[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16297]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                    COMMENDING THE U.S. COAST GUARD

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the 1-year 
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, it is appropriate that we remember 
the valiant service of the U.S. Coast Guard. During our Nation's most 
destructive natural disaster, these men and women went above and beyond 
the call of duty.
  The sheer magnitude of the Guard's response was astounding. One-third 
of its air fleet was deployed in the Gulf region. Six years of search-
and-rescue operations were completed in 1 week. More than 33,520 lives 
were saved.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that these servicemembers were 
not unaffected bystanders. Sixty-nine percent of Coast Guard members 
were themselves victims of the hurricane; yet they put their own 
distress aside to save those in need. These men and women are truly 
American heroes, despite negative, false reporting by the drive-by 
media.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget 
September 11.

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