Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the integration of the Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 297) recognizing the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Forces, 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.

I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 297, which recognizes the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the integration of the Armed Forces.

Our military men and women are representative of the fabric of American society. They originate from every region of the world and represent the beautiful diversity of our planet. They bring forth with them a wide array of diverse talents and skill sets that has long made the U.S. military the superpower it is today.

House Concurrent Resolution 297 celebrates the 60th anniversary of President Harry Truman's 1948 executive order declaring that the equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the Armed Forces was the policy of the President. We celebrate this seminal event in our Nation's history for installing the democratic ideals of equality in our military and our country.

During the Second World War, the Tuskegee Airmen broke the color barrier within the Armed Forces to become the first black pilots, navigators, and bombardiers. It was the impenetrable code created from the Navajo language and utilized by the Navajo Code Talkers that helped save lives in the Pacific. Japanese American soldiers volunteered to serve in uniform while their families were held in concentration camps in the United States. It was the ingenuity of refugee scientists escaping anti-Semitism in their homeland that led to the American acquisition of nuclear technology. Diversity has made our Armed Forces and our Nation safer and stronger.

Unfortunately, our Armed Forces was once a place of discrimination and segregation. Many Americans of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent who served in the Armed Forces struggled against frequent episodes of racism and bigotry. Often these American servicemembers felt that they were fighting two wars, one against a foreign enemy and the other against racism from within their own ranks.

Despite great adversity, Americans of minority descent proudly served with honor and bravery, above and beyond the call of duty. We in Congress recognize their contributions and honor them for their sacrifices. The bravery and sacrifice of all members of the Armed Forces, regardless of race, color, or creed, will always be a matter of national honor.

Today the multi-racial makeup of our troops is a testament to the democratic ideals that all Americans hold dear, that all men and women are created equal. Our diverse forces serve as a proud example for the rest of the world in these times of racial and religious intolerance.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my friend and colleague, the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee, the gentleman from the State of Missouri, the same State that brought us President Harry Truman, Mr. Ike Skelton.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey who serves on the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Payne.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol Rotunda for a ceremony commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the beginning of the integration of the United States Armed Forces.

And I thank the distinguish Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Skelton, for bringing this resolution to the floor.

Throughout the course of our Nation's history, the men and women of our Armed Services have defended our liberties with bravery, honor, and sacrifice. But because our Nation racially segregated its military prior to 1948, generations of African Americans served our Nation with the knowledge that they were fighting abroad for the very freedoms that were frequently denied to them at home. Despite this injustice, not only did African Americans serve honorably to fight for all our freedoms, they did so with the dignity and bravery that earned many of them our Nation's top military honors.

Of the many units to serve with distinction, I particularly want to recognize the Tuskegee Airmen that organized at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, many of whom I would hope could be a part of this ceremony in the Rotunda. Over the course of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen became one of the most highly decorated units in the Armed Forces. These brave pilots destroyed more than 1,000 German aircraft while accumulating an unprecedented record of flying more than 200 bomber escort missions over central and southern Europe without the loss of a single bomber to enemy aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen returned home with some of our Nation's highest military honors including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, 8 Purple Hearts, and 14 Bronze Stars. But they also returned home to a racially segregated America.

One of the many important milestones toward achieving an integrated America occurred on July 26, 1948 when President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981. This important order, which will be recognized under this resolution, ordered there be equality of treatment with all persons in the Armed Services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin. Even though it took many years to accomplish the complete integration of the Armed Services, it was Executive Order 9981 that began the process and it is that event, among others, that I hope we will honor in the Capitol Rotunda next month.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to bring the attention of this House to House Concurrent Resolution 297, a resolution I introduced with my friend and colleague Mr. Meek of Florida on February 14 of this year. This resolution also recognizes the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the integration of the United States Armed Forces. I look forward to the consideration of this or any other similar resolution honoring this important event in our history.

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

I rise in strong support of this resolution commemorating the 60th anniversary of the beginning of integration in the United States Armed Forces.

Throughout the course of our Nation's history, the men and women of the armed services have defended our liberties with bravery, honor and sacrifice. But because our Nation racially segregated its military prior to 1948, generations of African Americans selflessly served our Nation with the knowledge that they were fighting abroad for many of the freedoms that they were frequently denied here at home. Despite this injustice, not only did African Americans serve honorably to fight for all our freedoms, they did so with dignity and bravery that earned many of them our Nation's top military honors.

One of the most important events in our Nation's history that helped move our country toward a more integrated America occurred on July 26, 1948, when President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981. This important order, which we acknowledge with this resolution today, ordered that there be equality of treatment with all persons in the armed services regardless of race, color, religion or national origin.

Even though it took years to accomplish the complete integration of the armed services, it was Executive Order 9981 that began the process.

Of the many units that served with distinction, I particularly would like to recognize the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen, who trained at historic Moton Field in my congressional district in Alabama.

As most of us know, over the course of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen became one of the most highly decorated units in the Armed Forces. These brave pilots destroyed more than 1,000 German aircraft while accumulating an unprecedented record of flying more than 200 bomber escort missions over central and southern Europe.

These brave Americans served without the loss of a single bomber to enemy aircraft and returned home with some of our Nation's highest military honors. But they also returned home to a racially segregated America. It's that injustice, and the steps our Nation has taken to help right that wrong, that we are helping recognize today. I'm also delighted that this body will help further recognize the occasion with a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda later this month.

I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Chairman Skelton for allowing this resolution today. I'd also like to thank my good friend and colleague from Florida, Mr. Kendrick Meek, for his strong support of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time at this time so I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to stand before you today in support of H. Con. Res. 297, a measure that recognizes the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Services.

On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, declaring that all members of the military are equal regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin. These long-overdue words marked the beginning of the end of institutionalized discrimination in the U.S. Armed Services, and instilled into the military the democratic principle of equality.

Prior to this executive order, minority soldiers not only fought against our enemies, but also struggled against prejudice at home and in the military. In spite of these unjust circumstances, many segregated units were universally renowned for their courage and valor, such as the 54th Massachusetts Regiment during the American Civil War, the Harlem Hellfighters (369th Infantry Regiment) in World War I, and the Tuskegee Airmen and the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Combat Infantry group in World War II. We should never forget the sacrifices they made to preserve the ideals of freedom and democracy.

It has been 60 years since President Truman courageously and justly integrated the U.S. Armed Services. Our military was strong then, but it is stronger now, in no small part because all service men and women serve together as equals. Indeed, this year America may elect its first African-American Commander in Chief.

Indiana's First Congressional District enjoys a rich diversity that has helped produce some of the most capable units in the armed services. Servicemembers from Northwest Indiana have fought in integrated units during every military engagement since World War II. Right now, Indiana has the fourth-largest National Guard in the United States, with more troops deployed in Iraq than any other State in the union. I am extremely proud of the patriotic men and women from Indiana who have served and are serving in uniform, and thank them for their service to our country. The successes of Indiana's men and women in uniform of all races, colors, religions, and countries of origin, and across all generations, have been echoed throughout the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in honoring the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Services. Such integration has enriched our military with the same democratic equality that they have fought so valiantly to protect.

Thank you very much for yielding.

Let me commend the sponsor of this great resolution and also let me just commend Representative Skelton for the outstanding work that he has done for so many years in the Armed Services Committee.

I stand in support of this resolution, H. Con. Res. 297, because as we all know, there were many, many African Americans who have fought valiantly through many of the wars. I'm very proud to have an uncle who just passed away 2 years ago, 3 years ago, who was in the invasion of Normandy. I used to recall as a young boy receiving the letters that he would send that were photocopied and made about the size of your hand where anything they felt was strategic was blacked out. And my Uncle John was a staff sergeant. As I mentioned, he was in the invasion of Normandy. And his wife, Ruth Garrett, who is still alive, worked in Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey for the war effort making weapons for our armed services. He was very proud when the World War II monument was opened, and he proudly sat with his uniform and his cap and his medals and made us very, very proud of his service. Even today, one of my employees, Richard Turner, is serving in Iraq.

But there have been African Americans who have served for so many years. It took Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt to fly with the Tuskegee Airmen for them to finally allow the Tuskegee Airmen to fly in combat because there was resistance to that. And as we know, the first person, as a matter of fact, to die in the Revolutionary War was Crispus Attucks back in 1770 on March 5 when he and four other patriots were taken down by the British to start the Revolutionary War in the Battle of Bunker Hill where we had Crispus, and where we had Salem Poor who fought at the battle of Bunker Hill. And we can go on and on.

A neighbor of mine, Needham Roberts and Sergeant Henry Johnson, captured 30 German soldiers in World War I and kept them captive for over a month. And people wondered how two soldiers could have kept so many enemy soldiers at bay. And so I am so proud to have this recognition and certainly pay tribute to Harry S. Truman. He was a person who had said ``the buck stops here.'' He was from Missouri. He said that he'll take the heat, and he did.

And so I would just like to once again commend so many of the men and women who continue even today to show their appreciation and strength for our Nation as they serve valiantly in the United States Armed Services.