[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19712-19713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 331, submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 331) designating December 12, 2015, 
     as ``Wreaths Across America Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to have joined with my 
colleague, Senator Angus King, in sponsoring this resolution to 
designate December 12, 2015, as Wreaths Across America Day. Since its 
inception, the Wreaths Across America project has become an annual 
tradition of donating, transporting, and placing Maine balsam fir 
remembrance wreaths on the graves of our fallen heroes buried at 
Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at veterans' cemeteries and 
memorials in every State and overseas. In the program's 24 years, more 
than 2.4 million wreaths have been placed in honor of those who have 
served our country.
  The origin of Wreaths Across America is an inspiring example of that 
generosity and gratitude. During the Christmas season in 1992, Morrill 
and Karen Worcester took time during their busiest season to donate and 
deliver wreaths from their company in Harrington, ME, to Arlington 
National Cemetery to honor the heroes who lie at rest there. At first, 
a small group of volunteers laid the wreaths with little notice. In 
recent years, however, the Arlington Wreath Project has grown to become 
a national phenomenon. The people of Maine are proud that this 
important and well-deserved tradition began in our State.
  This year, on December 12, thousands of volunteers in Arlington, 
throughout our Nation, and overseas will carry out the mission of 
Wreaths Across America to ``Remember, Honor, Teach.'' This will 
conclude a weeklong procession between Maine and Virginia, with stops 
along the way to pause and remember the men and women who have died to 
preserve our freedoms, spread the message about the importance of 
honoring those who serve, and remind the people of the United States 
about the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families. This 
procession helps to ensure that those sacrifices are never forgotten.
  The Patriot Guard Riders, along with other dedicated escort groups, 
will accompany tractor-trailers filled with donated wreaths from Maine 
to Arlington National Cemetery. America's trucking industry has long 
supported Wreaths Across America by providing drivers, equipment, fuel, 
and related services to assist in the transportation of wreaths across 
the country to more than 1,000 locations.
  Wreaths Across America not only honors our departed heroes, but also 
imparts the important message to veterans who are still with us that we 
honor their service. It tells our men and women in uniform today that 
we are grateful for their courage and devotion to duty. It tells the 
families of those serving our country that they are in our thoughts and 
prayers. And it tells the families of the fallen that we share their 
grief.
  Throughout human history, the evergreen wreath has been offered as a 
tribute to heroes. On December 12, 2015, we will again offer this 
enduring symbol of valor and sacrifice as part of our never-ending 
obligation to thank those who wore the uniform of our country. In this 
season of giving, we will pay tribute to those who have given us the 
most precious gift of all, our freedom.
  Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I have joined my esteemed colleague, 
Senator Susan Collins, in submitting a resolution designating December 
12, 2015, as Wreaths Across America Day. What started as a quiet 
tribute to our Nation's veterans in a small town in Washington County, 
Maine 24 years ago, has blossomed into one of the greatest honors paid 
to our servicemembers coast to coast. Every December, donated balsam 
fir wreaths travel from Harrington, ME, to veterans' cemeteries around 
the country and are placed on the graves of our fallen heroes. During 
this season of giving, it is only fitting to recognize this wonderful 
tradition and the generosity of those who conceived it, and as always, 
to reaffirm our commitment and appreciation for those who fought to 
preserve our freedom.
  During the 1992 holiday season, Morrill and Karen Worcester of 
Worcester Wreath Company found themselves with a surplus of unused 
wreaths. Recalling a boyhood visit to Arlington National Cemetery, 
Morrill was inspired to use those extra wreaths to honor American 
servicemembers. So, aided by then-Senator Olympia Snowe and determined 
to celebrate our veterans and their families, the Worcesters arranged 
to have the wreaths placed in one of the older sections of Arlington 
National Cemetery.
  Building on the Worcester family's vision, other folks from around 
Maine stepped up to help out and give back. James Prout, the owner of a 
Maine trucking company, made sure the wreaths were safely transported 
to Arlington. The Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., a group of 
people from Maine living and working in the Nation's capital, helped 
organize the wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery.
  So it went for several years--wreaths were quietly assembled and sent 
to Arlington National Cemetery to honor our country's veterans. Then in 
2005, a photo of the wreaths in Arlington took the internet by storm, 
and the tradition quickly gained widespread attention. The salient 
image of the snow-covered wreaths resting on the graves of the fallen 
transformed what was once a quiet act of kindness to a national 
sensation. Soon thousands of volunteers were inspired to help in 
Arlington or to bring the project to their hometowns throughout the 
country.
  Last year alone, Wreaths Across America and its national network of 
volunteers laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations 
including

[[Page 19713]]

sites in all 50 States and numerous national veteran cemeteries on 
foreign soil. Thanks to truckers and the Patriot Guard Riders who 
escort the tractor trailers on their motorcycles, the wreaths travel to 
Arlington and beyond as part of a Veterans Honor Parade--stopping along 
the way to remember, honor, and teach.
  I am proud to stand with Senator Collins in sponsoring December 12, 
2015, as Wreaths Across America Day. On this day, and every day, let us 
remember the brave men and women who have served our country and thank 
the dedicated volunteers who proudly honor their memory and sacrifice.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble 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. 331) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record 
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')

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