[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7515]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO WORKERS AT McALESTER AMMUNITION DEPOT

  (Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize 
almost 1,200 constituents of mine whose job is unknown to most 
Americans. They go to work every day at a 45,000 acre compound the size 
of the District of Columbia with a sense of pride and patriotism as 
they do their part to help this country defend our freedoms and fight 
the war on terrorism.
  Ever since October, 1943, the McAlester Ammunition Depot has led our 
country in the production of ammunitions. Through World War II, the 
depot employed 8,000 people and produced 325,000 tons of ammunition. 
During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the depot employed more than 3,000 
workers. Today, this state-of-the-art maintenance and renovation 
facility for the weaponry of the United States Armed Forces continues 
to build vital ammo to defend and protect our great country.
  These workers, most all of them civilians, come to work every single 
day with a very deep understanding about the purpose of their job. As 
one worker who has passed through those guarded gates for the last 14 
years stated, ``I have always felt a lot of pride having a job here. 
But now, when I come through that front gate, I just feel so good 
knowing that what we do supports the people who are out there really 
taking care of this country.''
  Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying that I am proud and honored that 
I can call these 1,200 workers my constituents; and at a time when our 
Nation is at war, let us not forget those men and women in and out of 
uniform who dedicate their lives so that we can all live in peace and 
freedom.

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