Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the redesignation of Company E, 100th Battalion, 442d Infantry Regiment of the United States Army and the sacrifice of the soldiers of Company E and their families in support of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation can never say ``thank you'' too frequently to the men and women who put their own lives at risk in military service. So I rise today as the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 199 thanking the men and women of Company E, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment for their service, their dedication, and their sacrifice.

I ask that the House adopt House Concurrent Resolution 199 honoring Company E--Echo Company, as we call it in the Northern Mariana Islands--in this year, the 10th anniversary of this distinguished band of soldiers. This year also marks the completion of Echo Company's second tour of duty in Iraq where they have distinguished themselves for their fortitude and bravery, always living up to the company motto, ``Go for broke.''

I appreciate the support of the distinguished gentlelady from Guam and the other 25 members of the House Armed Services Committee who are cosponsors of House Concurrent Resolution 199. I also want to thank the additional 29 Members of this House from both sides of the aisle, including my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Florida, who stepped up to say ``thank you'' to Echo Company.

Most of all, I want to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for their leadership and their commitment to our men and women in uniform and for working with me to bring this resolution to the floor today.

As the first person to have the honor to represent the people of the Northern Mariana Islands here in Congress, one of my duties, I believe, is to educate this House about the people I represent. One distinguishing trait of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands is our devotion to the United States of America. We're unique, I believe, in modern times to have chosen as a society to become a permanent part of the United States. We could have become an independent nation, but instead, we chose to be part of this Nation.

Perhaps nothing exemplifies our commitment to serve our new Nation more than our participation in military service. Thirty percent of our graduating class from our public high schools enlisted in military service this year. And obviously, of course, with this out-of- proportion participation in our military, there is an out-of-proportion level of risk. Our community, our small community of some 65,000 people, has suffered the loss of 12 of our people in military service since the commencement of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is certainly one of the highest per capita rates of death in service of any community in our Nation.

I would like to read their names and honor them today: Army Sergeant Yihjya ``Eddie'' L. Chen; Army Sergeant Jesse J. Castro; Marine Lance Corporal Adam Q. Emul; Army Specialist Leeroy A. Camacho; Army Private First Class John D. Flores; Army Private First Class Victor M. Fontanilla; Army Specialist Joe G. Charfauros, Jr.; Navy Seaman Anamarie San Nicholas Camacho; Senior Airman Audra P.M. Winkfield; and, finally, the three members of Echo Company who gave their lives in combat for their country: Army Staff Sergeant Wilgene T. Lieto, Army Specialist Derence W. Jack, and Army Staff Sergeant Julian F. Manglona.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to say that by honoring specific individuals or a specific unit of the military, we in no way are forgetting all the men and women from communities all across our Nation who serve in the armed services. There are, in fact, many people from the Northern Mariana Islands who are not members of Echo Company in service throughout the world today. My prayers go out to them today and my thanks.

But Echo Company is the only unit from the Northern Mariana Islands composed solely of people from the Northern Mariana Islands and a platoon from Guam. So as the Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands and especially because this is the 10th anniversary of Echo Company in the Northern Mariana Islands, it is my honor and responsibility to take the floor and say ``thank you.''

Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize and am honored to have Representative and Senator-elect Ralph Torres of the Northern Mariana Legislature in the gallery today. Mr. Torres is here to join me in paying respect to our troops.

I would like to submit this letter of support from Representative and Senator-elect Ralph M. Torres into the Record.

Saipan, MP,

December 5, 2009.

Hon. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Sablan: I am proud and honored to write

this letter of support for H. Con. Res. 199, the concurrent

congressional resolution recognizing the outstanding efforts

of Company E, 100th Battalion, 442 Infantry Regiment for

their second deployment to Iraq; and to recognize

their 10th Anniversary of being located on the Commonwealth

of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

As a current Representative and Senator-Elect in the CNMI

Legislature, I appreciate your efforts to honor the

dedication of our troops, and for recognizing the commitment

and challenges the spouses and families face when their loved

ones are deployed.

Company E not only preserves our freedoms, but is a

valuable part of our community. They participate in many

community events, such as every July 4th as part of Island

Liberation Day, provide all funeral details on the CNMI and

participate in the Go for Broke baseball and canoeing teams.

Go for Broke is the motto of Company E, and they live that

way in all they do and I am proud to support H. Con. Res.

199.

Sincerely,

Ralph Torres,

Representative and Senator-Elect.

Godspeed to Company E, to all our men and women for your sacrifice and for all that you have done for our people and for the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 199) recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the activation of Echo Company of the 100th Battalion of the 442d Infantry, and the sacrifice of the soldiers and families in support of the United States, 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 might consume.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of House Concurrent Resolution 199, introduced by my colleague, Congressman Sablan, from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

House Concurrent Resolution 199 recognizes the valuable contributions of

Company E, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment of the United States Army.

Not many know that the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment remains the only combat unit in the Army Reserve. In fact, Echo Company of the 100th Battalion was redesignated on February 16, 1999, on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam.

As the representative from Guam, I appreciate the opportunity to recognize and commend these soldiers for their outstanding and important service to our Nation.

So today I join my colleague in recognizing the 10th anniversary of the activation of Echo Company and commend the men and women who serve in Echo Company and their families for their dedication and their sacrifice.

During the Second World War, the 100th Battalion, known as ``one- puka-puka'' was comprised principally of Japanese Americans from Hawaii. The battalion subsequently became a part of the 442nd Infantry Combat Regiment comprised of Japanese Americans who had parents, siblings, and relatives, and many who themselves had been forcibly removed from their homes and communities and sent to internment camps in the United States.

These highly decorated individuals distinguished themselves on the battlefields of Europe; and today those who volunteer to serve in Echo Company continue to serve with distinction on today's battlefields.

Echo Company has served two tours in Iraq in 2004 through 2006 and, again, in 2008 through this year. In fact, on my most recent trip to Iraq, I had the opportunity to meet with men and women of Echo Company who were performing security operations. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with these men and women in uniform and to recognize their service in the theater of operations.

Unfortunately, three members of Echo Company have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation: Staff Sergeant Wilgene T. Lieto, Specialist Derence W. Jack, and Sergeant Julian F. Manglona. Our hearts and prayers are with their families and loved ones and those who they left behind.

The motto of the 100th Battalion is ``Go for broke,'' which continues unabated. Today, we commend Echo Company on their 10th anniversary, and I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service of these fine men and women who have volunteered to defend our Nation, and to support House Concurrent Resolution 199.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my friend and colleague and the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan).

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

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

Madam Speaker, unfortunately earlier today I was unable to cast my votes on H.R. 3288, H. Con. Res. 199, H. Con. Res. 206, and H. Res. 940 and wish the record to reflect my intentions had I been able to vote.

Last night, as you are aware, there were no votes in the House of Representatives due to the White House Christmas Party. I took this opportunity to meet with some of my young constituents at the Farmhouse Fraternity on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign to discuss agricultural issues and the implementation of the Farm Bill. Early this morning I boarded an airplane in Champaign, Illinois, and unfortunately due to weather, my plane was drastically delayed, I was unable to arrive in Washington, DC to cast my votes.

Had I been present on rollcall #931 on the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 3288, Making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and related agencies for FY 2010, I would have voted ``aye''. This vote would have blocked any attempt by the Majority from using H.R. 3288 as the vehicle for an Omnibus Appropriations bill and require that the language for this bill be posted online for 72 hours prior to any vote. Madam Speaker, omnibus appropriations bills that are hundreds of pages long and have not been fully vetted is no way to fund our government and I urge you to refrain from using this bill for those purposes.

Had I been present on rollcall #932 on suspending the rules and passing H. Con. Res. 199, Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the activation of Echo Company of the 100th Battalion of the 442d Infantry, and the sacrifice of the soldiers and families in support of the United States, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present on rollcall #933 on suspending the rules and passing H. Con. Res. 206, Commending the soldiers and civilian personnel stationed at Fort Gordon and their families for their service and dedication to the United States and recognizing the contributions of Fort Gordon to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and its role as a pivotal communications training installation, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present on rollcall #934 on suspending the rules and passing H. Res. 940, Recognizing and honoring the National Guard on the occasion of its 373rd anniversary, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, I was unable to be present for recorded votes because I was attending the memorial service held in Tacoma, Washington for the four police officers of the Lakewood Police Department who were killed last week in the line of duty.

Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 931 (on the motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 3288); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 932 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 199, as amended); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 933 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 206, as amended); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 934 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 940); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 935 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 845, as amended); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 936 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2278, as amended); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 937 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 915); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 938 (on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 907).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 199, which recognizes the service and sacrifices of Echo Company of the 100th Infantry Battalion. I want to thank Delegate Gregorio Sablan for supporting it.

Ten years ago, Echo Company was redesignated on the island of Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam and now serves to protect the citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Since that time, it has served two tours in Iraq, suffering the loss of two of its men. It continues to support the people and communities of the Northern Marianas and stands ready to serve America.

Echo Company carries on the traditions of World War II predecessors in the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment and continues to live by its motto, ``Go for broke.''

This resolution honors the soldiers of the unit and the families who support them. I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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