H.Con.Res. 434House108th Congress (2003-2005)In Committee

Commending the persons who were inducted for service in the United States Armed Forces during World War II.

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3757)

June 3, 2004

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 20, 2004

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

May 20, 2004

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3757)

June 3, 2004

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.Con.Res. 434 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51 · Jun 3, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce two pieces of legislation in this House that recognizes and honors the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces throughout the history…

The first bill is H.R. 4425, called the Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act. Currently, prisoners of war who die during their imprisonment of wounds inflicted in war are eligible for a posthumous Purple Heart recognition. However, those who die of starvation, for example, or beatings or freezing to death are causes which are not eligible for the Purple Heart.

Can this be right? There should be no false distinction indicating more courage or more sacrifice by some who died and less by others. All POWs who died in service to our Nation should be eligible for this Purple Heart recognition, and H.R. 4425 will allow all members of our armed forces who die while a prisoner of war, regardless of the cause of death, to be awarded this honor. This will apply to all wars, past and present.

I am indebted to Rick and Brenda Morgan Tavares of Campo, California, and to Wilbert ``Shorty'' Estabrook of Murrieta, California, who brought this issue to my attention. Shorty survived the Tiger Camp death march during the Korean War and was imprisoned for over 3 years. Brenda's uncle, Corporal Melvin Morgan, died of starvation and beatings he suffered in 1950 at the age of 20 in Korea. Surely Corporal Morgan is deserving of a Purple Heart.

I am also introducing H. Con. Res. 434, a resolution to commend all persons who were inducted for service in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. I repeat, inducted into service. This is a particularly fitting time for such recognition. We all witnessed last Saturday the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC, being dedicated as a lasting symbol of our Nation's appreciation of these veterans. We are also approaching the 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2004, when tens of thousands of inductees, or draftees as they are usually called, were among the Allied Forces invaded Normandy, France.

To provide a bit of history, the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was enacted 1 year after Germany invaded Poland, and the number of men to be inducted into the Armed Forces was increased 5 days after the United States entered World War II in December of 1941. Of the over 16 million uniformed personnel serving during World War II, 10 million were draftees. They distinguished themselves in war and peace, as we know, and Tom Brokaw has called them ``America's Greatest Generation.''

The Blinded Veterans Association of San Diego, California, and its President William Montgomery have asked for my help in gaining national recognition for the draftees in our Armed Forces, and I am honored to do so today. H. Con. Res. 434 commends the millions who were inducted during World War II and who served with great courage to advance the cause of freedom throughout this world.

Taken together, these two pieces of legislation remind us of the gift of freedom that we have been given through the service and sacrifice of men and women who came before us. I urge my colleagues to support both H.R. 4425 and H. Con. Res. 434.

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 20, 2004

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 434 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 434

Commending the persons who were inducted for service in the United
States Armed Forces during World War II.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 20, 2004

Mr. Filner submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Commending the persons who were inducted for service in the United
States Armed Forces during World War II.

Whereas, one year after Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939, the
Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was enacted, providing the
President the authority to induct up to 900,000 men between the ages of
21 and 36 into the Armed Forces each year;
Whereas, on December 13, 1941, 5 days after the United States entered World War
II, that Act was amended to allow for an increase in the number of men
authorized to be inducted into the Armed Forces each year;
Whereas, of the 16,112,566 United States uniformed personnel who served during
World War II, 10,110,000 were persons who had been inducted into the
Armed Forces, sometimes referred to as draftees;
Whereas, after World War II ended in 1945, millions of veterans, including those
who had been inducted for service during World War II, returned to
civilian life, sought new careers, and enrolled in college;
Whereas the education program established by the Servicemen's Readjustment Act
of 1944, also referred to as the GI Bill, became the bedrock of the
greatest expansion of industrial, commercial, and technological
innovation in the history of the Nation;
Whereas the veterans who served during World War II have distinguished
themselves in war and peace, earned the Nation's highest honors, and
left a legacy unmatched in the Nation's history; and
Whereas June 6, 2004, is a suitable occasion to recognize the persons who were
inducted into the Armed Forces for service during World War II because
it is the 60th anniversary of D-Day, when tens of thousands of persons
who had been inducted into the Armed Forces were among the allied forces
that invaded Normandy, France: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress commends the millions of persons who were inducted
into the United States Armed Forces during World War II and served with
great courage and valor to advance the frontiers of freedom around the
world.
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