[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Pages 31926-31927]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF NAVY'S ``GREAT WHITE FLEET''

  Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 55, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 55) commemorating the 
     centennial anniversary of the sailing of the Navy's ``Great 
     White Fleet,'' launched by President Theodore Roosevelt on 
     December 16, 1907, from Hampton Roads, Virginia, and 
     returning there on February 22, 1909.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I join with my colleague in the Senate 
from Virginia, Senator Jim Webb. I am also pleased to note that 
Representative Thelma Drake from Virginia is the champion and author of 
this resolution in the House of Representatives.
  Our resolution is introduced for the purpose of commemorating the 
centennial anniversary of the sailing of the Navy's ''Great White 
Fleet,'' launched by President Theodore Roosevelt on December 16, 1907, 
from Hampton Roads, Virginia, and returning there on February 22, 1909.
  This major historical event will be commemorated in a Navy ceremony 
onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, at Naval 
Station Norfolk, Virginia on December 15, 2007.
  The launching of the Great White Fleet marked the emergence of the 
United States as a true global seapower, able to dispatch 16 new 
battleships on a worldwide deployment for 14 months. The battleships, 
which were painted entirely white, were manned by 14,000 sailors and 
conducted visits across the world to reinforce friendships and 
partnerships with other nations. At the same time, the Great White 
Fleet demonstrated the naval presence of the United States.
  This resolution commemorates the wisdom of President Theodore 
Roosevelt in developing and launching the Great White Fleet, and the 
resolution indicates that the Congress supports a one-time designation 
of a day to celebrate the 100th centennial of the Fleet and the special 
role it played in building enduring friendships with important allies 
and partner nations.
  The resolution also commends efforts by the Department of the Navy to 
maintain and strengthen our cooperative partnerships with foreign 
nations and safeguard our Nation's interests in the maritime domain; 
commends efforts by the Department of the Navy in leading the 
development of a Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower; and 
honors the sacrifices made and services rendered by the servicemembers 
of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard and the civilians who 
constitute our maritime services.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 55) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 55

       Whereas the launching of the Great White Fleet marked the 
     emergence of the United

[[Page 31927]]

     States as a true global seapower, able to dispatch 16 new 
     battleships on a worldwide deployment for 14 months;
       Whereas these battleships were painted entirely white, with 
     gilded scrollwork on their bows, and subsequently came to be 
     known as the ``Great White Fleet'';
       Whereas the 4 squadrons of 4 battleships each, manned by 
     14,000 sailors, sailed 43,000 miles and made 20 port calls on 
     6 continents;
       Whereas the Fleet, in conducting visits to important 
     nations such as Australia, served to reinforce a friendship 
     and partnership that continues to this day;
       Whereas the Fleet, in providing a tangible demonstration of 
     the forward naval presence of the United States in the 
     Pacific, also reinforced the message of how important 
     maritime stability and security are to the United States;
       Whereas the Fleet, in response to one of the worst natural 
     disasters in European history, was able to immediately divert 
     to Messina, Sicily, to offer humanitarian aid to the Italian 
     people; and
       Whereas the Fleet, in executing a range of missions and 
     returning to the United States after 14 months at sea, 
     displayed to the world a number of core American values, 
     including compassion, showed its flexibility by responding to 
     unforeseen events, and demonstrated the ability of the United 
     States to project maritime power as a stabilizing force: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) commemorates the wisdom of President Theodore Roosevelt 
     in developing and launching the Great White Fleet;
       (2) supports a one-time designation of a day to celebrate 
     the 100th centennial of the Great White Fleet and the special 
     role the Fleet played in building enduring friendships with 
     important allies and partner nations;
       (3) commends efforts by the Department of the Navy to 
     maintain and strengthen our cooperative partnerships with 
     foreign nations and to safeguard our Nation's interests in 
     the maritime domain;
       (4) commends efforts by the Department of the Navy in 
     leading the development of a Cooperative Strategy for 21st 
     Century Seapower; and
       (5) honors the sacrifices made and services rendered by the 
     servicemembers of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard 
     and the civilians who constitute our maritime services.

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