[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORP

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                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 31, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
seventieth anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and to pay 
tribute to the commendable service its members offered our nation. 
Created by President Franklin Roosevelt on March 31, 1933, the Civilian 
Conservation Corps had a profound impact on this nation, helping to 
sustain the United States through the depths of the Depression, and 
setting a precedent for other federal agencies to carry on the diverse 
missions of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
  Within days after his presidential inauguration, Franklin Roosevelt 
initiated plans for the Civilian Conservation Corps, citing the need 
for an organization that would provide jobs for hundreds of thousands 
of unemployed young men aged 18 to 25. President Roosevelt declared 
that the Civilian Conservation Corps would ``conserve our precious 
natural resources and pay dividends to the present and future 
generations. More important, we can take a vast army of the unemployed 
out into healthful surroundings.'' The Civilian Conservation Corps' 
intention was not only to provide services to the United States but 
also to give the unemployed an opportunity to live in healthful 
surroundings with steady pay, room, board, and clothing.
  During the nine years the Civilian Conservation Corps was in 
operation, more than 3 million men were involved in the program 
nationally, working on projects like dam improvement, tree planting, 
laying telephone lines, and creating trails. Almost 55,000 men served 
on projects throughout New Mexico. More than 32,000 of them were 
residents of New Mexico.
  By July 1, 1933, a quarter of a million enrollees had enlisted in the 
Civilian Conservation Corps, making it the fastest large-scale 
mobilization of men in U.S. history. The enrollees enlisted for six 
months with the option to re-enroll for another six months or a maximum 
of two years. They worked forty-hour weeks and received thirty dollars 
a month. Each month, they required the men to send twenty-five dollars 
to their families to help them through the difficulties of the 
Depression. The Civilian Conservation Corps provided members with the 
opportunity to learn a new skill and allowed them to attend classes to 
further their education. More than 100,000 men were taught to read and 
write with the aid of the Civilian Conservation Corps's education 
classes.
  The accomplishments the Civilian Conservation Corps achieved in its 
nine-year existence are impressive. Historical areas in Jamestown, 
Williamsburg, Yorktown, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania were restored 
and developed by the Corps members. At the program's peak, there were 
over 500 Civilian Conservation Corps camps in national, state, and 
local parks. Civilian Conservation Corps workers cleared trails, built 
buildings and shelters, fought forest fires, planted trees, and made 
other improvements to parks in all the states, territories, and 
possessions. The three million men planted a total of 2.3 billion 
trees, spent 6.4 million days fighting forest fires and eradicated 
diseases and pests. These accomplishments contributed to the Civilian 
Conservation Corps' lasting environmental legacy. Today, agencies such 
as Americorps, the Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Forest 
Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are continuing 
the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps by instilling a sense 
of value for our natural environment as well as for national service.
  Because of its major presence in New Mexico, the Civilian 
Conservation Corps worked on several projects throughout the state, 
including Rattlesnake Springs and Bandelier National Monument, aimed at 
benefiting both its members and residents of New Mexico. The men of the 
Civilian Conservation Corps also developed Hyde, Elephant Butte, 
Conchas, Bottomless Lake, and Santa Fe River Parks, among others.
  Communities across the country benefited from the hard toil of the 
Civilian Conservation Corps. The camps helped local economies, bringing 
large numbers of consumers to the towns' stores and industries. More 
importantly, they aided the communities in times of crisis, searching 
for missing persons, fighting fires, and offering assistance to 
residents during snow and ice storms.
  Today, the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps lives on in the 
New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Act, which was adopted by the state 
Legislature in 1992. YCC provides employment for young people in 
projects that conserve the state's natural resources. The YCC provides 
a $1,000 tuition voucher as additional compensation for those who 
serve. The voucher may be used at any institution of higher education 
in the state of New Mexico.
  Besides offering the members an opportunity to work, the Civilian 
Conservation Corps provided long-lasting friendships and ties that have 
endured over the seventy years since the Corps' inception. This sense 
of loyalty and pride extended to an unquestionable sense of pride for 
our country that is almost unparalleled. The work of the Civilian 
Conservation Corps remains as a monument to the young men who dedicated 
their lives to mending and preserving our natural resources. These men 
have earned the respect and honor of our nation. I offer my heartfelt 
thanks to the members of the Civilian Conservation Corps and 
congratulations on their seventieth anniversary.

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