recognizes the contributions of two native 
Kansans, Mr. Alvin J. King and the Honorable Edward J. Rees for the 
role each played in creating the legislation that established the 
national observance of Veterans Day on November 11 of each year.
  Our country has had many wars in its history and generations of 
American service-men and -women have defended America's freedom and 
liberty. We are a free people today because of our Founders' principles 
and the willingness of our service-men and -women to defend those 
principles with their lives. We should be ever thankful that 
individuals of each generation have been willing to serve America, that 
they have been willing risk everything, to allow their children and 
grandchildren the opportunity to live in freedom.
  Mr. Alvin J. King's abiding respect for veterans is attributed to the 
loss of his nephew, John Cooper, who was killed in action in Belgium 
during World War II. John Cooper was a member of Rifle Company B, 137th 
Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army. After his nephew's death, Mr. King 
remain devoted to the war effort at home and served as the Veterans 
Security Chairman for the American War Dads.
  In 1953, Mr. King proposed that Armistice Day, a national observance 
since 1938, be changed to Veterans Day in order to recognize and honor 
all veterans from all wars and all conflicts. At that time, Armistice 
Day existed only to honor veterans of World War I. The community of 
Emporia, Kansas, under the leadership of Mr. King celebrated its first 
``All Veterans Day'' on November 11, 1953.
  Through the financial support of the Emporia community, Mr. King and 
his wife, Gertrude, took the idea of an official Veterans Day to 
Washington, D.C. to Representative Edward H. Rees, another Emporia 
resident, who served Kansas in the U.S. House of Representatives for 24 
years. The Congressman was strongly in favor of King's idea and said, 
``It would give the holiday a new meaning and provide widespread 
patriotic observance.''
  Following the inaugural ``All Veterans Day'' celebration in Emporia, 
Representative Rees introduced H.R. 7786, to change Armistice Day to 
Veterans Day and to establish its observation on November 11 of each 
year. The House and Senate both approved this legislation, and with the 
signature of another Kansan, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the bill 
became law on June 1, 1954.
  Before the Nation's first celebration of Veterans Day on November 11, 
1954, President Eisenhower issued the following proclamation: ``On that 
day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so 
valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve 
our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task 
of promoting an enduring peace so that all their efforts shall not have 
been in vain.''
  With the enactment and President Eisenhower's signature on H.R. 7786, 
Mr. King's dream to honor veterans of all conflicts was fulfilled. 
Every year since 1953, Emporia has honored our country's veterans, most 
recently with a week-long series of events that involves the entire 
community. Veterans Day is not just another holiday, not just a day off 
from work in Emporia, Kansas. The citizens of Emporia take very 
seriously their responsibility to honor our Nation's veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor House Concurrent Resolution 159, 
and I want to thank my colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
for their support. I ask my colleagues and my fellow Americans to join 
me on Veterans Day this year and every other day in recognizing the 
contributions and sacrifices that our Nation's veterans have made to 
protect this Nation and to defend our way of life.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 23647]]


  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 159 and 
thank the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) for bringing this matter 
for consideration. All of us on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
appreciate the gentleman's hard work on this important committee.
  Every November at Arlington National Cemetery and across the Nation 
we commemorate Veterans Day at the 11th hour of the 11th day, 
originally Armistice Day.
  While it is appropriate for the Nation to honor the contributions of 
our World War I veterans, it became increasingly important to include 
veterans from all eras of service who have preserved our freedom.
  I am pleased to support this important tribute to Mr. Alvin King and 
to Emporia, Kansas. This is an important recognition of their work, to 
make certain the immeasurable contributions and sacrifices of the 
Nation's veterans are annually remembered.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 159.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schrock). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Kansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for 
his very thoughtful and kind generous remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Smith) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) 
for their leadership on this resolution and for their steadfast and 
committed efforts on behalf of all veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent 
Resolution 159.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 159. I agree that recognition is due to the city of Emporia, 
Kansas and the Kansans who helped make Veterans' Day a national holiday 
honoring those who have served our Nation.
  I believe as Members of Congress, we have a special obligation to 
honor those who have served by demonstrating our support for veterans 
every day we serve in these halls.
  We do that not only by Concurrent Resolutions such as H. Con. Res. 
159, but by also passing legislation, which provides the benefits and 
services our Nation's veterans have earned.
  I would hope that before the next Veterans Day is celebrated, we 
would pass legislation removing the Disabled Veterans Tax from the 
burden born by our service-disabled military retirees.
  I would hope that before the next Veterans Day is celebrated, we 
would pass legislation assuring veterans adequate funding to provide 
them with health care in a timely manner.
  Today, we honor those who contributed to making Veterans Day a 
national holiday with our words.
  Let us also honor them by our actions.
  I urge all Members to support passage of H. Con. Res. 159. I urge all 
Members to support legislation which honors our Nation's disabled 
veterans by their deeds.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 159.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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