Expressing the Sense of Congress that the President Should Posthumously Award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS: SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 117-EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD POSTHUMOUSLY AWARD THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO HARRY W. COLMERY

Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. SPECTER, and Mr. SANTORUM) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

S. CON. RES. 117

Whereas the life of Harry W. Colmery of Topeka, Kansas, was marked by service to his country and its citizens;

Whereas Harry Colmery earned a degree in law in 1916 from the University of Pittsburgh and, through his practice of law, contributed to the Nation, notably by successfully arguing 2 significant cases before the United States Supreme Court, 1 criminal, the other an environmental legal dispute;

Whereas during World War I, Harry Colmery joined the Army Air Service, serving as a first lieutenant at a time when military aviation was in its infancy;

Whereas after World War I, Harry Colmery actively contributed to the growth of the newly formed American Legion and went on to hold several offices in the Legion and was elected National Commander in 1936;

Whereas in 1943, the United States faced the return from World War II of what was to become an active duty force of 15,000,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines;

Whereas Harry Colmery, recognizing the potential effect of the return of such a large number of veterans to civilian life, spearheaded the efforts of the American Legion to develop legislation seeking to ensure that these Americans who had fought for the democratic ideals of the Nation and to preserve freedom would be able to fully participate in all of the opportunities the Nation provided;

Whereas in December 1943, during an emergency meeting of the American Legion leadership, Harry Colmery crafted the initial draft of the legislation that became the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill of Rights;

Whereas the GI Bill of Rights is credited by veterans' service organizations, economists, and historians as the engine that transformed postwar America into a more egalitarian, prosperous, and enlightened Nation poised to lead the world into the 21st century;

Whereas since its enactment, the GI Bill of Rights has provided education or training for approximately 7,800,000 men and women, including 2,200,000 in college, 3,400,000 in other schools, 1,400,000 in vocational education, and 690,000 in farm training and, in addition, 2,100,000 World War II veterans purchased homes through the GI Bill;

Whereas as a result of the benefits available to veterans through the initial GI Bill, the Nation gained over 800,000 professionals as the GI Bill transformed these veterans into 450,000 engineers, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, and 22,000 dentists;

Whereas President Truman established the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1945 to recognize notable service during war and in 1963, President Kennedy reinstated the medal to honor the achievement of civilians during peacetime;

Whereas pursuant to Executive Order No. 11085, the Medal of Freedom may be awarded to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to "(1) the security or national interest of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) other significant public or private endeavors"; and

Whereas Harry Colmery, noted for his service in the military, in the legal sector, and on behalf of the Nation's veterans, clearly meets the criteria established for the Presidential Medal of Freedom; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the President should posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery of Topeka, Kansas.

Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution honoring the life of Harry W. Colmery of Topeka, KS, and expressing the sense of Congress that the President should award Mr. Colmery the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

As my colleagues know, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is this Nation's highest civilian honor. Thus, my colleagues may ask, "What in particular makes the life of Harry Colmery stand out?" I would answer that just two weekends ago, we in Washington saw the answer to this question when thousands of veterans gathered on the National Mall for the dedication of the World War II Memorial. These individuals and millions of their fellow soldiers benefited from the work of Harry Colmery, the author of the initial draft of the Servicemen's Readjustment act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill of Rights.

The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 was aimed to aid military veterans as they transitioned back into civilian life following the conclusion of World War II by providing certain useful benefits. Among the historic benefits of this bill was a new educational benefit that would revolutionize America's higher education system. More than 2 million eligible men and women went to college using these educational benefits in the decade following World War II. The result was an American workforce enriched by 450,000 engineers, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, 22,000 dentists, and another million college-educated men and women. An estimated 5 million additional men and women received other schooling or job training under the provisions of the GI Bill.

The success of the GI Bill of Rights was unmistakable. A Veterans Administration study in 1965 showed that the increased earning power of GI Bill college graduates led to Federal income tax revenues rising by more than a billion dollars annually. In less than 20 years, the $14 billion cost of the original program had been recovered. Americans like programs that work and, in the decades following World War II, Congress built on the success of the original GI Bill. The most recent Montgomery GI Bill, approved in 1985, was designed not only to help veterans make a transition into the workforce through additional education and training benefits, but also to help support the concept of an all-volunteer military. As my colleagues know, the promise of educational benefits has been one of the most successful tools given to our Nation's military recruiters.

Harry Colmery's dedicated service to the veterans of this Nation and the long reach of his work into the lives of millions of Americans certainly make him an individual worthy of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I call on my fellow Senators to support this resolution so that Harry Colmery, even posthumously, may receive the honor he is due.