[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15406]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING VETERANS DAY 2014

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
479 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 479) recognizing Veterans Day 2014 as 
     a special ``Welcome Home Commemoration'' for all who have 
     served in the military since September 14, 2001.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, 
as amended, be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 479) was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 3935) was agreed to, as follows:

                   (Purpose: Of a perfecting nature.)

       In the 6th whereas clause of the preamble, strike 
     ``marines'' and insert ``Marines''.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, as amended, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 479

       Whereas the United States, pursuant to the Authorization 
     for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40), commenced a 
     war against individuals responsible for the 9/11 attacks;
       Whereas in the intervening 13 years, members of the United 
     States Armed Forces have engaged in warfare around the globe, 
     especially in Iraq and Afghanistan;
       Whereas there have been 2,600,000 deployments to Iraq and 
     Afghanistan and more than 500,000 soldiers have completed 
     multiple tours;
       Whereas over 110,000 sailors have deployed as individual 
     augmentees in support of the war ashore and additional 
     sailors have deployed on navy vessels serving over 180,000 
     days at sea, providing power projection, regional stability, 
     and global presence;
       Whereas over 238,000 airmen have deployed to Iraq and 
     Afghanistan and more than 201,000 airmen have deployed to the 
     Area of Responsibility, delivering flights in support of the 
     war effort;
       Whereas over 330,000 Marines have deployed afloat and 
     ashore, ensuring peace in some of the most dangerous 
     provinces in Iraq and Afghanistan;
       Whereas, between January 1, 2000, and January 10, 2014, 
     287,911 cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), often referred 
     to as a signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
     were diagnosed among members of the Armed Forces, and 
     approximately 7,100 cases were classified as severe or 
     penetrating;
       Whereas of the members of the Armed Forces who have been 
     deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001, more 
     than 6,800 have been killed in action and more than 52,000 
     have been wounded in action;
       Whereas United States Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
     New Dawn combat military operations in Iraq are complete and 
     United States direct military operations in Afghanistan will 
     end in 2014 as the United States transitions to a training 
     and assistance role;
       Whereas the sacrifices of United States servicemembers and 
     their families during the last 13 years should be recognized 
     by all citizens of the United States;
       Whereas November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end 
     of hostilities in World War I, and Veterans Day has been a 
     legal holiday since May 13, 1938, when it was originally 
     dedicated as ``Armistice Day'' to honor veterans of World War 
     I and was subsequently amended to honor United States 
     veterans of all wars in 1954; and
       Whereas November 11th is the day for the Nation to reflect 
     on the service and sacrifice of every generation of veterans: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes Veterans Day 2014 as a special ``Welcome 
     Home Commemoration'' for all who have served in the United 
     States Armed Forces since September 14, 2001;
       (2) promotes awareness of the services and contributions of 
     all post-9/11 veterans; and
       (3) encourages communities in the United States to plan 
     activities for Veterans Day 2014 to honor and support all who 
     have served during this time and to provide citizens of the 
     United States an opportunity to present unified recognition 
     of the service and sacrifices of post-9/11 veterans.

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