CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E1314 HON. VAN HILLEARY HON. JOHN B. LARSON HON. JAMES E. ROGAN HON. DENNIS J
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E1314 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks July 25, 2000 though the number of small business export- is why it is the spirit of all who know and love The 100th anniversary of the Cromwell Chil- ers tripled, they form less than one percent of her that I wish to congratulate Mrs. Sapp on dren's Home is an appropriate occasion to es- all small business in the United States. Even her one-hundredth birthday celebration. tablish and maintain a memorial to John Rus- among these cutting-edge firms, nearly two- f sell Bergendahl at the place where he made thirds of small business exporters sold to just his home for most of his brief life. This memo- one foreign market in 1997. In fact, 76 percent RECOGNIZING JOHN RUSSELL rial is a tribute to his courage and bravery, of small business exporters sold less than BERGENDAHL AND THE CROM- and also recognizes the contribution of the $250,000 worth of goods abroad. In other WELL CHILDREN'S HOME'S 100TH Cromwell Children's Home and the many dedi- words, these are ``casual'' exporters. The key ANNIVERSARY cated staff members to the lives of children, is to encourage more small businesses to such as John Russell Bergendahl, during their enter the trade arena and then to prod ``Cas- HON. JOHN B. LARSON 100 years of service. Therefore, I urge my col- ual'' small business exporters into becoming OF CONNECTICUT leagues to join with me in this tribute to re- more active. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES member the life of John Russell Bergendahl. Increasing the availability of export finance Tuesday, July 25, 2000 f can help achieve this goal. I urge my col- leagues to join me in supporting the Export Mr. LARSON. Mr. Speaker, today I recog- PERSONAL EXPLANATION Working Capital Loan Improvement Act of nize a true World War II hero, John Russell 2000. Bergendahl. For most of his brief life, Mr. HON. JAMES E. ROGAN Bergendahl was a resident at the Cromwell f OF CALIFORNIA Children's Home in my district, which is cele- HONORING MINNIE ELIZABETH brating its 100th anniversary this year. He IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SAPP lived at the Home until his graduation from Tuesday, July 25, 2000 Middletown High School, and this year his Mr. ROGAN. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately HON. VAN HILLEARY classmates are holding their 60th class re- missed rollcall No. 429, a vote to suspend the OF TENNESSEE union in his honor. rules and pass H.R. 4700, a bill to grant the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES While his unique role and his supreme sac- consent of Congress to the Kansas and Mis- rifice on D-Day are paramount in this recogni- Tuesday, July 25, 2000 souri Metropolitan Culture District Compact. tion, it is also important to emphasize the ex- Had I been present, I would have voted in the Mr. HILLEARY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great ample Mr. Bergendahl provided to so many of affirmative. joy that I honor Minnie Elizabeth Sapp, who his peers as a friend, a serious academic stu- f recently celebrated her one-hundredth birth- dent, an outstanding athlete, and a depend- day. Mrs. Sapp had the rare fortune of seeing able worker during his years at the Children's ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF a complete century unfold. It was on July 12, Home. NATO AIRSTRIKES ON THE 1900 that Mrs. Sapp was bornÐin the log Although an only child whose parents died FORMER REPUBLIC OF YUGO- house built by her grandfather, James early in his life. Mr. Bergendahl never reflected SLAVIA Waymon Mitchell, on Lost Creek in White on his family tragedy. He had a remarkably County, and it was on July 12, 2000 that we positive attitude, an outgoing personality, and HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH celebrated her one-hundredth birthday. the physical and mental discipline needed for OF OHIO On Christmas Day in 1921, Mrs. Sapp mar- military service at the time, and would have IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ried Homer Floyd Sapp in the same room in been the key to his success in civilian life. He the log house where she was born. The cou- was a model resident at the Cromwell Chil- Tuesday, July 25, 2000 ple traveled by buggy to Homer's father's dren's Home, a reflection of the dedication of Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Vojin home, at what is now Rim Rock Mesa at Bon its staff and its program. Joksimovich, a well respected scholar of the Air. Six years later they moved to a forty-acre Russ Bergendahl and Jim Broman, who first Balkans, has given a thorough analysis of the farm on Corolla Road. brought Mr. Bergendahl's story to my atten- environmental impact that the NATO airstrikes The couple has seven children. The two tion, were in military training when they last have had on the ecosystem of the Former Re- boys died as infants, and sadly one daughter, met in Cromwell several months before being public of Yugoslavia. His research and anal- Helen, passed away at 14. The other four sent to England in early 1944. During that ysis are profound and compelling, that I am in- daughters survived: Josephine, Norma, Eve- meeting, Mr. Bergendahl expressed that he serting them into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD lyn, and Betty. Although her husband Homer did not expect to survive the war because of so it may become public knowledge. died in 1980, Mrs. Sapp continues to live at his assignment to the 82nd Airborne. Although ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF YUGOSLAV Jim and Russ attempted to meet again when the farm that the couple moved to 73 years RECONSTRUCTION: NATO ECOCIDE IN SERBIA ago. they were deployed overseas, these attempts (By Vojin Joksimovich, Kennedy School of In 1993, Mrs. Sapp wrote her personal were futile because Jim's assignment to the Government-Harvard University, April 25, memoirs, and among her memories are recol- 101st Airborne, also limited outside contact 2000) lections of lighting the house with coal lamps prior to D-Day. INTRODUCTION and making lye and soap. The United States After D-Day, Mr. Broman was unable to In considering America's role in the world, has changed much since the days of her learn anything about his friend Russ until it is worth starting from the premise that childhood, but her memories of quilting, walk- nearly two weeks later when he was told that this has in general been extremely beneficial ing barefoot to free school and later attending a Bergendahl was killed by a sniper six days and positive. America's contributions to the boarding school at Pleasant Hill Academy, after the invasion. It was not until 55 years defeat of the twin menaces of fascism and carrying water from the spring, and keeping later when Mr. Broman returned to Normandy communism in this century are events of the fire going year round have shaped a and visited Russ Bergendahl's grave at epic proportions. I myself am a refugee from strong, loving woman who is devoted to her Omaha Beach that he learned Russ was actu- Tito's brand of communism and my daughter family and friends. ally killed on D-Day, June 6, 1944, after the fled from Milosevic's version. So I am per- sonally grateful for America's role in com- Two weeks ago I had the honor of attending American landing. bating this twin menace. Mrs. Sapp's birthday celebration, and on the It is not possible to document, or likely even With this positive image of America's role 16th of July the Bon Air United Methodist comprehend, what Mr. Bergendahl experi- in the front of my mind, I take no pleasure Church honored her with a service, singing, enced when he landed in Normandy prior to in saying that NATO's Kosovo war does not and presentation of a plaque. The family and the massive airborne landings conducted by fit this positive pattern. In fact it was a friends who surround her serve as a testament the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions a few source of evil. Many of the charges against to the impact this amazing woman has on all hours later. He may have merited the highest the war are familiar to you: that it was ille- who meet her. of military honors, but none of us will ever gal, unnecessary, counter-productive, dam- aging to global US interests and so on. I dis- Truly, Minnie Elizabeth Sapp is a blessing to know. However, we do know that his sacrifice cuss all of these in my book ``Kosovo Crisis: her community. Mrs. Sapp's devotion to family and service is what allows us all to be here A Study in Foreign Policy Mismanagement.'' and religion has seen her through 100 years, today to remember him under the banner of Today, however, I want to draw on my pro- and I am confident that it is her love of life liberty and freedom he fought to maintain, and fessional background as a nuclear and indus- which will fill every day that is to come. That for that we should honor him as a true hero. trial safety specialist to discuss an aspect CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1315 with which you may be less familiar, namely which explicitly protects the environment OTHER TOWNS the huge environmental catastrophe that during war conflicts. This is a hideous stain was wrought by NATO. As a part of my pro- on the moral fabric of the U.S. and its NATO Other places have been affected, such as fessional career, I have studied the anatomy allies.