[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16760-16761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CONDEMNING REMOVAL OF MOJAVE CROSS MEMORIAL

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 1378) condemning the theft from the Mojave 
National Preserve of the national Mojave Cross memorial honoring 
American soldiers who died in World War I.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1378

       Whereas in 1934, World War I veterans placed a cross 
     memorial on Sunset Rock near Barstow, California, with a 
     wooden plaque proclaiming the simple monument honored the 
     lives of all who have defended America and freedom;
       Whereas in 2002, Congress declared the Mojave Cross a 
     national memorial, the only such memorial dedicated to the 
     war dead of World War I;
       Whereas in 2003, Congress passed legislation to protect the 
     Mojave Cross memorial by providing for a land swap that would 
     leave the cross on private land, to be maintained by the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars;
       Whereas, on April 28, 2010, the United States Supreme 
     Court, in Salazar v. Buono, reversed a Court of Appeals 
     judgment that invalidated an effort by Congress to preserve 
     the Mojave Cross memorial through a land transfer and 
     remanded the case for further proceedings; and
       Whereas, on May 9, 2010, the Mojave Cross memorial was 
     reportedly vandalized and stolen: Now therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns the illegal removal of the Mojave Cross 
     memorial by vandals as a repulsive act that is an insult to 
     the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces 
     and who have given their lives to defend the country; and
       (2) urges the National Park Service and Federal law 
     enforcement to continue working with the Veterans of Foreign 
     Wars to recover the Mojave Cross memorial.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Hastings) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1378 was introduced 
in May by Representative Lewis of California. The resolution condemns 
the theft of a cross from the Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National 
Preserve. This cross was first placed on Federal land in 1934 as a 
memorial to American soldiers who died in the First World War. Legal 
proceedings regarding constitutional issues raised by the cross are 
ongoing.
  However, the theft of the cross is inexcusable. We support this 
measure's condemnation of that theft and urge all Federal law 
enforcement officials to continue their efforts to recover the cross 
and bring those responsible for the theft to justice.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Mr. Lewis of California for his 
leadership in bringing this resolution before the House. The recent 
theft of the Mojave Cross memorial honoring American soldiers who died 
in World War I is an act that merits our strongest condemnation. So I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned the monument that is 
being debated has stood in the Mojave Desert for 75 years to honor our 
veterans. It stood there, that is, until the night of May 9th when 
vandals stole it. This memorial was a 7-foot cross that has endured 
much turmoil including a recent legal attempt to have the cross 
removed, which was turned away by the Supreme Court.
  Those responsible for the disappearance of the cross have shown 
disrespect for both veterans and this Nation's legal process.
  I would also like to commend the VFW for their determination in the 
face of this disrespectful act. They have vowed that the memorial will 
be rebuilt and are offering a $125,000 reward for information leading 
to an arrest.
  President George Washington once said, ``The willingness with which 
our young people are likely to serve in any war shall be directly 
proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were 
appreciated by their nation.''
  I think President Washington would agree that this appreciation 
includes allowing our veterans' memorials to stand in honor of them.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1378.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.

[[Page 16761]]

  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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