[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 28513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NFL MILITARY AWARENESS INITIATIVE

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, on this Veterans Day I recognize a 
military public awareness initiative that Mr. K. S., Bud, Adams, the 
founder and owner of our NFL Tennessee Titans, played a strong role in 
instituting this past weekend. Mr. Adams, a U.S. Naval Officer during 
World War II, and five other National Football League owners who also 
served in the military during that same time, urged NFL Commissioner 
Paul Tagliabue to launch this campaign to help the hundreds of American 
families of our brave military servicemen and women who have died for 
our country in the line of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr. Adams and 
his fellow NFL owners urged NFL headquarters to initiate an awareness 
campaign at NFL stadiums and on NFL game telecasts starting Veterans 
Day Weekend, November 9-11, to help bring attention to the difficult 
financial situation that our military dependents face in the days and 
weeks immediately after a serviceman's or woman's death in the Middle 
East.
  The other five NFL owners who served during World War II are Tom 
Benson, New Orleans Saints; Wellington Mara, New York Giants; Art 
Modell, Baltimore Ravens; Alex Spanos, San Diego Chargers; and Ralph 
Wilson, Buffalo Bills.
  As Commissioner Tagliabue said in announcing this new program: ``Our 
clubs recognize that the men and women of our Armed Forces are 
tremendous NFL fans. This program is one small way to repay that 
support to families who lose a loved one in defense of our country in 
the Middle East. Our NFL owners, coaches and players speak with one 
voice when it comes to this project.''
  The campaign cornerstone is a new national TV and radio announcement 
produced by NFL Films that aired on every NFL game telecast this past 
Veterans Day weekend. It is narrated by Vietnam veteran and former 
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier. The message encourages 
NFL fans to support the Intrepid Foundation's Fallen Heroes Fund, which 
provides an immediate $10,000 grant to military families who have paid 
the ultimate price with the loss of a member in Iraq or Afghanistan. 
The following is the text for the television message narrated by 
Bleier:

       The National Football League family is committed to 
     supporting the courageous men and women serving in the U.S. 
     Armed Forces in the Mideast.
       But the fight for freedom is not without loss.
       And the NFL urges you to join us and the Intrepid Fallen 
     Heroes Fund in supporting the military families of those 
     heroes who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our 
     country.
       Please visit www.nfl.com/heroesfund and help support those 
     families in need.

  This program--and the $100,000 contribution that the NFL made to 
kickoff the initiative--is the latest in the NFL's continuing support 
of our U.S. military personnel. That tremendous NFL support dates back 
at least to World War II when 638 NFL players served in the military, 
including 19 who were killed in action. The NFL has worked with the USO 
for decades in sending NFL players overseas to Vietnam, Korea and more 
recently Iraq to let our courageous troops know that they are not 
forgotten.
  I hope you will join me in applauding Mr. Adams and the NFL for their 
latest ``Families Helping Families'' public awareness program and thank 
them for their support of our brave men and women in uniform.

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