Nancy Boyda

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Again, Madam Chairman, I would just reiterate that the people of Leavenworth County, Kansas, are proudly working hard to raise $2 million of private funds. And I stand before this body today and am proud to say that $100,000 will go to this. And, again, I am very proud to do this on behalf of Leavenworth County, Kansas, and invite everyone to come see the rich tradition that makes Leavenworth County a great place. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. I rise in opposition.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. First of all, Mr. Flake, I would certainly like to just say thank you so much for this opportunity. I've had a lot of people on both sides of the aisle say that this whole thing is a complete waste of time. And I personally just want to thank you for the opportunity to stand up and talk about Leavenworth County, Kansas. We don't get that opportunity enough. Actually we have many prisons. We probably have more prisons in Leavenworth County, Kansas, than any other county in the United States. Let me tell you about three of them. Lansing, which is in Leavenworth County, hosts and houses the Kansas State correctional facility for the entire State. Then, of course, we have the United States penitentiary. It is an historic penitentiary, has got some names of people who have been housed there: George ``Machine Gun'' Kelly; the NFL running back Bam Morris; Leonard Peltier; Fritz Duquesne, a Nazi spy; and Robert Stroud, who later became the Birdman of Alcatraz. So it has a huge history there. But it currently still houses close to 2,000 prisoners for the United States Government, Mr. Flake. Then let me tell you about the detention barracks, which is part of Fort Leavenworth. Actually, for the first time in, say, 50 years, a unit from Fort Leavenworth was actually sent to Iraq because they were so expert in detentions and in handling these kinds of extremely difficult and sensitive issues that they went to Iraq to try to clean up some of the mess that was made by some of the detention problems. So, Mr. Flake, I would just say to you that I don't think this is a joking manner in any way, shape, or form. It is very easy for you to go tell the people of Arizona that you are tough on crime. But let me say that it is a very difficult thing to do, and we take a great deal of pride about it in Kansas. It does take a lot more than talk to say that you are tough on crime. The local residents are proud of their heritage and rightly so, and they see it as part of their responsibility to preserve this history. Let me talk about what they are doing. They are raising $2 million of private funds for this. So I am proud. And, again, I just thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about this. We are asking for $100,000 to add to this museum. But let me talk about one other thing. Mr. Flake, I don't know if you understand this.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Chairman, real life corrections work is sometimes dangerous, and it involves loss of life and injury. This memorial, this museum, will actually be a memorial to those fallen who have, again, at the U.S. penitentiary as well as our State, as well as our fort, and the detention barracks that are there, this memorial will offer an appropriate tribute to the sacrifices that these people have made. So, again, it is very, very easy to say that we are tough on crime. The men and women who do the corrections work in Leavenworth County, Kansas, understand that it takes a heck of a lot more than talk to get behind this and be tough on crime to be able to do what we know needs to be done in this country. Again, I am glad to have the opportunity to stand up here. Leavenworth County has a rich tradition. We were part of the border wars when it came to the settling of one of the biggest issues in this country about slavery. We have the United States penitentiary, which is just so intense in its history. We have the Leavenworth, which has played a huge role in keeping our country safe. So I appreciate this. We would like as many people to come. This is going to be a tourist attraction, and we are inviting as many people as we can to Leavenworth County, Kansas, while we are building this museum and certainly as well as after it is built. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into a colloquy with my colleague from Kansas, Ranking Member Tiahrt, and Chairman Dicks. Mr. Chairman, I would like to bring to light an issue of great importance to southeast Kansas, and I think we have a visual down here that we can point to in a minute. Treece, Kansas, is a small town of about 150 people. It is part of the Tri-State mining district of southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas and northwest Oklahoma, producing lead, zinc and coal. Much of the lead and zinc that was used in ammunition and equipment to win World War II came from this area. However, this mining has led to incredible environmental problems, to include significant subsidence and health problems from chat piles, otherwise known as mining waste. The photograph that we have here on the easel, those are the chat piles we are talking about. This problem has been under study for years. In 2004, Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma arranged for the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a subsidence risk study for northern Oklahoma towns similar to Treece. The results of this study lead to a voluntary buyout program allowing Picher, Oklahoma, residents to move. The Kansas Geological Survey did a stability study and hazard evaluation of southeast Kansas mining areas in 1983. The report indicated that Treece is ``located within the Picher field and is surrounded on all sides by abandoned mine workings and is extensively undermined.'' In a letter to me dated March 30 of this year from the EPA in D.C., they note that, ``The Treece sub-site is part of the former Picher mining field centered near the town of Picher, Oklahoma.'' In fact, Treece was originally platted as part of Picher, Oklahoma. It sits right on the Kansas-Oklahoma border and is separated from the town of Picher only by a political boundary. Treece receives its electricity and emergency services from Picher, Oklahoma. The geology of Treece and mining techniques that were used are the same as in Picher. In fact, and this is the point I would like to make, Treece, Kansas, and Picher, Oklahoma, are in fact the same minefield. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make two points: First, if we must, we will ask the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study similar to the one done in Picher. But we should not have to. The Treece community should be treated the same as Picher. Second, while Treece is designated as part of the EPA Superfund site, EPA has yet to approve a request for funding that would remove the chat from Treece and other sites along the Kansas-Oklahoma border. This requested funding would allow removal of this dangerous material over a 10-year period. Addressing both of these issues for the good people of Treece, Kansas, is long overdue, and we certainly appreciate this committee's attention.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I would say thank you to both of the gentlemen. The good people of Treece are very deeply appreciative.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to share a couple of freshman stories here. I am one of the new kids. And when I campaigned, I actually campaigned for 3 years. And you can image what I heard about veterans issues. It was about access mainly. Our veterans hospitals in Kansas are good, but they only had a certain amount of money, and getting access, waiting times, waiting lines was just a tremendous problem. So when I got here, I went to Chairman Filner's office with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, and I said, listen, I need to know what we're going to do for veterans, what's going to happen. And listen, I want to know the truth. Don't tell me something. Don't let me go home to Kansas and then come back and not be truthful. He said, Mrs. Boyda, we are going to take care of our veterans. And then when we did our first continuing resolution and put $3.5 billion immediately into that pipeline, I heard something that I just absolutely couldn't believe, and that was someone who said, that's just a down payment. So I actually began to have faith that people in Congress do what they promise to do. Let me tell you another quick story, too, and that was when I spoke with Chairman Edwards and he was telling me about what was going on, because I have been a tireless advocate for this. He said, Nancy, we're going to get this done, and we are going to do an historic funding for this, and we're going to get that done by June. And then the next thing we're going to do is spend the next 6 months on oversight because we have to make sure that those funds are used in a way that makes a difference to our veterans, and we have to make sure that every cent of that that we have appropriated we can do the best we can to make sure that those funds are used appropriately. So I am thrilled to be here with the new Democratic majority that is keeping its word to veterans, and saying that we're not only funding, but I believe that we will go and do the oversight that's needed to make sure those funds are used for the best benefit of our veterans. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today dismayed by the Department of Transportation's decision to rush dangerous Mexican trucks onto American roads. In the last month, this House voted twice to impose severe restraints on any cross-border trucking program. Three weeks ago, we passed my Safe American Roads Act by an overwhelming, bipartisan 411-3 margin. The supplemental appropriations bill included similar language. It passed both Houses, and it was signed into law by the President of the United States. But although we have twice loudly and unambiguously rebuked the Department of Transportation, they are simply ignoring the American people. On Friday, they announced plans to launch a cross-border pilot program anyway, in clear violation of both Houses and the will of the American people. Their actions are deceptive, and they are intolerable. The people's House cannot be sidestepped through bureaucratic trickery. I urge the DOT to put the brakes on this profoundly undemocratic course of action. The safety of our highways is at stake.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 433, I was meeting with constituents in the Rayburn Room. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, last November, voters charged a new congressional majority with a clear mandate: End the scandals and clean up Congress. At first, we embraced the voters' charge. The Democratic majority passed an ethics reform package that banned Members from accepting gifts from lobbyists, we blocked Representatives from flying on corporate jets, and we prevented Congressmen from pressuring private businesses to hire or fire for political reasons. Now the time has come for another step, and our actions in the next days will determine the strength of our resolve. Did we mean it last November when we said we would change Congress, or were our words just mere election-year slogans? If we meant what we said, then it is clear what must happen next. First, the House Ethics Committee must launch investigations into public reports of congressional corruption, including accusations that Mr. William Jefferson committed crimes such as racketeering, soliciting bribes and money laundering. This committee must investigate. No excuses and no delays. And if the Ethics Committee proves unable to complete this, its most basic responsibility, then Congress must create a more independent Ethics Committee, capable of the initiative and oversight that the American people deserve. But that isn't enough. Although Mr. Jefferson should and must enjoy the presumption of innocence granted to all American defendants, as a Member of Congress he has a special pact with the American people. If Mr. Jefferson left Congress today, if he were to resign today, as I know many of us wish that he would, then tomorrow he will begin drawing a Federal pension for his service in Congress. According to the National Taxpayers Union, that pension will exceed $40,000 a year. This, and I mean this word literally, is an outrage. Taxpayers should not fund the pensions of Members of Congress who had to resign or have resigned in disgrace, and Congress has the responsibility to end this state of affairs. We must strip the pensions of any Member of Congress who commits a major Federal crime while in office. I offered a bill, the Pensions Forfeiture Act, to do precisely that, and it passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. A similar bill has passed the Senate, and now it must be sent to the floor as a reconciled bill that we can finally send to the President. Let's not permit committee delays or needless procedure to interfere one more day with real, meaningful ethics reform. Let's pass the Pensions Forfeiture Act into law, and, what's more, let's end the revolving door. Let's establish an independent ethics commission, and let's begin to rebuild the trust of the American people.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, last month my congressional office was flooded with letters asking me to cosponsor the National Eosinophil Awareness Week Resolution. All of these heartfelt notes, as it turned out, were authored by the family and friends of an 11-year-old girl who lives in my district, Jessica Seidel. Jessica and her mother are here with us today. Jessica suffers from a rare eosinophil disorder that causes her body to mistake common proteins as foreign bodies. The disorder makes Jessica's life very hard. Only last week, she had to move out of her house because her basement flooded, rendering the house unliveable for her. Despite these challenges, Jessica remains a remarkable girl. She is visiting me here in Washington today, and I am impressed by her poise and her courage. I am very pleased that on Monday, the House unanimously approved the Eosinophil Awareness Week Resolution. Our vote was meaningful and it was important, not only to Jessica and her family and friends, but to every sufferer of an eosinophilic disorder across the United States.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Thank you, Chairman DeFazio. I certainly appreciate your support. This is a tremendously huge issue in my district. People want to know that Congress is out there making our roads safe. I have two children and went back and forth on I-70 between Kansas City and St. Louis for years with two little kids. The truck traffic is amazingly dense. We spent years encouraging truck safety and spending billions of dollars on safety and environmental standards, and it just does not make any sense to now watch that be reversed. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation has unveiled a pilot program that will permit poorly regulated Mexican traffic onto American highways. In its present form, the DOT proposal exhibits reckless disregard for America's road safety, not to mention our border security and our economic interests. Under current law, trucks registered in Mexico can drive only within a narrow border zone in the United States before cargos are transferred to an American vehicle. This system not only protects U.S. highways from unsafe Mexican traffic, but it prevents drug smuggling and illegal immigration, and it safeguards American transportation jobs. But the DOT intends to halt this very sensible system. Under their pilot program, Mexican-domiciled trucks could penetrate far into the American heartland. The traditional safety standards required for vehicles on American roads, such as frequent safety inspections, limits on the number of hours driven in a day, drug testing and criminal background checks for drivers hauling hazardous materials, either would not be applied or would be weakly enforced. Mexico certainly does not have a system right now for keeping these kinds of records in place. It's ridiculous for us to consider that they will be able to enforce these regulations in any way that comes up to our standards. Again, let me say that our trucking industry has spent so much money getting our trucks, making them safer and so much to bring them up to environmental standards, it's just crazy to now say that we are going to bring in trucks that do not have to meet those same standards. If the DOT pilot program proceeds as planned, drivers in Kansas and all across America will soon share their roads with unsafe Mexican trucks. The flood of foreign traffic will inevitably rise, result in collisions, injuries and even fatalities. I introduced the bill now under consideration, the Safe American Roads Act of 2007, to rein in the Department of Transportation. The bill requires the cross-border pilot program to comply with 22 specific strict safety criteria. It creates an independent review panel to monitor and evaluate the pilot program after it launches, and it provides that the program can be terminated at any point if the Secretary of Transportation does not comply with all of these provisions. By decisively approving the Safe American Roads Act, Congress can protect the millions of American families who drive our highways every day. I'd also like to thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairman DeFazio for their assistance and support, and I certainly urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 344, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Chairman, I appreciate the Chairman's willingness to highlight the potential cost savings to the Nation through the research and commercialization of plastics technology utilizing renewable energy sources for common plastics applications. I hope that the Director of the National Institute of Technology will give attention to the collaborative efforts between universities and small and medium-sized businesses in the development of economical methods of manufacturing common plastic items from renewable energy sources. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2007, passed yesterday by this House by an overwhelming margin. Small businesses are critical to the Kansas and American economies. They create jobs, they keep wealth in our local communities, and they spur innovation. But in order to succeed, small businesses need ready access to startup capital and financial services. The Small Business Association's 7(a) loans have helped tremendously. Last year alone, 757 Kansas businesses received $104 million through the 7(a) program. The Small Business Lending Improvements Act will increase the accessibility of small business loans, helping to drive the Kansas economy forward. I especially support its provisions benefiting the rural lenders that serve so many entrepreneurs in my district. I was pleased to vote for this important and innovative bill.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, in the late 1980s, a Topeka couple, Clifford and Phyllis Oshel, welcomed a foster child into their homes and into their hearts. For 2 years, they provided shelter, food, and, more importantly, caring. Through their patient guidance, they led that child from a time of crisis to what he now calls ``the best years of my life.'' That child's name was Kevin Surbagh. Ever since he left the Oshels' house, he has worked to repay his debt of gratitude. For 17 years, he has fought tirelessly for a national day of recognition for foster parents, one day of the year, just one day, to honor their contributions, and to respect their sacrifices. Soon after I was sworn into Congress, Kevin approached my office and told me about his mission. At Kevin's urging, I now submit for your consideration the National Foster Parents Day resolution. I ask you to join me in saying thank you, not only to Clifford and Phyllis Oshel, but to the hundreds of thousands of foster parents across our great Nation. When I think back to the support I received from my mom and dad, I recognize the crucial role of our parents. My mom set me on the path that has led me to Congress today. She taught me my faith. She taught me to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. She taught me to speak to everyone in a room no matter what their role or position. She also taught me never to wear white shoes after Labor Day. All of her words of wisdom led me to where I am today. In a perfect world, every child's biological parents would play the role that my parents played for me. But sometimes a family can't provide a safe, supportive, sufficient home. When tragedy strikes or turmoil rips a family apart, children are left dislocated and need a new place to call home, at least for a while. Because many of these kids grew up in unstable households, some suffer emotional disturbances. Some are grieving the loss of their parents. All have endured more than any child should and all deserve a caring and supportive family. Today, over 500,000 American children still need a temporary home, a foster home. Today, 380,000 have found one, thanks to foster parents. To the foster parents in Kansas and throughout America, today's vote in Congress is our way of honoring your efforts. You are deeply appreciated, and your contribution doesn't go unnoticed. I hope that our vote is more than symbolic, that it encourages more families to open their homes to foster children. Caring for a foster child is one of the greatest challenges that you'll ever face, but the reward is immense. You'll help a little girl piece her life back together. You'll help a little boy feel safe and loved. You'll earn the respect of your community, your country, and of this Congress.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Chairman, on rollcall No. 210, I missed this vote because I was meeting with constituents from Kansas. I arrived moments after the vote was closed. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, yesterday I was thrilled to join four distinguished members of the House Armed Services Committee--Ms. Davis, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Conaway, and our esteemed chairman, Mr. Skelton--on a tour of Fort Riley. I am proud to represent Fort Riley in Congress, and my pride only grew as I saw the professionalism and patriotism of Fort Riley's troops. Fort Riley is charged with training Military Training Teams-- small groups of American soldiers who recruit, organize, and train Iraqi forces to take charge of their nation's security. Fort Riley goes to tremendous lengths to prepare soldiers for their tours in Iraq. The fort runs complex simulations of battle conditions-- they engage actors to portray Arab citizens; they encourage soldiers to behave throughout their training as though they are already in Iraq. For transition teams at Fort Riley, the war begins months before they leave American soil. Their war will continue through twelve months of hazardous, exhausting deployment in Iraq. And even when they return home, their war will continue still. Many will bear the scars of the Iraq war--both physical and mental--for a lifetime. Just as Fort Riley has recognized that we cannot drop soldiers into a war zone without adequate preparation, this Congress must realize that we cannot abandon soldiers upon their return to America. We owe veterans nothing less than a lifetime of support. Abraham Lincoln understood this concept when he charged America ``to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.'' It is time that this Congress meet our obligation. I was proud in January to support a continuing resolution that increased VA funding by $3.4 billion. Last week this House passed a supplemental bill that provided a further $1.7 billion. These increases were meaningful and long-overdue--but our support must not waver now. The Budget Committee has provided superb leadership toward that end. The Committee proposed a fiscally responsible, comprehensive 2008 budget that includes a $6.6 billion increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Their approach has earned praise from AMVETS, the Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. I urge my colleagues to follow the Budget Committee's lead. No one can doubt that every Member of this esteemed body supports America's veterans. The only question is whether we will demonstrate our support using the most powerful tool at our disposal: the federal budget. I urge you to turn words of support for veterans into action, to transform sentiment into financing. Please vote for full funding of the VA.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, thanks to long contributions of our soldiers and our veterans, America has amassed the most powerful military in the history of mankind. It is so powerful that we can almost imagine its resources are infinite. But they are not. They are limited, and due to the ever-expanding, ever-deteriorating war in Iraq, they are stretched dangerously thin. Our soldiers and their families will never complain, but that is why we must speak for them. We must ask--no, demand--that they have the equipment, training and support they need to succeed. And today, they do not. Since the Iraq war began in 2003, the Army has lost nearly 2,000 wheeled vehicles and more than 100 armored vehicles. Almost half of the U.S. Army's entire supply of ground equipment is now deployed in the Middle East. The constant demands of combat and the treacherous terrain are wearing out equipment at up to nine times the usual rate. America's military is overburdened, and now our nation must seriously discuss how best to deploy our depleted forces against the dangers of our day. In this age when we face so many perils, from sinister terrorists to an unstable North Korea to a belligerent Iran, do we truly want to devote so many precious resources to an open-ended Iraq war? Or has the time come to, responsibly and conscientiously, hold the Iraqi government responsible for its own stability? Congress has the duty to demand from President Bush an unambiguous way forward. We should not dictate strategy, but we can and we must require the president to offer a plan to end the Iraq war and rebuild our strategic readiness. Congress and the American people will no longer tolerate an unending war. There must be real progress, sooner rather than later. And if the president and the Iraqi leadership cannot deliver, we must redeploy our troops. I believe, to the core of my being, that our strategic readiness cannot survive an endless conflict in Iraq. We must make these important decisions based on the reality of the situation, not or where we wish we were. And so, in order to preserve the strength of the American armed forces and hold President Bush accountable, I am supporting the Iraq Accountability Act. I urge my colleagues to do the same. If they refuse to do so, if they cast their ballots for a stay- the-course strategy, then they are telling President Bush that everything is fine in Iraq--that it is OK to stretch our military to the breaking point. And that's just not right.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, thanks to the long contributions of our soldiers and our veterans, America has amassed the most powerful military in the history of mankind. It is so powerful that we almost cannot imagine, we can almost imagine its resources are infinite, but they are not. They are limited, and due to the ever-expanding, ever-deteriorating war in Iraq, they are stretched dangerously thin. Our soldiers and our families, they will never complain, and that is why we must speak for them. We must ask, no, we must demand, that they have the equipment, the training and the support that they need to succeed, and today they do not. Since the Iraq war began in 2003, the Army has lost nearly 2,000 wheeled vehicles and more than 100 armored vehicles. Almost half of the U.S. Army's entire supply of ground equipment is now deployed in the Middle East. The constant demands of combat and the treacherous terrain are wearing out equipment at up to nine times the usual rate. America's military is overburdened, and now our Nation must seriously discuss how to best deploy our depleted forces against the dangers of our day.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 42) honoring the heroic service and sacrifice of the 6,500 glider pilots of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, as amended.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam 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.

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 42, which honors the heroic service of glider pilots of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. I would like to commend the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) for bringing this measure forward. The resolution recognizes the more than 20,000 individuals who volunteered and were trained to serve as glider pilots during World War II. These brave men served alongside airborne forces and participated in many of the major invasions: Sicily, Burma, the Battle of Normandy, France, Holland, Germany, the Philippines, and the Battle of the Bulge. These unarmed gliders landed behind enemy lines transporting vital troops and equipment to support the Allied Forces. Major General Henry ``Hap'' Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Corps, directed the development of a transport glider program, and the United States military glider program officially began on February 25, 1941. These gliders provided the Army Air Corps with a unique ability to transport soldiers and equipment that could not be reached by conventional ground units. By the end of 1942, the Army Air Force had graduated a total of 9,802 glider pilots. Within just 3 years, the United States had 21,240 military glider pilots available, according to the Army Air Forces Statistical Digest of World War II. Less than 3 years after the first graduating class of glider pilots had finished their training, these fearless pilots flew numerous combat teams into France on D-Day. Gliders transported 12 to 15 fully equipped soldiers and four portable machine guns with 500 rounds of ammunition for each gun. Unfortunately, the American military glider pilots are a vanishing breed. The Department of Defense ended the military glider program in 1952. Today, we are here to honor these daring and fearless World War II glider pilots for their services and sacrifices and to urge all Americans to remember the significant contribution that they made on behalf of our Nation. Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.