[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17920-17921]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             OPENING OF THE UNITED STATES FREEDOM PAVILION

  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 625 submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 625) recognizing the January 12, 
     2013, opening of the United States Freedom Pavilion: The 
     Boeing Center at the National World War II Museum in New 
     Orleans, Louisiana, and supporting plans for other 
     educational pavilions and initiatives.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution

[[Page 17921]]

be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any 
statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 625) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 625

       Whereas historians Stephen E. Ambrose and Gordon H. 
     ``Nick'' Mueller, among others, founded the National D-Day 
     Museum on June 6, 2000;
       Whereas section 8134(c) of the Department of Defense 
     Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-87; 117 Stat. 
     1105) designated the National D-Day Museum as ``America's 
     National World War II Museum'';
       Whereas the National World War II Museum advances the 
     mission of educating the public about the experience of the 
     United States in World War II, covering all branches of the 
     Armed Forces and the Merchant Marine, and documenting and 
     highlighting activities on both the battlefront and home 
     front;
       Whereas the exhibits and programs of the National World War 
     II Museum portray why the War occurred, how the War was won, 
     and what the War means today, and celebrate the spirit of the 
     United States and enduring values displayed during the War;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum emphasizes the 
     diverse nature of the war effort of the United States, 
     reflecting the contributions of women, African-Americans, 
     Japanese-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and 
     other groups that have been neglected in many accounts of 
     World War II;
       Whereas the 12,000 landing craft designed and built by 
     Higgins Industries in New Orleans made amphibious invasions 
     possible and carried United States soldiers ashore in every 
     theatre and campaign during the War;
       Whereas President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the former Supreme 
     Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe, 
     credited Andrew Jackson Higgins, the chief executive officer 
     of Higgins Industries, as the ``man who won the war for us,'' 
     in a 1960s conversation with the preeminent historian Stephen 
     E. Ambrose, leading Ambrose to initiate plans for the 
     National World War II Museum;
       Whereas the National D-Day Museum, now known as the 
     ``National World War II Museum'', has made great strides in 
     the development of the facilities, exhibits, and programs at 
     the Museum;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum, since the grand 
     opening on June 6, 2000, which was the 56th anniversary of 
     the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, has attracted more 
     than 3,000,000 visitors from across the United States and 
     around the world, and has reached millions more through 
     Internet-based and other distance learning programs;
       Whereas World War II veterans and home front supporters, 
     recognized as the ``greatest generation'' because of the 
     sacrifices of the veterans and home front supporters at a 
     pivotal time in United States history, are passing away at a 
     rapid rate, creating an urgent need to preserve the stories, 
     and to pay tribute to the service of the veterans and home 
     front supporters;
       Whereas Congress recognizes the need to preserve forever 
     the knowledge and history of the most decisive achievement of 
     the United States during the 20th century and to portray that 
     history to citizens, scholars, visitors, and school children 
     for generations to come;
       Whereas Congress appropriated funds in 1992 to authorize 
     the design and construction of the National D-Day Museum to 
     commemorate the epic 1944 Normandy invasion, and appropriated 
     additional funds in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2009 to 
     help expand the Museum to cover the entire experience of the 
     United States in World War II, and the transformational 
     impact on the United States and the world;
       Whereas the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in 
     Washington, DC, will always be the symbolic memorial where 
     people come to remember the sacrifices made during World War 
     II;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum in New Orleans 
     will always be the educational institution where people come 
     to learn about the monumental struggle by the United States 
     against would-be oppressors, so that future generations can 
     understand the role the United States played in the 
     preservation and advancement of freedom in the middle of the 
     20th century;
       Whereas the State of Louisiana and thousands of donors, 
     including foundations, companies, and Museum members in every 
     State, have contributed millions of dollars and other support 
     to help build and advance the National World War II Museum, 
     and hundreds of volunteers, many from the World War II era, 
     have provided invaluable assistance to the Museum;
       Whereas the Board of Trustees of the National World War II 
     Museum, national in scope, and the Presidential Counselors 
     advisory group, featuring leading historians and museum 
     professionals, provide effective guidance and oversight for 
     the National World War II Museum;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum continues to add 
     to and maintain 1 of the largest personal history collections 
     in the United States, representing the experiences of the men 
     and women who fought in World War II and served on the home 
     front, with more than 7,000 videotaped, oral, and written 
     accounts in the collection, and plans to digitize the 
     collection to vastly improve public access;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum is an official 
     affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, with a formal 
     agreement to borrow Smithsonian artifacts for exhibits;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum collaborates with 
     other museums and memorials in the United States and around 
     the world;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum has added major 
     facilities in recent years through donor support, including 
     the Solomon Victory Theater complex, which features a 4-D 
     theater, the Stage Door Canteen, a United Service 
     Organization-styled entertainment venue, and the Kushner 
     Restoration Pavilion, home to a major patrol torpedo boat 
     restoration project;
       Whereas the National World War II Museum will open the 
     United States Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center in January 
     2013;
       Whereas the Pavilion will feature aircraft such as the B-17 
     bomber and the P-51 fighter, the latter flown by the Tuskegee 
     Airmen, and a submarine experience and exhibits honoring 
     Medal of Honor recipients, government leaders who served in 
     World War II, and industries that became known as the 
     ``Arsenal of Democracy''; and
       Whereas other major pavilions and interactive exhibits are 
     planned or under development as the Museum anticipates the 
     completion of the campus by 2016, including the Campaigns of 
     Courage: European and Pacific Theaters Pavilion, the 
     Liberation Pavilion, and a Union Station train experience in 
     the original Louisiana Memorial Pavilion: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and applauds the planned January 12, 2013, 
     opening of the United States Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing 
     Center, an iconic pavilion funded in part by the Federal 
     Government and a major feature of the institution designated 
     by section 8134(c) of the Department of Defense 
     Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-87; 117 Stat. 
     1105) as ``America's National World War II Museum'';
       (2) recognizes the generous assistance from private 
     individuals, corporations, foundations, the Federal 
     Government, the State of Louisiana, and other public entities 
     committed to offering a lasting tribute to the achievements 
     of the United States in World War II; and
       (3) expresses support for the mission of the National World 
     War II Museum as vital to the preservation of democratic 
     values, to the understanding of United States history and 
     founding principles, and to the education of future 
     generations about the relevance of the War experience to the 
     past and future greatness of the United States.

                          ____________________