Admiral Lloyd R. "Joe" Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Display Establishment Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to send my warmest aloha to Admiral Lloyd R. ``Joe'' Vasey who turned 101 years old on January 31, 2018.

Admiral Vasey was born on January 31, 1917 to Commander R.C. Vasey, USN, and Mabel Anderson Vasey in Vallejo, California. A graduate of Belmont High School in Los Angeles, California, he was an Apprentice Seaman in the U.S. Naval Reserves in Los Angeles when he secured an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Admiral Vasey subsequently received a Master of Arts from Stanford University and an honorary Doctorate from the University of Hawaii.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Vasey joined the Navy's submarine service. During World War II, he served aboard the USS Gunnel where, in his own words:

After successfully attacking a convoy of enemy ships in

theYellow Sea between Korea and Japan, the American submarine

USS Gunnel was worked over by Japanese anti-submarine

warships during a 36-hour ordeal, with explosions from depth

bombs periodically jolting the submarine severely.

After surfacing at midpoint during darkness to replenish

the foul air, Gunnel was sighted and attacked by gunfire from

the three warships. While submerging again, Gunnel torpedoed

one of the three warships which was rapidly closing at close

range. Several hours later with depleted air and battery

power and no other option but to surface, the Commanding

Officer, Lieut. Commander John S. McCain, Jr., USN, called

his officers together and all agreed to fight it out in a

surface gun battle with the enemy warships rather than

surrender.

While climbing the 22 foot vertical ladder to the bridge

hatch while surfacing, Vasey thought to himself ``there has

to be better ways to resolve international disputes'' and he

vowed that if he survived, he would one day strive to do

something about it.

In 1972, Admiral Vasey retired from the U.S. Navy after serving as chief strategist (J-5) under Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., then Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. In 1975, in support of his initiative to identify better ways to resolve international disputes, Admiral Vasey sought to establish a forum in the Pacific under the auspices of the private sector for a continuing trans-Pacific dialogue and consultation among the developing and developed countries of the Pacific area. Later that year, the ``Pacific Forum'' was formally incorporated as a non-profit think tank and Admiral Vasey toured the Pacific seeking support for the forum. Over the next 14 years, Pacific Forum was instrumental in proactively identifying emerging issues and facilitating dialogue between and among U.S. officials and Asian leaders. In 1989, Pacific Forum merged with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), one of the nation's most influential foreign policy think tanks.

Admiral Vasey retired from Pacific Forum CSIS in 1990, and today he still serves as a Senior Adviser for Policy and Vice Chairman

of the Pacific Forum. Admiral Vasey is truly a shining example of''the greatest generation.''

Although Admiral Vasey accomplished more than most in life, his work to remind us of our past in order to inform our future remains unfulfilled. For years, Admiral Vasey has advocated for the establishment of a memorial at Pearl Harbor to honor service members who lost their lives throughout the Pacific during World War II. In his words:

There is no recognition of the brave Americans who were

lost in the Pacific War . . . They are resting on the bottom

of the Pacific Ocean somewhere, or their remains are

scattered across the South Pacific islands. We need to honor

them, and their families need a place to mourn.

From 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, through

1945, our nation suffered over 150,000 casualties in the

Pacific.

Last year, Congressman Rob Bishop and I introduced H.R. 4300, the Admiral Lloyd ``Joe'' Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Display Act, which would realize Admiral Vasey's vision. This bill would establish a Pacific War memorial at Pearl Harbor, nearby the USS Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri. H.R. 4300 passed the House a few weeks after introduction by unanimous consent with 89 bipartisan cosponsors. It is my hope the Senate passes H.R. 4300 very soon.

Admiral Vasey's endless patriotism, devotion to duty, and desire to promote peace continue to be an example for us all. Happy 101st birthday, Admiral Vasey, and may you continue to have fair winds and following seas.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Hawaii and the veterans of the Pacific war, I speak today in support of H.R. 4300, the Admiral Lloyd R. ``Joe'' Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Display Establishment Act, which will establish a Pacific war memorial at Pearl Harbor.

Pacific Historic Parks, a nonprofit organization based in Honolulu, will design and build the memorial in coordination with the National Park Service. The project will not require Federal funds, and I am grateful for their partnership.

My sincere thanks to my friends and colleagues, Congressman Rob Bishop, for joining me in introduction of this bill, and working with Ranking Member Raul Grijalva to ensure its swift consideration by the Natural Resources Committee.

``Thank you,'' ``mahalo,'' to our over 990 cosponsors who built bipartisan support for this measure. I understand it will pass by unanimous consent later today.

Seventy-six years ago today, Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, pulling our country into World War II in the Pacific. The Pacific Theater was the scene of fierce fighting, and more than 150,000 U.S. casualties on the Philippines, Guam, the Solomon Islands, and many places in-between.

Brave Americans lost their lives in defense of our Nation. Today, at Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona symbolizes the start of the war, and the USS Missouri marks its conclusion. But there is no memorial recognizing the experiences and sacrifices of those who fought in the Pacific.

Admiral Vasey served on the USS Gunnel during the Pacific war, and it is his vision that we are realizing with this memorial. After fighting for his country, he dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition to his service in the U.S. Navy, he founded the Pacific Forum Center for Strategic and International Studies--CSIS. Admiral Vasey served as the Senior Adviser for Policy, Pacific Forum CSIS; the former chief of strategic plans and policies for the U.S. Pacific Command; and the Secretary to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Admiral Vasey is 100 years old, and he will turn 101 on January 31, 2018. He carries with him the memories of those lost in combat and the honor and responsibility of the veterans who survived. Hopefully, with passage of H.R. 4300, Admiral Vasey and the remaining survivors will find some peace, knowing that the fallen soldiers will be properly honored and future generations will visit the memorial and learn of the battles that they fought.

We must share their stories of sacrifices in the hopes that we prevent future generations from waging war and participating in the historical racism that resulted in the internment of Japanese Americans, including both of my grandfathers.

This spirit of American history must not be forgotten. The lessons were hard, but they helped shape a better nation. This country owes Admiral Vasey and the members of the Greatest Generation a heartfelt ``thank-you,'' ``mahalo.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4300) to authorize Pacific Historic Parks to establish a commemorative display to honor members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 360, H.R. 4300.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.