John McHugh

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, today the United States stands as the world's only remaining superpower. Having won the cold war we set out to downsize our military and cut defense expenditures. As we continue this process, we must not forget those military retirees who, through their many years of service and dedication, helped secure our Nation's future. I fear that those who served during the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam eras, and who have since retired from the military, are being asked to bear unfairly the brunt of this downsizing process. The closing of bases throughout the country will leave many retirees without immediate access to DOD medical facilities. For example, the 1993 BRAC Commission's ill-advised closure of Plattsburgh Air Force Base will leave thousands of military retirees in upstate New York and in nearby Vermont without the services of the base hospital. Retirees over the age of 65 will be forced to rely on other, more costly, means to secure health care. Many people joined the military with the understanding that DOD would provide them with health care for life. If we renege on our commitment to these military retirees, it will only serve to harm future efforts to attract high-quality personnel. We cannot expect service members to make a long-term career out of the military if we continue to demonstrate that a promise made yesterday no longer counts today. Mr. Speaker, we have come to be a nation of strength by holding steadfast to our commitments and not by shirking our responsibilities. We did not do it in the past and we should not start now, especially when it comes to those men and women who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I believe that we must do whatever is in our means to ensure that these military retirees are not left to fend for themselves.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Palladium- Times, the community newspaper of Oswego County, NY, on its 150th anniversary as a daily. The newspaper traces its history to 1819, when the Oswego Palladium began as a weekly newspaper, and to 1845, when the Oswego Daily Advertiser began daily publication. Its other predecessor, the Oswego Times, interrupted its publication when its owners went off to fight the Civil War. As chance would have it, the Oswego Palladium and Oswego Times ended up on the same street in this city on the shores of Lake Ontario. However, when it became apparent that neither paper could thrive while competing in the marketplace, the two newspapers joined forces, and the Palladium-Times was created. Mr. Speaker, few endeavors are more significant to an informed community than local journalism. Freedom of the press is a vital part of our heritage, reflecting the strong belief that only when people have access to the facts and a discussion of the issues are they able to participate fully in the democratic process. History has shown that an independent and responsible press is essential to a free society, and the Oswego Palladium-Times, by demonstrating these qualities, has earned the trust and loyalty of its readers throughout its 150 years of service. The men and women of the Palladium-Times can take great pride in this accomplishment. I join the people of Oswego County, NY, in wishing the newspaper many more years of success in this enterprise so important to our democracy.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the men and women of the 10th Mountain Division--Light Infantry--at Forth Drum, NY. On February 16, I joined Defense Secretary William Perry and the Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John Shalikashvili at Fort Drum in a ceremony honoring members of the 10th for their accomplishments during Operation ``Uphold Democracy'' in Haiti. Mr. Speaker, on the same day the troops were honored at Fort Drum, the House of Representative took an important step in restoring U.S. defenses to the levels expected by the American people with passage of the National Security Revitalization Act. The commanders of that mission, Lt. Gen. Henry Shelton, who commands the 18th Airborne Corps and Maj. Gen. David Meade, who commands the 10th, are here in the Capitol today to provide our colleagues with briefings on that mission. Despite recent reductions and shortfalls in defense funding, we have deployed U.S. forces on more peacetime and humanitarian missions than ever before. The adaptability, motivation and high level of readiness have made the 10th Mountain Division a key player in many of these missions. It is appropriate that we salute them today as their commanders are here to provide us with the benefit of their experiences in assisting the restoration of democracy in Haiti.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the achievements of a distinguished journalist who has been covering Washington since the days of President Truman. This week, as we seek a new direction for Congress and the country, so too will a new voice guide the well known Gridiron Club. Alan S. Emory, Washington correspondent for the Watertown (New York) Daily Times, assumed the presidency of the Club January 1. He has been that newspaper's Washington correspondent since 1951. Gridiron is an organization of 60 journalists covering the Nation's Capital. They are well recognized for their annual gala dinner and musical spoof of politics, over which Mr. Emory will preside on March 25. Mr. Speaker, Alan Emory has crossed many notable milestones in his career--recipient of the Thomas L. Stokes prize for conservation reporting, election to the Society of Professional Journalists, President of its Washington Professional Chapter and member of the Chapter's Hall of Fame--but he is probably most gratified at his elevation to the presidency of Gridiron. He has twice been music chairman of their spring show, a producer ten times and always one of the Club's most prolific writer of lyrics. As a member since 1976 and most recently its vice president, he will be a most capable leader. Covering Washington politics for more than four decades, Mr. Emory is know as a journalist with the highest of standards. He can be tough on newsmakers but is as fair as they come. What public official could ask for more? And who better to be chief lampooner at the Gridiron? Mr. Speaker, I join his fourth estate colleagues, his family, particularly his beloved wife, Nancy, and his Capitol Hill friends in congratulating Mr. Emory on his assumption of the Gridiron Club presidency and look forward to his continuing successes through the new year.