To grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 324) to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R. 324, as amended, currently under consideration.

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

I rise today to seek swift approval of H.R. 324, a bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force in recognition of its superior service during World War II. The bill, introduced by my colleague from Florida (Mr. Miller), has 324 cosponsors, befitting the storied history of this unit.

Mr. Speaker, the bravery and valor of the Army Special Forces, more commonly known as the Green Berets, are well known to most Americans. But many don't realize that this unit was born out of the First Special Service Force and the courageous soldiers that fought with it during World War II. The award of the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their heroic service will help ensure that this unit attains the historical recognition it deserves.

Formed in 1942 to take on the hardest jobs in the most adverse conditions, the First Special Service Force was composed of American and Canadian soldiers. The unit fought bravely in the Italian Apennine Mountains against elite German units--the 104th Panzer Grenadiers and the Hermann Goering Paratroops--who were defending Hitler's Gustav Line south of Rome. They defeated German forces at Monte La Difensa after fighting south of the center of the line at Monte Cassino and participated in the successful assault of Monte La Remetanea and several nearby mountains. Sadly, of the 1,800 of the First Special Service Forces fighting soldiers and their 800 support troops, there were 2,300 casualties suffered in the 250 combat days before the unit was disbanded in December of 1944.

Mr. Speaker, the men of the Special Forces fought with their faces blackened by their own boot polish. They were so feared that the Nazi defenders called them the Black Devils and the unit took that name as its own, calling itself the Devil's Brigade. Proud of their strength and bravery, Special Forces soldiers left cards with their patch insignia and the phrase ``The Worst is Yet to Come'' on corpses in enemy territory.

Following World War II, a permanent elite unit was formed based on the experiences of the Special Forces and OSS operatives during the war. Today, that unit has evolved into the Army's Green Berets and a similar unit in Canada, the Special Operations Regiment.

Today, we hear stories of brave men and women in uniform defending freedom around the world. I've seen some of this awe-inspiring bravery firsthand in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a soldier myself. But as we hail our soldiers of today, let us remember the heroism and bravery of the Greatest Generation during World War II. This legislation authorizes the striking and award of a single gold medal that will go to the First Special Service Force Association in Helena, Montana, the original training site of the First Special Force, and the sale of bronze duplicates of that medal.

I ask for immediate passage of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on

House Administration,

Washington, DC, May 20, 2013.

Hon. Jeb Hensarling,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Rayburn House

Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Hensarling: I write to you concerning the

jurisdictional interest of the Committee on House

Administration in H.R. 324, to grant the Congressional Gold

Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force in

recognition of its superior service during World War II. The

bill, as introduced in the House on January 18, 2013,

contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the

Committee on House Administration.

I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this

legislation before the House in an expeditious manner, and

accordingly, I will waive Committee consideration of

provisions that fall within the Committee's jurisdiction.

However, agreeing to waive jurisdiction over these amendments

should not be construed as waiving, reducing, or affecting

the jurisdiction of the Committee on House Administration.

Additionally, the Committee on House Administration

expressly reserves its authority to seek conferees on any

provision within its jurisdiction during any House-Senate

conference that may be convened on this, or any similar

legislation. I ask for your commitment to support any request

by the Committee for conferees on H.R. 324 for provisions

within the Committee's jurisdiction.

I ask that a copy of this letter and your response be

placed in the Congressional Record during any floor

consideration of H.R. 324.

I look forward to working with you on matters of mutual

concern.

Sincerely,

Candice S. Miller,

Chairman.

I appreciate that reference to John 15:13, ``Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.'' Certainly, many members of the Devil's Brigade did that, as they do today in our Special Forces.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), the sponsor of this legislation.

I yield myself the balance of my time.

I join my colleagues, the gentleman from Georgia and the gentleman from Florida, in urging unanimous passage of this very important legislation the week before Memorial Day to honor the Devil's Brigade.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I also thank my friend, Mr. Scott, for his kind words. I also want to thank Chairman Hensarling and Ranking Member Waters and Subcommittee Chairman Campbell, with his Ranking Member Clay, all the members of the Financial Services Committee and the House leadership for their support in bringing to the floor here today H.R. 324. It is a bill that grants the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the First Special Service Force.

I also want to thank the members of the First Special Service Force Association, specifically Mr. Bill Woon for his advocacy, and for the association's efforts in continuing to spread the inspirational story of a truly heroic group of American and Canadian servicemen.

I would be remiss not to thank Congressman Al Green of Texas and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida for encouraging support from their caucus members for this broad bipartisan piece of legislation, and the 324 Members of this body who have cosponsored the bill.

I join my colleagues today in support of a bill that bestows upon the First Special Service Force the Congressional Gold Medal. It's Congress' highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievement and contributions for their superior service during World War II.

The First Special Service Force was a covert World War II military unit born through the efforts of President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Force conducted ultrahigh-risk military missions in Italy and in France. Once sent into action, the First Special Service Force never failed a combat mission.

The First Special Service Force achieved remarkable success in battle and contributed prominently in the liberation of Italy and France. Most notably, the Force conducted battles south of Cassino, including Monte La Difensa and Monte Majo, two mountain peaks critical to the German defensive line.

During the night of December 3, 1943, the Force ascended to the top of the precipitous face of Monte La Difensa, where the Force suffered heavy casualties and overcame fierce resistance to overtake the German line.

The First Special Service Force lost a total of 2,314 men, which was 134 percent of the original combat force. These heroic servicemen represent the breadth of intrepidity and courage, and they have earned our country's deepest gratitude and highest praise.

Though many of the brave troops of the First Special Service Force have been lost to us, this gold medal is an important step in immortalizing their service and honoring the forefathers of today's Special Forces.

With just 6 days remaining until Memorial Day, I cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor the heroism and sacrifice of the warriors of the First Special Service Force, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

To all of the men and women who have guarded our great Nation in the name of protecting and defending liberty that we hold so dear, we say thank you. And to all of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, may you forever remain in our hearts and in our prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House of Representatives that on May 21, 2013, I was unable to participate in three recorded votes due to my participation, along with the entire Oklahoma delegation, in a tour of tornado affected areas in and around Moore, Oklahoma.

I wish to submit for the record a summary of these bills, as well as statement on how I would have voted on each had I been present. I would also like to note that these are the only votes I have missed so far as a Member of Congress.

H.R. 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2013, passed the House by a vote of 416-0. Had I been present, I would have voted for H.R. 1412. The bill incentivizes private sector companies to participate in Veterans Administration (VA) on-the-job-training (OJT) training programs by reducing the level of employer contributions. It also requires the VA to enter into OJT agreements with other federal departments and agencies, which will encourage the federal government to hire veterans by fully leveraging available authorities. Finally, H.R. 1412 offsets any additional costs by extending for one month the VA's authority to pay reduced pensions to veterans using Medicaid- approved nursing facilities. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R. 1412 would reduce direct spending about $14 million from FY14-FY18 and produce an ``insignificant effect on discretionary spending.''

H.R. 1344, the Helping Heroes Fly Act, passed the House by a vote of 413-0. Had I been present, I would have voted for this bill. H.R. 1344 directs the Department of Defense to develop processes to expedite airport screening for severely injured and disabled service members and veterans.

H.R. 324, to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II, passed the House by a vote of 415-0. I co- sponsored this bill and I would have voted for it had I been present. The bill authorizes two Congressional Gold Medals for the First Special Service Force, a joint Canadian-U.S. special operations unit that served with distinction during WWII. The First Special Service Force was the precursor unit for both the U.S. and Canadian Special Operations forces.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 324 and that the Senate proceed to that measure.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

I rise today to give great support for

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I'll just take this opportunity to join all of us in the Congress of the United States to salute the First Special Service Force for the outstanding work that they have done.

I urge unanimous passage on this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.