[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16786-16787]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORTING UNITED STATES MILITARY HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. DRIEHAUS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1442) supporting the goals and ideals of United 
States Military History Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1442

       Whereas United States citizens of every race, class and 
     ethnic background from every State and territory have made 
     memorable sacrifices as members of the United States Air 
     Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy that have 
     revolutionized armed conflict;
       Whereas the United States has produced a legacy of 
     pioneering military minds since Congress first appointed 
     George Washington in 1775 as general and commander-in-chief 
     of the Continental Army in the American Revolution;
       Whereas since then, citizen soldiers of the United States 
     have valiantly overcome monumental odds, exhibited leadership 
     in the face of superior forces, and achieved victory on 
     battlefields at home and around the world when this Nation or 
     its people have been threatened;
       Whereas 3,468 Medals of Honor--the Nation's highest 
     decoration--have been awarded to United States veterans for 
     Homeric courage and sacrifices above and beyond the call of 
     duty in the line of fire defending the Nation;
       Whereas the names of these recipients and other veterans of 
     the United States Armed Forces have been recorded in the 
     histories of other nations where they served in air, on land, 
     and at sea defending freedom and protecting liberty;
       Whereas the founding of the United States and its continued 
     existence can be documented through the actions, leadership, 
     and protection of its freedoms through the efforts of the 
     United States Armed Forces;
       Whereas November 11 was originally declared Armistice Day 
     to commemorate the sacrifices of United States soldiers in 
     World War I and later designated by President Dwight D. 
     Eisenhower in 1954 as a day to honor all United States 
     veterans;
       Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces have 
     played and continue to play a critical economic, cultural, 
     and societal role in protecting the life of the Nation by 
     their dedicated service, prowess, and resolve;
       Whereas despite these contributions, the role of veterans 
     and the wars in which they served have been consistently 
     undervalued and overlooked in the history of the Nation, and 
     their stories diminished in American education;
       Whereas November would be an appropriate month to designate 
     as United States Military History Month and State 
     legislatures and assemblies have been requested to issue 
     proclamations designating November as United States Military 
     History month and to encourage students to study this vital 
     subject and participate in Veterans Day activities: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of United States Military 
     History Month; and
       (2) encourages the President to issue a proclamation to 
     emphasize the importance of United States Military History 
     Month.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Driehaus) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DRIEHAUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DRIEHAUS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1442, a resolution 
supporting the goals and ideals of United States Military History 
Month.
  H. Res. 1442 was introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from 
Tennessee, Representative John Duncan, on June 15, 2010. It was 
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which 
ordered it reported favorably by unanimous consent on September 23, 
2010. The measure enjoys the support of over 50 Members of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, from the Revolutionary War to the present conflicts in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, the actions and leadership of our Armed Forces 
have shaped the history of our Nation and helped to preserve our 
freedoms. One cannot understand our country without understanding our 
history, and our military has always had a critical role in our 
history.
  For all that they've done for our Nation, our soldiers, sailors, 
airmen, guardians, and marines deserve our appreciation and respect. 
One of the ways we can do this is by helping to ensure that Americans 
understand the role that our military has played in the development of 
our Nation and in the history of our world. I, therefore, ask my 
colleagues to join me in supporting H.

[[Page 16787]]

Res. 1442 and encourage all Americans to take time to learn more about 
our Nation's military history.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
  Mr. DUNCAN. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me the 
time, and I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his words in support of 
this legislation, and I also want to thank the very large number of 
cosponsors from both sides of the aisle that we have on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1442 would designate the month of November as 
Military History Month. While still a general in the Continental Army, 
George Washington said, ``When we assumed the soldier, we did not set 
aside the citizen,'' meaning that he believed from the early days of 
this country's history that citizen-soldiers were the most important 
people in this Nation in so many, many ways.
  Since even before there was a United States until today, Americans 
have never shied away from the fight to make life better, not only for 
ourselves but for many millions of others. To better understand, 
appreciate, and celebrate the influence of the military on our Nation's 
narrative, we should designate November as United States Military 
History Month.
  There are two major holidays already set aside to honor the men and 
women who have served this Nation. First known as Declaration Day, what 
is now known as Memorial Day commemorates the American soldiers who 
have died in combat. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to note the 
end of World War I. The Congress changed it to Veterans Day in 1954, 
and now on November 11 of each year we honor all those who have served 
in the military. But without celebrating our country's military 
history, these holidays might very well end up being seen merely as 
days off work or just days that government buildings and banks are 
closed.
  The U.S. military has always played a very important role in our 
Nation's evolution and in protecting the American way of life. 
Establishing, through the passage of this resolution, H. Res. 1442, a 
month each year to highlight our Armed Forces will hopefully encourage 
Americans to learn, remember, and appreciate the sacrifices of the men 
and women who serve.
  It is often said that a nation which forgets its own history does so 
at its peril. This resolution is a fitting and appropriate way to honor 
our past and especially the extremely important role the U.S. military 
has played in that history.
  I have submitted this resolution at the request of one of my 
constituents, Mr. Ed Hooper, a great military historian; and this is 
very appropriate, too, because it shows that legislation often does not 
emanate from Washington but, really, comes from the ground up, from the 
people that we represent. This is truly the American way to do 
legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution 
to designate November as Military History Month in this Nation.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Representative from San Diego, a community that 
knows a little bit about the military, one of the largest military 
complexes in the world, I am very honored to support this motion by the 
gentleman from Tennessee and want to thank him for that. Not only do I 
have the privilege of representing a community that is steeped in 
military history that goes, in fact, all the way back to our founding 
by Cabrillo, a military man in service of Spain, but also the fact of 
being raised--not only raised in a military family but born on a 
military base. So those of us from San Diego know exactly how deeply 
the roots of the military go as free Americans and as those who do not 
question the perception that service, as George Washington said, is 
always the highest honor and the greatest contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, I just have to say that I'm sorry that some are not here 
to see Congress finally take up this item, and I think the gentleman 
from Tennessee should be commended, and I think the majority should be 
thanked for allowing the gentleman from Tennessee to bring this bill up 
for consideration, something I hope to see more of.
  I wish that my parents were alive today, parents that not only was he 
at Pearl Harbor on his birthday, at Leyte Gulf, and at Inchon, but 
also, more importantly, something we don't think about the military, 
and that's from my mother's side, of the people around the world like 
my mother, that in the 1940s in Australia was watching the Japanese 
empire threaten to conquer her hometown of Brisbane, and the Yanks 
showed up in time to be able to save them from the tyranny of fascism.
  I think that too often when we talk about things like the service in 
the military, we think only of service to those of us who are 
Americans; but recognizing that the American military is not only not a 
threat to the rest of the world, it's an essential component of the 
world peace and the world freedom and the world prosperity that not 
only Americans but the entire world, sadly, I think takes for granted.
  I think that this is quite appropriate that the gentleman from 
Tennessee brings this up, that we not only recognize but we celebrate 
how unique our American military is. We go around the world to set 
people free. We go around the world to give them a better life. We do 
not go to conquer and to oppress; and that is something the Americans 
have done from the get-go and it's something that we should recognize, 
be it at Barbary Coast to put down the pirates that were raiding 
innocent ships or to go and depose dictators that have been oppressing 
their own and killing their own people.
  I think this bill is quite appropriate, and hopefully we will see the 
kind of celebration of the heritage of military service that we have in 
this country as we have seen on others.
  So I again congratulate the gentleman from Tennessee, and I thank the 
majority for allowing the bill to go forward.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DRIEHAUS. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1442.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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