[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5685]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, the Marine Corps Association was founded on 
April 25, 1913, in Guantanamo, Cuba, by marines of the 2nd Provisional 
Brigade. John A. Lejeune, then a lieutenant colonel, headed the Marine 
Corps Association's first executive committee.
  In a statement signed by members of the committee, Lejeune and his 
fellow officers declared that the Marine Corps Association would 
publish the history of the Marine Corps and disseminate ``information 
concerning the aims, purposes and deeds of the Corps, and the 
interchange of ideas for the betterment and improvement of its officers 
and men.''
  The Marine Corps Gazette was introduced in March 1916 as a vehicle 
used to establish the Marine Corps Association as the professional 
organization of all marines and to establish a venue to debate issues 
of importance to the Corps and disseminate military art and science to 
association members.
  In 1976, the Leatherneck Association, publishers of Leatherneck--
Magazine of the Marines, merged with the Marine Corps Association in a 
partnership that has proven beneficial to both organizations.
  In 2009, the Marine Corps Association founded the Marine Corps 
Association Foundation in order to provide more support to professional 
programs for marines, which include: awards--over 10,600 were provided 
in 2011 alone--battlefield studies, professional military education 
forums, and Commanders' Unit Libraries with books from the Commandant's 
Professional Reading List.
  In June 2012, when the Montford Point Marines were being honored with 
the Congressional Gold Medal, it was the Marine Corps Association 
Foundation that stepped to the plate and found funding so that each of 
those historic marines could receive their own replica of the 
commemorative medal.
  In its first year of existence, MCA boasted membership of 91, and 
today there are over 80,000 members worldwide. The Marine Corps 
Association and Foundation should be commended for their exemplary work 
and commitment to Active Duty, Reserve, and wounded marines.
  I also note their outstanding efforts in providing our wounded 
marines with the same programs they provide for Active and Reserve 
marines. For over 100 years, participation in the Marine Corps 
Association has supported our Active Duty marines, during peacetime and 
wartime.
  In closing, I want to recognize the centennial anniversary of the 
Marine Corps Association and its Foundation, and honor the 
contributions they have made and continue to make to the lives of 
marines stationed throughout the world.
  Mr. Speaker, with that, I'd like to close as I always do. I ask God 
to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless 
the families of our men and women in uniform.
  I ask God, in His loving arms, to hold the families who've given a 
child dying in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  I ask God to please bless the House and the Senate, that we would do 
what is right in the eyes of God for God's people today and God's 
people tomorrow.
  And I ask God to please bless the President, that he will do what is 
right in the eyes of God for God's people today and God's people 
tomorrow.
  And remember the tragedies in Boston and in Texas, Dear God.
  I close by saying, God, please, God, please, God, please continue to 
bless America.

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