Authorizing the Use of the Capitol Grounds for Activities Associated with the Dedication of the National World War II Memorial

AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 423) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for activities associated with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial.

The Clerk read as follows:
H. CON. RES. 423

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL DEDICATION.

The Capitol Grounds may be used for a public event providing additional space in conjunction with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on May 29, 2004, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may jointly designate.

SEC. 2. CONDITIONS.

The event to be carried out under this resolution shall be free of admission charge to the public and arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress, under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board.

SEC. 3. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.

For the purposes of this resolution, the Architect of the Capitol is authorized to erect on Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment as may be required for the event to be carried out under this resolution.

SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.

The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make any such additional arrangements that may be required to carry out the event under this resolution.

SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 4 of the Act of July 31, 1946 (40 U.S.C. 5104©; 60 Stat. 718), concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with respect to the event to be carried out under this resolution.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) each will control 20

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) for yielding me this time, and I thank our dear colleague from Nevada (Mr. Porter) for allowing us this time on the floor. Also, to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), I would like to thank him personally and to his able assistant, Ted Van Der Meid, for helping us move this legislation. I also want to thank the gentleman from the great State of Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) for making this moment a reality.

I want to say, Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to bring to the floor H. Con. Res. 423, which authorizes the use of these Capitol grounds for activities associated with the dedication of the World War II Memorial on May 29, Memorial Day weekend, just a week from this Saturday.

Mr. Speaker, the dedication ceremony for the World War II Memorial will mark the beginning of the end of a 20-year journey. It will mark the recognition by this Nation that a grateful Nation does remember the most unselfish generation America has ever known. And when that memorial is dedicated between the Washington Monument, which marks the founding of our Republic in the 18th century, and the Lincoln Memorial, which acknowledges the preservation of this Union during the 19th century, this memorial will represent the fulcrum of the 20th century, that is the victory of liberty over tyranny in a just war.

The ceremony that will occur, including here on the Capitol grounds, will mark the culmination of a process that took form here in the people's House some 17 years ago when the original authorizing legislation that the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) referred to was first introduced by me. Many, many Members were a part of making this possible. It has taken 10 Congresses and three Presidents. And I want to place in the RECORD, if I might, the wonderful Members of this House who made this ceremony and this Memorial Day possible:

Congressman Sonny Montgomery, Mississippi, now retired; Congressman Bob Stump, Arizona, now passed; the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), currently the ranking member on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; Congressman Henry Gonzalez of Texas, now passed; Congressman Bill Clay of Missouri, retired; Congressman Esteban Torres of California, now retired; Congressman John Grotberg, the Speaker's predecessor of the great State of Illinois, now passed; and from the other body, in particular, Senator John Glenn, retired; and Senator Strom Thurmond, now passed.

I think people tend to forget that the World War II Memorial which opened to the public approximately 3 weeks ago to rave reviews was a House idea, a House initiative, a House effort that the House kept alive for 2 decades.

On Thursday we will have a ceremony here in Statuary Hall to honor the six World War II veterans who currently serve in our people's House. We will present at that time to them the two flags that were handmade in the Buckeye State, in the State of Ohio, as we give them over to the Nation. And I would like to say a special thank you to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

The legislative history behind the World War II Memorial is replete with struggle and controversy and occasional disappointment, but in the end a great victory and a magnificent tribute. There were stops and starts along the way, and no one knows this better than I; but in the end nothing could stop this powerful idea that came from the Heartland of America, from the Buckeye State, from the heart of one veteran named Roger Durbin from Berkey, Ohio, population 265, Lucas County; It is and idea that came from the grassroots of America. It was so meritorious that it eventually arrived here in our Nation's Capital and now has full expression on our Mall of democracy.

As we prepare to formally dedicate the memorial on May 29, this resolution will facilitate the use of the Capitol grounds and facilities to honor the hundreds of thousands of World War II-generation members and their families and their children and their grandchildren, as we dedicate that sacred soil on the Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

In our district, as in other districts around the country, plans are already under way by many veterans organizations including the American Legion for local celebrations to coincide with the May 29 dedication here in our Nation's Capital. There will be satellite uplinks from all of the celebrations here. In our home town of Toledo, Ohio, local organizers will hold a ceremony in Fifth Third Field, the city that is home to the Toledo Mud Hens baseball team. Plans are already underway. Our community will hold the largest parade our citizenry has ever seen.

In Vermilion, Ohio, the local funeral director, Judy Riddle, has helped organize an event for the World War II veterans in that community. And it is an understatement to say that the funeral directors in Ohio raised more money than any other State to help build this memorial. In Wellington, Ohio, a local school teacher, Calvin Woods, has organized a group of students and parents to visit the memorial next week. They will be honoring local World War II veterans on the 29th as well.

I can say this, that when Roger Durbin first walked up to me 17 years ago-God rest his soul, he passed in the year of 2000-this was his last dying wish that this memorial be completed. He did not ask for himself. His statement was, Congresswoman Kaptur, why is there no World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. where I can bring my grandchildren so they can understand the causes to which my life was dedicated?

So his desire was that our grandchildren, his grandchildren, America's grandchildren understand. It was rather coincidental, and some would say divine providence, that on the day that the plaza opened to the general public a few weeks ago, the very first group through that site was from Jones Junior High School from the county of Lucas, his home county; and that was not planned.

In fact, when Tim Russert was down there from NBC News, the children were all excited that they could see such a famous reporter. It was totally unplanned. I know Roger Durbin's hand was in that because he intended to be there for that dedication, and he always was dedicated to the future generations.

Thousands of veterans and their families are making their way already to Washington, D.C. to attend this ceremony here on our Nation's Mall. The logistical challenge is daunting. And of the hundreds of thousands of people on the National Mall, over half of them will be World War II veterans and their spouses, and almost all of them will be over 80 years of age.

We are planning a variety of events here in our congressional offices for that weekend. And we are very grateful that the Speaker has permitted the Capitol and its grounds to be open. Along with most Members' offices, our office in Washington will be open to our constituents.

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We are also working with the office of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland) to host Ohio's veterans at the American Legion Post 8 here on Capitol Hill, both on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. We are expecting several busloads of veterans just from northwest Ohio, and those are the ones that we actually know about. We know some of them, well, they are just going to drive with their grandkids in campers and show up, and we are ready for them.

This concurrent resolution is essentially a formality. But it is the precursor to Congress rolling out the red carpet for the greatest generation America has ever known-our World War II veterans and their families, and other members of the World War II generation who served on the home front, their friends and family members, and other Americans who will be in town for the Memorial Day weekend. It is going to be a very heart-rending weekend. We are looking forward to it with great anticipation.

If my colleagues have been down to the site already, they cannot come away with a dry eye. As veterans and their families, some in wheelchairs, some walking with canes, some just there to reflect, come and touch the marble stone where perhaps where they fought is engraved. I watched one man go up, just touch the words Okinawa and he just stood there. I met a Purple Heart standing there on the plaza , and he thanked me. I said, sir, I was not even born. This is for you, thank you, because America does remember.

I again want to deeply thank the office of the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert); the minority leader's office, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi); and both sides of the aisle of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for their help with this concurrent resolution; and I urge its adoption.

God bless our veterans and God bless America. I thank the gentlewoman for the time.