[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1098]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 5--AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THE ROTUNDA OF 
  THE CAPITOL TO HONOR FRANK W. BUCKLES, THE LONGEST SURVIVING UNITED 
                 STATES VETERAN OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER (for himself, Mr. Manchin, Mr. McCain, Mr. Brown of 
Ohio, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Kerry, 
Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Begich, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Hatch) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Rules and Administration:

                             S. Con. Res. 5

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. HONORING FRANK W. BUCKLES.

       (a) In General.--The Rotunda of the Capitol is authorized 
     to be used at any time during the 112th Congress at a time to 
     be determined jointly by the Majority Leader of the Senate, 
     the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives, in consultation with the Architect 
     of the Capitol, for a ceremony to honor the longest surviving 
     veteran of the First World War, Mr. Frank Woodruff Buckles, 
     as a tribute and recognition of all United States military 
     members who served in the First World War.
       (b) Implementation.--Physical preparations for the ceremony 
     shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as 
     the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe.

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today is the 110th birthday of Frank 
Buckles, the longest surviving American veteran of the First World War. 
Frank Buckles is a wonderful man who still lives on his farm in West 
Virginia thanks to the extraordinary care provided by his daughter 
Susannah Flanagan. I am sure that my colleagues will join me in wishing 
Frank, ``Happy Birthday.''
  I also believe it is important that we as a nation express our deep 
conviction for the sacrifices that Mr. Buckles and all the World War I 
veterans endured for our country. Frank is a representative of the 
extraordinary men who fought in numerous battles of the Great War in 
the defense of our nation. They have made sure that we as Americans are 
able to enjoy the quality of life that we so cherish.
  Mr. Buckles has witnessed the world change drastically throughout his 
lifetime and has experiences that most of us can only dream about. He 
has seen the metamorphosis that has defined the American social and 
cultural revolutions of the last century. As a young man, he served in 
the Army's ambulance corps in France and Germany, where he evacuated 
wounded soldiers from the battlefield. During the Second World War, he 
spent over three years confined to a Japanese prison camp in the 
Philippines as a civilian.
  Today, I am introducing a resolution to allow for a tribute in the 
Capitol to Frank Buckles as the representative of all World War I 
veterans during the 112th Congress. As the longest surviving veteran, 
Frank represents nearly 4.5 million U.S. soldiers, sailors, and airmen 
who joined forces with over 37 million Allied soldiers to defeat the 
Central Powers. These men witnessed atrocities such as gas warfare that 
were unprecedented at the time. Each and every serviceman made his own 
significant contribution to the war effort that cannot be understated. 
This generation of dynamic young men was able to alter the course of 
history for the betterment of each and every one of us here today. 
Frank, like many young men of this time, worked hard to enlist and 
serve his country, and in doing so helped to change our world.
  As America's last surviving veteran of the First World War, Mr. 
Buckles represents our final link to a generation that built a legacy 
as the defenders of the free world in the first large-scale global 
conflict. I can promise you that his legacy and the legacy of all 
veterans will live on forever in the ideals and values that make 
America the strongest nation in the world. I appreciate the bipartisan 
support of our cosponsors and hope more will join our effort to honor 
such a special veteran.

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