World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2012

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2070) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to install in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the Nation on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-day, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Today, I rise in support of legislation that I sponsored, the World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2011.

This legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to install at the World War II Memorial a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin Roosevelt prayed with the Nation on the morning of the D-day invasion.

This prayer, which has been entitled ``Let Our Hearts Be Stout,'' gave solace, comfort and strength to our Nation and our brave warriors as we fought against tyranny and oppression. The memorial was built to honor the 16 million who served in the Armed Forces of the United States during World War II and the more than 400,000 who died during the war.

Prior to introducing the legislation, I spoke to many World War II veterans in Ohio and asked them if they thought putting this prayer on the memorial would be appropriate. The answer was a resounding yes.

Furthermore, the Nation's largest service organization, the American Legion, is supportive of this legislation. The American Legion in a support letter said that this legislation would bolster the meaning of the memorial and would also give strength and encouragement to future generations.

It seems to me that if the remaining veterans of World War II are supportive of the prayer being added, we as a country should honor that request.

Unfortunately, the administration and the Department of the Interior don't think it's that easy. Last year, the Department of the Interior testified before the Natural Resources Committee that this legislation would ``necessarily dilute the central message of the memorial.'' Now, I don't know how the administration came to this position because I don't see how a nondenominational prayer that gave solace and comfort and strength to our Nation during one of the most pivotal days of World War II and one of the most memorable days in our Nation's history would dilute the central message of the memorial. In fact, I think it would do exactly the opposite and

would only strengthen the central message of the memorial.

To his credit, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar testified during a hearing last year that he personally disagreed with his own Department's testimony on the legislation. However, since his testimony, neither the Department of the Interior nor the administration has changed their official position on this legislation. I am hopeful after a bipartisan vote today on this legislation that the administration may have a change of heart.

Fortunately, you don't have to just take my word for it because today we are honored to be joined by George ``Poppy'' Fowler of Coolville, Ohio. Poppy is 88 years young and served 3 years, 10 days, 1 hour and 10 minutes in the United States Navy during World War II. He flew 35 missions in Air Group 15 on a SB2C Helldiver as both a rear gunner and photographer.

I had the pleasure of escorting Poppy last fall on an honor flight trip to visit the World War II Memorial, and he and I became friends.

When the Natural Resources Committee scheduled a hearing on this legislation, I invited Poppy to come testify before the committee, and he graciously accepted the offer and came out to testify at his own personal expense.

Here is a brief excerpt of Poppy's testimony at the hearing: ``I feel, with no doubt, that it would be appropriate that this prayer be inscribed in some manner at the World War II Memorial. Those reading this prayer will be able to recall the sacrifices made by our military, also those on the homefront. This prayer came at a perilous time, yet it was answered in victory at a dear cost of lives. Today, this prayer can pertain to any military action. Under present circumstances, it is also appropriate.''

Now, I don't think anybody or anyone in this body could be more succinct and articulate than Mr. Fowler, and I thank him again for coming to Washington to testify on behalf of this legislation and for being here for today's debate and final vote in the House.

Before I close, I also want to thank my fellow Ohioan, Chris Long, for his tireless efforts to gain support and momentum for this legislation. This legislation wouldn't be on the House floor today without Chris' efforts.

Like Poppy, I have no doubt that the prayer should be included among the tributes to the Greatest Generation memorialized on the National Mall, and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for their support. May I ask if the minority bill manager has any additional speakers? We do not.

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

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

I want to thank my friend, Mr. Sablan, and the Members for pursuing this important legislation. I rise on behalf of not just myself but of a now departed World War II combat veteran by the name of Frank J. Kucinich, Sr. He was proud to serve this country. He served in the Pacific theater. But all veterans come together to pay respect not only to those who served but to a President who on June 6, 1944, as the Nation was preparing for that D-day invasion, said the following, ``With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations, into a world unity that will spell a sure peace--a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.''

Those words by President Franklin Roosevelt, upon the occasion of D- day, June 6, 1944, should not only be inscribed--as my friend in his work will make sure of it, with the consent of this Congress--on a plaque for a suitable presence in the memorial, but should also be reflected upon on a daily basis to remind us of the sacrifices that people have made for this country and to remind us that the ultimate objective of those sacrifices is peace, peace within our Nation and peace among people around the world.

And so it is in that spirit of human unity and in recognition of the importance of this legislation that I ask all of our colleagues to join with us in approving it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2070 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to install at the World War II Memorial a plaque or inscription with the text of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's prayer on June 6, 1944--D-day. The committee considered this legislation in November. We have no objections.

I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) as much time as he may consume.

No, I don't, Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall No. 7, rollcall No. 8, and rollcall No. 9 on January 24, 2012, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H. Res. 516, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of a fiscal year 2013 Federal budget is of national importance. I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 2070. And I would have voted ``yea'' to instruct conferees to file a conference report on the Payroll Tax Cut no later than February 17, 2012.