Recognizing and honoring the National Guard on the occasion of its 373rd anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 940) recognizing and honoring the National Guard on the occasion of its 373rd anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in 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 Resolution 940, introduced by my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Latta), which recognizes the 373rd birthday of the Nation's military first responders, our National Guard.

On December 13, 2009, we will celebrate the enormous contributions that our Nation's citizen soldiers and airmen have contributed to our national defense for over 300 years. Our forefathers relied on its citizen soldiers to protect this young Nation, and today we continue to rely on our citizen soldiers to protect the values and the rights that Americans enjoy today.

Our men and women in the National Guard not only volunteer to serve overseas in our Nation's defense, they are also an integral part of our local communities, providing assistance, support, and protection to their neighbors and loved ones in cases of natural and man-made disasters within the United States.

The history of the National Guard began back during the early days of our Nation. The colonists adopted the English militia system which required all males between the ages of 16 and 60 to bear arms and contribute to the defense of their community. In those early years, the militia provided the first line of defense in our Nation, which continues to this very day.

Throughout our Nation's conflicts, the National Guard has been an integral part of our country's national defense. During World War I, the National Guard made up 40 percent of America's combat divisions. The National Defense Act of 1933 established the National Guard as a reserve component of the Army, and the National Defense Act of 1947 established the air component of the National Guard as a reserve component of the Air Force.

More than 300,000 members of the National Guard participated in World War II, over 180,000 members of the National Guard participated in the Korean War, and nearly 23,000 members of the National Guard deployed in support of the Vietnam War. More than 50,000 members of the National Guard were deployed to the Gulf States in support of Hurricane Katrina. Today, Mr. Speaker, almost a quarter of a million members of the National Guard have been mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

So, today, we are here to express our appreciation to those who serve in the National Guard and their families, who are also making a contribution in defense of our Nation, and we are here to express our gratitude and respect to those of the National Guard who have given their lives in defense of our Nation. Our sympathy and our prayers are with their families and their loved ones, and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, as a former Lieutenant Governor of Guam, I came to rely on the National Guard to be always there, always ready to respond to local issues. On September 11, the National Guard immediately responded to the new and urgent national requirement to protect our airports. The National Guard is a critical component of our national defense. And I am also proud to represent the Guam National Guard, which has the most membership per capita of any other State National Guard in this country.

So I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 940 and join us as we wish America's National Guard a very happy birthday.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

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

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor during the week of Monday, December 7, 2009, to Friday, December 11, 2009.

For Tuesday, December 8, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 931, on motion to instruct conferees regarding H.R. 3288; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 932, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to Con. Res. 199; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 933, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 206; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 934, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 940; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 935, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 845; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 936, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 2278; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 937, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 915; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 938, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 907.

For Wednesday, December 9, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 939, on ordering the previous question to provide for consideration of H.R. 4213; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 940, on agreeing to H. Res. 955); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 941, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3951; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 942, on motion to table appeal of the ruling of the chair regarding H.R. 4213; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 943, on passage of H.R. 4213; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 944, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 3603; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 945, on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 956; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 946, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 86.

For Thursday, December 10, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 947, on ordering the previous question to provide for consideration of the Conference Report to H.R. 3288; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 948, on agreeing to H. Res. 961, which provides for consideration of the Conference Report to H.R. 3288; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 949, on agreeing to the Conference Report to H.R. 3288; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 950, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4017; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 951, on agreeing to H. Res. 962; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 952, on agreeing to H. Res. 964, which provides for consideration of H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 953, on agreeing to the Frank amendment No. 1 to H.R. 4173; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 954, on agreeing to the Sessions amendment to H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 955, on agreeing to the Lynch amendment to H.R. 4173; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 956, on agreeing to the Murphy (NY) amendment to H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 957, on agreeing to the Frank (MA) amendment to H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 958, on agreeing to the Stupak amendment to H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 959, on agreeing to the Stupak amendment to H.R. 4173.

For the morning of Friday, December 11, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 960, on agreeing to the Kanjosrki amendment to H.R. 4173; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 961, on agreeing to the McCarthy (CA) amendment to H.R. 4173; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 962, on agreeing to the Peters amendment to H.R. 4173.

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.''

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, it is very appropriate that we assemble here today on December 7, ``a day that will live in infamy,'' words that were spoken by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on this House floor 68 years ago tomorrow. On that December 7, the United States lost many courageous, dedicated, heroic, compassionate men and women when the Pacific fleet was attacked at Pearl Harbor by forces of the Imperial Japan Navy.

I rise today in support of House Resolution 940, which I introduced last week on December 1.

As it has already been pointed out very eloquently about the background of the National Guard, the Guard dates its origins back to December 13, 1636, when the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony ordered existing militias to be organized into three regiments. Since then, the National Guard has fought in every major American conflict. From the shot that was heard around the world at Lexington Green and later at Concord Bridge in April of 1775 to our men and women who are standing strong today and fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the National Guard and its citizen soldiers have been there for us no matter what, always ready, always there.

The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States. The National Guard's number one priority is the security and defense of our homeland at home and abroad. Americans have relied on their National Guard for more than three-and-a-half centuries, even before the United States existed.

I want to thank all past and present members of the National Guard for their service and response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, and their continuing role in homeland security and military operations around the world.

In today's world, it is essential that we honor and support all of our servicemembers who have sacrificed so much for us to ensure that our freedoms and liberties are secure in the United States. We need to support and provide our men and women of the National Guard and all the Armed Forces with the necessary resources to ensure their readiness and success.

As the National Guard's official song goes, ``Defending freedom, protecting dreams, this is the spirit of what it means to me. For my God and my home that I love: I Guard America, Guarding America, America.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 940, which recognizes the service and sacrifices of the members of the Army and Air National Guard on the occasion of the 373rd anniversary of the National Guard.

I want to commend Representative Robert Latta of Ohio for sponsoring this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, America is such a dynamic, forward-moving, ever-changing Nation that few institutions can survive for long unless they repeatedly prove their worth and are capable of changing to meet new challenges. For more than 300 years, the National Guard has repeatedly demonstrated its worth and value to this Nation in the crises of peace and war. The courage, commitment, and sacrifices of the National Guard members have been an integral part of every war this Nation has ever fought.

These citizen soldiers most recently have accepted an entirely new role in our national security and enthusiastically transformed themselves and their units from a ready Reserve to an operational Reserve, where repeated deployments to combat have become the norm and not the exception.

While providing significant combat power to support ongoing wars, the Guard has remained true to its mission: to support the individual States in times of natural disasters. With this dual requirement to support not only the Nation, but also the people of the States from which they come, the National Guard is indispensable to the well-being, safety, and security of all Americans. This is why it is, therefore, right and proper that we recognize the National Guard for 373 years of outstanding service.

I urge all Members to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this point 3 minutes to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

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