Recognizing and supporting the efforts of the State of New York to develop the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the extraordinary sacrifices made by American's veterans by voting ``yes'' on H. Con. Res 419.

This resolution supports the establishment of a National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in the birthplace of the Purple Heart in New Windsor, New York. The Purple Heart is the oldest and one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon an American soldier. By passing this legislation today, we recognize the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have received this honor.

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor will uniquely highlight the stories of the Purple Heart veterans. Every Purple Heart veteran is a hero whose story needs to be hold. By hearing these stories we can fully honor their sacrifices and learn from their experiences. The stories will echo within the halls of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and they should inspire our Nation not only to preserve the legacy of our military heroes, but to better appreciate the freedoms for which they fought.

The Hall of Honor is scheduled to be officially dedicated November 10. It will be located at New Windsor Cantonment, the site in my congressional district. This is the site of the last encampment of the Continental Army, where General George Washington first presented the Badge of Military Merit in 1782. Since then more than 800,000 members of the Armed Forces have been awarded this medal, which is now called the Purple Heart. It is an honor reserved for those soldiers who are wounded or killed while defending the greatest of our principles, freedom.

New York State has done a great deal to make the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor a reality. Governor George Pataki and Bernadette Castro, our State's park and recreation preservation commissioner, led the effort. Our State's senator, Senator Bill Larkin, a retired lieutenant colonel with 23 years of Active Duty in the United States Army, has been a true champion in working on siting the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor.

I am also grateful for the efforts of the military personnel subcommittee chairman, John McHugh of New York, who helped bring this legislation to the floor today.

I want to thank especially Rick Weeks, the State commander of the New York Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Military Order contributed $500,000 toward the construction of the Hall of Honor.

I will insert this letter of support from the National Military Order of the Purple Heart in the Record.

Commander Weeks was also instrumental in gathering support for this resolution. I thank him very much.

While the Hall of Honor is in New York, it is important to remember it is a national institution that will celebrate the sacrifices of soldiers and veterans who have lived in all areas of our country. Passage of this resolution today, as our troops are courageously fighting overseas to defend and preserve democracy, will send a strong message to our Armed Forces and our veterans that our Nation is grateful and continues to be grateful for the sacrifices made by our military men and women.

Military Order of

the Purple Heart,

Springfield, VA, August 1, 2006.

Chairman Duncan Hunter,

House Armed Services Committee,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: The Military Order of the Purple Heart

(MOPH) is in total support of H. Con. Res. 419, which has

been referred to your committee. This resolution recognizes

and encourages support for the National Purple Heart Hall of

Honor. This Hall of Honor, while located in New York, is

really a national effort and one that will recognize and

honor all our country's men and women who have been

recipients of the Purple Heart Medal for their death or

wounds received in combat.

MOPH urges you and your colleagues on the committee to

support this very worthwhile endeavor in a timely manner.

Respectfully,

James D. Randles,

National Commander.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. SKELTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 419, which recognizes the efforts of the State of New York to establish the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.

And, I recognize the gentlewoman from New York, Mrs. Sue Kelly, the sponsor of this measure for her efforts. One might wonder why the state of New York is leading the effort to establish a center that focuses on the history and importance of this honored military award. The reason is simple, in the summer of 1782, during the Revolutionary War; General George Washington devised two new badges, one of which was the Badge of Military Merit, which we know today as the Purple Heart.

General Washington at the time wrote ``. . . whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding.'' Three soldiers are known to have received the original honor badge, Sergeant Daniel Bissell of the 2nd Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Line, Sergeant William Brown of the 5th Connectivity Regiment of the Continental Line, and Sergeant Elijah Churchill of the 2nd Continental Dragoons, also a Connecticut regiment. However, after the Revolution, the award feels into disuse and was not proposed for use again until after World War I.

In 1927, Army Chief of Staff General Charles P. Summerall directed that proposed legislation be sent to Congress to revive the Badge of Military Merit. However, it was not until 1931, when General Summerall's successor, General Douglas MacArthur pushed forward the idea to reinstitute the badge. It was on the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth, February 22, 1932, that the War Department announced General Order No. 3, which established the Purple Heart.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt extended the award to the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and established a uniform application of standards in the Army and Navy. President Harry S. Truman retroactively extended the eligibility for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard back to April 5, 1917, and in 1962, President John F. Kennedy extended eligibility to any ``civilian national of the United States, who while serving under competent authority in any capacity with an armed force . . ., has been, or may hereafter be, wounded'' to qualify for the Purple Heart.

Mr. Speaker, the Purple Heart has an illustrious career and it is recognition of the enemy-related injuries a service member sustains. Today, there are more than 800,000 members of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. The State of New York has been working to establish a National Purple Heart Hall of Honor at the New Windsor Cantonment in New Windsor, New York to provide a permanent place of remembrance of the service and sacrifices made by men and women in uniform throughout our nation's history. This resolution before us recognizes the efforts of the State of New York, and encourages the education and information on the history and importance of this distinguished combat award.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I fully endorse, and I know Members in this Chamber do, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 419) recognizing and supporting the efforts of the State of New York to develop the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 419, recognizing and supporting the efforts of the State of New York to develop the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York.

Mr. Speaker, let me first take just a moment to thank my colleague and good friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), and the State of New York for establishing a place for Americans to come and honor those men and women of our military who have sacrificed so much for America. They are the individuals who fight for us, who sweat for us, who bleed for us, and, sadly and unfortunately, sometimes who die for us.

The Purple Heart is a unique symbol that recognizes the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Armed Forces, sacrifices made for the freedoms this great country offers, freedoms not just for themselves, but for future generations of Americans.

It is only fitting that we have a place such as the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor to honor those men and women so that future generations can go there and learn about those fine young Americans who have ensured that we can all live free.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 419, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration of H. Con. Res 419 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.