[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13484-13486]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE VETERANS

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 413) recognizing the service of United States 
Merchant Marine Veterans.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

       Whereas the United States Merchant Marine served as the 
     Nation's first Navy and helped George Washington's 
     Continental Army defeat the British Navy;
       Whereas since 1775, United States Merchant Mariners have 
     served valiantly in times of peace and in every war;
       Whereas after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 
     29 United States Merchant Marine Academy cadets operated a 
     fleet of boats in New York Harbor, transporting firefighters 
     and other emergency equipment workers, medical supplies, and 
     food;
       Whereas today, more than 8,000 Merchant Mariners serve in 
     the Military Sealift Command, most of them working in support 
     of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
       Whereas the United States Merchant Marine Academy is the 
     only one of the five service academies that sends its cadets 
     into war, and 142 undergraduates of the Academy were lost 
     during World War II;
       Whereas during World War II, Merchant Mariners served 
     honorably in combat but were denied veterans benefits and 
     recognition at the end of the war despite sustaining the 
     highest rate of casualties of any of the armed services;
       Whereas more than 95 percent of the Allied Forces and 
     materiel that was transported during World War II was 
     transported by Merchant Marine ships;
       Whereas the Merchant Mariners of World War II were denied 
     the unprecedented benefits of the Servicemen's Readjustment 
     Act of 1944 (known as the ``GI Bill of 1944'');
       Whereas the story of the United States Merchant Mariners of 
     World War II is one of patriotism, of youthful exuberance, of 
     dedication to duty, of bravery in the midst of battle, and of 
     a Nation that forgot these heroes after the end of the war 
     for more than 40 years until 1988, when they were given 
     veteran status;
       Whereas by that time, over 125,000 of those Merchant 
     Mariners had died and many had lost out on opportunities and 
     benefits they greatly deserved; and
       Whereas, on National Maritime Day, Congress recognizes the 
     tremendous sacrifices and contributions of the Merchant 
     Marine and its veterans and the entire maritime industry to 
     the Nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That on National Maritime Day, the House of 
     Representatives recognizes the heroic and invaluable 
     sacrifices that the United States Merchant Marine veterans 
     have made to help ensure our Nation's prosperity and safety.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Res. 413.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation, I am honored to take this opportunity afforded 
by National Maritime Day to pay tribute to our Nation's merchant 
mariners and to the entire maritime industry.
  I also honor the tireless work of the men and women of the United 
States Coast Guard, who ensure the safety and security of our Nation's 
ports, who protect our economic interests in the maritime environment 
around the world and who, every year, save the lives of thousands of 
mariners in distress.
  In 1933, the United States first honored our merchant mariners 
through the designation of May 22 as National Maritime Day. Seventy-
four years later, we again pause to honor the service and sacrifices of 
our merchant mariners by considering H. Res. 413, offered by my 
distinguished colleague, Congressman Bob Filner, the chairman of the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  H. Res. 413 pays special tribute to the estimated 250,000 Americans 
who served in the War Shipping Administration, moving 95 percent of the 
goods and materiel used by the allies used during World War II.
  The Congressional Research Service report said more than 50 percent 
of those who served in the Merchant Marine in World War II were under 
the age of 25, and some 20,000 of these men were killed or wounded in 
the war, yielding among the Merchant Marine the highest casualty rate 
of any service, according to the U.S. Maritime Service Veterans.
  Despite their gallant service, World War II-era U.S. merchant 
mariners have still not received many of the benefits given to those 
who served in the other U.S. military forces engaged in World War II. 
U.S. merchant mariners have still never been made eligible for the GI 
Bill or for the housing, educational or unemployment benefits that the 
bill provided for other U.S. veterans.
  Not until 1988 were World War II-era merchant mariners made eligible 
for services from the Veterans Administration. Not until 1998 were they 
made eligible for burial and cemetery benefits. While these are 
important benefits long overdue to World War II-era merchant mariners, 
many of these mariners were no longer with us when these benefits were 
extended. Even fewer of the World War II-era mariners are with us 
today. For many, therefore, any benefits granted now come too late.
  Further, even for those who are still with us, it is too late to give 
them the opportunities that they might have had, had they been eligible 
for the benefits of the GI Bill at the conclusion of their service.
  I urge my colleagues to take this opportunity to honor all of those 
who served in our Nation's Merchant Marine during World War II, and I 
hope that the experience of these mariners will be a lesson to ensure 
that we never, never again deny any veteran who has served the United 
States any of the benefits he or she has earned.
  As I close, I also honor the vital role that our merchant mariners 
continue to play in responding to our Nation's emergencies. Most 
recently, the U.S. merchant mariners help evacuate an estimated 160,000 
people from Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and provided aid and 
emergency assistance along the gulf coast to the victims of Hurricane 
Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
  Merchant mariners also continue to provide the sealift capacity that 
keeps our Armed Forces equipped to fight the global war on terrorism. 
More than 8,000 merchant mariners serve in the Military Sealift 
Command, and the Seafarers International Union has written that 
civilian crews and military support ships have moved some 79 million 
square feet of cargo to United

[[Page 13485]]

States troops in Iraq and throughout the world since 9/11. Without 
these highly trained men and women, we will likely be unable to equip 
our Armed Forces with the supplies they need to defend our Nation.
  I honor all of the members, past and present, of the United States 
Merchant Marine. I urge the passage of H.R. 413 and again commend my 
colleague, Congressman Filner, for his tireless efforts on behalf of 
our World War II-era merchant mariners.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Maryland 
in honoring the men and women who served in the United States Merchant 
Marine, and H. Res. 413 does just that. It recognizes the important 
role the Merchant Marine plays in ensuring our national security and 
strengthening our national economy.
  The 465 U.S.-flag oceangoing commercial vessels and the approximately 
69,000 men and women that comprise the U.S. Merchant Marine provide 
critical services to the United States, the transportation of maritime 
commerce to and from U.S. ports and their support for our armed 
services in times of national emergency.
  It's appropriate that we do this today. This is National Maritime 
Day, which was designated by Congress to pay tribute to the merchant 
mariners, both current and past, and recognize their faithful service 
to the United States of America. Since 1933, the Nation has celebrated 
and commemorated the service of the merchant mariners on May 22 each 
year.
  I, too, commend the resolution sponsored by my friend and colleague 
from California (Mr. Filner) for introducing this legislation. I join 
him in urging all Members to support this bill and the United States 
Merchant Marine.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Filner). He is the author 
of this resolution, and, without a doubt, in this Congress, be it on 
whatever side, either side of the aisle, he has distinguished himself 
as being a fierce fighter for the rights and benefits of our veterans.

                              {time}  1115

  Mr. FILNER. I thank the chairman not only for his kind words, but for 
bringing this resolution to us on National Maritime Day, and for his 
making the connection between what we are doing today and the 
historical record that we as a Nation, I think, have to recognize and 
correct.
  This resolution, H. Res. 413, does recognize the heroic and brave 
service of the Merchant Marine veterans who have gone unheralded by 
this country for far too long. Of course, this is the best time to do 
this, on National Maritime Day, which was first celebrated in 1933. It 
is intended to recognize the invaluable role that the maritime industry 
in general and the Merchant Marine in particular served to our Nation's 
economy and to our security.
  Throughout our Nation's history, the Merchant Marine has played a 
crucial part in ensuring our freedom and security during war and in 
transporting our commerce during peace.
  This day was conceptualized by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a former 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, who firmly believed, as we continue 
to, that the Nation needed a strong Merchant Marine to serve as an 
auxiliary to our naval and other military forces during war. In fact, 
the Merchant Marine has participated in every war since serving as the 
Nation's first Navy, helping George Washington's Continental Army 
defeat the British.
  After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, 29 Merchant Marine 
Academy cadets operated a fleet of boats in New York Harbor, 
transporting the firefighters and other emergency equipment workers and 
medical supplies.
  It is interesting to note that the United States Merchant Marine 
Academy is the only one of our five military academies that will send 
its cadets into war; and, in fact, we have lost 142 of those cadets 
since World War II.
  Today, more than 8,000 merchant mariners serve in the Military 
Sealift Command, most working in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
Operation Enduring Freedom.
  I thank my colleague for bringing up the situation of our World War 
II veterans. As he said, it is too late to give them education 
benefits. But I have a bill, H.R. 23, that says we want to give you a 
belated thank you with a payment for the last years of their life, most 
of whom are over 80 right now.
  During World War II, these merchant mariners traversed the dangerous 
U-boat-laden waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific, faced down fierce 
air attacks from kamikaze planes, and were instrumental in every 
theater of war by carrying 95 percent of all tank supplies and troops 
during the Great War. As a result, they suffered, as was pointed out, 
the highest casualty rate of any of the military branches.
  It is indisputable that the allied forces would not have been able to 
begin, sustain, or finish World War II without their valiant and 
selfless service.
  When I first heard of the plight of the merchant mariners of World 
War II, I could not believe the treatment that they have received. They 
did not receive any recognition as veterans that they deserved, or the 
benefits of the GI bill which they had earned. And their fight for 
equality continued for over 40 years, when they finally attained 
veteran status after a lengthy court battle. By then, over 125,000 of 
them had died.
  I actually had the privilege of receiving the heart-wrenching 
testimony during a hearing before the Veterans' Affairs Committee from 
one of the named parties in that suit, in the 1980s, a merchant mariner 
named Stanley Willner. He was captured, interned, beaten, starved, and 
tortured as a POW for 3 years. He actually was one of the unfortunate 
group of Allied Forces who was forced to build the infamous bridge on 
the River Kwai.
  Upon release, he weighed a mere 74 pounds. When he returned home, 
even his wife couldn't recognize him. Well, neither did his country. 
The brave merchant mariner received just 2 weeks of medical care and 
little else for his incredible service and sacrifice. What a travesty 
of justice.
  Mr. Speaker, there are many more stories like this that tell about 
the merchant mariners of World War II, of opportunities lost and dreams 
foreclosed. It is long overdue that we treat these veterans the same as 
we try to do with all other veterans: Do our best to make them whole 
again.
  As such, in recognition of the 74th anniversary of National Maritime 
Day, I invite all of the country and my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the brave men and women of the sea who, like the Merchant 
Marine veterans of World War II, serve selflessly to ensure our 
Nation's continued safety and prosperity by voting in favor of this 
resolution, and then taking action, hopefully in a few weeks, where we 
give a belated ``thank you'' to the merchant mariners of World War II 
and pass H.R. 23.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished lady from New 
Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter) 4 minutes.
  Ms. SHEA-PORTER. I thank the gentleman for bringing this to the 
floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of recognizing what our maritime 
men did for us during World War II. The danger that they lived through, 
the sinking of their ships, the efforts to protect our other soldiers 
and bring supplies to them was nothing short of heroic.
  When I spoke to some of these brave men, I talked about how my father 
had joined the Navy, and one of the reasons he liked to say was because 
he always was fed, and he always had ice cream. I never really thought 
about where all that came from.
  And then I met a constituent of mine in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, who 
wrote a letter to me speaking about his father who was a merchant 
marine and what he had been deprived of after World War II. And here is 
what Larry Warren had to say.
  ``I am writing on behalf of all World War II Merchant Marine 
veterans, but one in particular, my father Fred Warren of Wolfeboro. 
They need help.

[[Page 13486]]

  ``My father served with the Merchant Marines during World War II. His 
hearing is damaged from working in the engine rooms, and his lungs are 
damaged from the asbestos used in the construction of the merchant 
ships. He survived typhoons in the Pacific, German U-boats in the 
Atlantic, and Axis torpedo bombers in the Mediterranean. I don't know 
all the harrowing experiences. He doesn't talk about it.
  ``He was lucky to have made it home. Many didn't. The casualty rate 
for World War II merchant marines was one in 26, higher than any branch 
of the armed services. Merchant Marines fought and died with members of 
our Armed Forces; some were captured and held POWs. Merchant ships and 
the crews on them were considered expendable by the Allied leaders. 
Freedom is not free, and the merchant marines of World War II paid 
dearly.
  ``My father has never received help in any form from our government 
because merchant mariners were denied benefits under the GI bill; no 
low-interest loans, no unemployment pay, no free college training, no 
health or prescription drugs, nothing. World War II merchant mariners 
were not even considered veterans until an act of Congress in 1988.
  ``I respect all of our veterans and consider them heroes, but I am 
especially proud of my father. In my eyes, he is a hero, too. It is 
time to make amends.''
  It is time to make amends. It is time to reward these men and their 
widows for what they have gone through. And we thank them; and there is 
no better way to thank them first by recognizing through this 
resolution, and then by recognizing them with the next bill that 
hopefully will pass through Congress that will provide some financial 
support and say to them, as we have tried to say to all veterans, 
``Thank you very much for saving our country.''
  Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the brave 
men and women who have served this country, in peace and in war, as 
Merchant Mariners. The United States Merchant Mariners have supported 
and served alongside our Armed Forces in every major seafaring conflict 
since the birth of this Nation.
  In times of peace, Mariners make the seas their home, transporting 
American goods all over the world and bolstering our national economy. 
In times of war, from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts today in 
the Middle East, Merchant Mariners have served as a lifeline to our 
international military operations, transporting troops, equipment, and 
needed supplies to theaters of operation.
  The dedication and sacrifice of our Merchant Mariners is 
unassailable. Despite higher casualty rates than any branch of regular 
military service in World War II, Merchant Mariners have continued to 
answer the call to war with unflinching patriotism and valor.
  Today, National Maritime Day, we should take time to reflect on the 
devotion of all our Merchant Mariners and the deep and lasting debt 
owed them by a grateful Nation.
  Therefore, it is with great pride that I honor the service and 
sacrifice that the brave men and women of the United States Merchant 
Marine exemplify, on this, the 75th celebration of National Maritime 
Day.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, 189 years ago, on May 22, 1819, the 
steamship Savannah departed Savannah, Georgia, on the first 
transatlantic voyage by a steamship. This voyage demonstrated the 
commercial viability of steamships and meant that commercial shipping 
was no longer totally dependent upon the wind.
  The U.S.-flag merchant marine has continued to promote international 
transportation and global trade. U.S.-flag shipping companies lead the 
way in the invention and development of containerized shipping and the 
double-stacked train system. If it were not for visionaries such as 
Malcolm McLean, cargo would still be transported in small boxes and 
loaded on a ship like you see in old movies. Today's modern 
containership can carry over 12,000 20-foot containers, equivalent to 
6,000 semi-trailer trucks on our highways.
  The merchant marine has also made significant contributions to the 
freedom and liberty that we enjoy in the United States. Civilian 
mariners served gallantly during World War II transporting arms and 
supplies in support of our military forces. More than 700 cargo ships 
and 6,000 mariners died in that war. U.S. mariners have continued to 
service during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and now 
in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, President Franklin D. Roosevelt first called on 
Americans to commemorate National Maritime Day in 1933. Today, it is 
fitting that the House of Representatives recognize National Maritime 
Day to honor the men and women that have served our Nation in the U.S. 
merchant marine. They have transformed our Nation from an island nation 
into the hub of the world's commerce. They have shown how U.S. 
technology can revolutionize the world.
  Yet to many Americans, maritime transportation is the invisible 
component of our global transportation system. People have no idea how 
goods manufactured in China suddenly appear on store shelves in their 
neighborhood. This global logistics system is now vital to the U.S. 
economy. U.S. manufacturers no longer have large warehouses stocked 
full of spare parts for their factories. They are dependent on a ``just 
in time'' delivery system that will supply them with the components 
they need within days or hours of their being assembled. If this global 
trade were to be shut down for a few days, store shelves would begin to 
become empty and factory production lines would be shut down.
  I hope that in the coming year we can help Americans understand the 
important contributions that the U.S. merchant marine makes to all of 
our lives and that we develop legislation to help increase the size of 
the U.S.-flag fleet competing in the world trade.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
House Resolution 413, recognizing the service of U.S. Merchant Marine 
veterans today on National Maritime Day.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 413, 
which recognizes the service of United States Merchant Marine Veterans. 
I encourage all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  United States Merchant Mariners played a critical role during World 
War II, delivering troops, tanks, food, airplanes, fuel and other 
needed supplies to every theater of the war. The Merchant Mariners were 
the necessary link between the supplies that were manufactured in the 
U.S. and used overseas.
  The Merchant Mariners took part in every invasion from Normandy to 
Okinawa and suffered the highest casualty rate of any of the branches 
of the Armed Forces. Despite their valiant service, the U.S. Merchant 
Marines were not included in the 1944 G.I. Bill of Rights. In 1988, 
they were finally granted veteran status, but some portions of the G.I. 
Bill have never been made available to the Merchant Marines and the 
lost benefits can never be recouped.
  In April I had the opportunity to deliver testimony to the Veterans 
Affairs Committee on behalf of my constituent, World War II Merchant 
Marine veteran Bruce Felknor, urging support of H.R. 23, the Belated 
Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007. I hope 
that the 110th Congress will enact that important legislation into law 
as well.
  I'm so pleased that the Merchant Mariners are finally getting the 
respect and attention they deserve for their service and sacrifice to 
our country. For more than 40 years, their remarkable and distinguished 
service has gone by virtually unnoticed by our government and people.
  Again, I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 413.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding back, I just want to 
associate myself with the words of Ms. Shea-Porter and Mr. Filner, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 413.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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