H1296 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 10, 2010 The international space station has terms and did not seek reelection to have an article about four marines who been built over the last 10 years. It has the 105th Congress and resigned on Oc- were killed that asked the Army to been built with the genius, the intel- tober 8, 1996. give them cover. The Army didn’t say lect, and the research of the United Charlie was known in the Halls of ‘‘no’’; they just didn’t even respond. States. That research and genius and Congress as ‘‘Good Time Charlie,’’ but The rules of engagement are so dif- that kind of data requires protection as it was an appropriate name for him. He ferent for our troops that I think at a national security interest. The fund- was very funny, joyful, and full of life— some point in time we in the Congress, ing that needs to be restored will help and very humorous. After he retired particularly on the Armed Services create this opportunity and save jobs. from Congress, he settled down, he got Committee, I am going to ask for a Let us save jobs and provide for married, and he was at peace with him- hearing about the rules of engagement. NASA space exploration. self and looked more comfortable and I want to explain and then read a couple of comments from the father f at ease. Charlie truly enjoyed life. In 2006, we asked him to come and which was in this article, Sergeant SPECIAL ORDERS visit with us in Corpus Christi, and this Bernard, retired Marine, whose son The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under was when his book came out, ‘‘Charlie Joshua was killed. What had happened the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- Wilson’s War.’’ He gave time to the was the marines had been in a firefight. uary 6, 2009, and under a previous order people in the district and signed and Then there was an Afghan that came to of the House, the following Members autographed every book. the marines and said, Listen, there are other Taliban enemy down the road, will be recognized for 5 minutes each. I remember one of the stories—and and if you follow me, I will show you f some of the stuff that I know about Charlie we probably wouldn’t be able to where they are located. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a say here in the House, but he enjoyed 1945 previous order of the House, the gen- b life. He brought a beautiful young lady tleman from Alabama (Mr. BRIGHT) is This is where I want to pick up the from Russia to visit the , recognized for 5 minutes. story by the father’s writing. He said, and they asked Charlie, ‘‘Are you going (Mr. BRIGHT addressed the House. When the ambush began, the tipster to give her secrets?’’ He said, ‘‘The His remarks will appear hereafter in could not be found, and the interpreter only thing I am going to give her are the Extensions of Remarks.) took cover, raising questions in Ber- Victoria’s Secrets.’’ nard’s mind about whether they led the f That was Charlie Wilson. He was a Marines into a trap. There’s no ques- TRIBUTE TO THE LATE great guy. tion they did. I further quote Sergeant HONORABLE CHARLIE WILSON There is much I can say about Charlie—he Bernard, who’s retired now: ‘‘Call me was one-of-a-kind. I served with him diligently The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a cynical if you want, but some rogue in the House of Representatives. I will miss previous order of the House, the gen- element led them there. The bottom him dearly, as well as my colleagues from the line is both of those guys were gone. tleman from (Mr. ORTIZ) is rec- Texas Delegation. We all loved and cared for It’s just another indication of how this ognized for 5 minutes. Charlie dearly, and I know we will continue to counterinsurgency strategy can’t Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, today work together in unison for the betterment of work.’’ we are here to honor the life and work our state and country. I further want to read: ‘‘In an Octo- of my good friend Representative Char- On February 10, 2010, this country lost a ber 13 letter to Collins, Mullen ad- lie Wilson, whom I had the pleasure of great person and my friend, Charlie Wilson. dressed Bernard’s concerns by saying serving with in the House of Represent- May he rest in peace. that ‘the new tactical directive did not atives for 13 years. Charlie was a I offer my condolences to Charlie’s wife, change the ROE in Afghanistan, but unique person, one of a kind, and he Barbara Alberstadt. May God bring peace to rather provided more clarification and will be missed dearly by his family, her, his family, friends and loved ones. May guidelines regarding the use of force. friends, and colleagues in the House. Charlie be with the Lord. We have refined our procedures in Charlie had a very special and unique f order to reduce civilian casualties, but side to him. He knew when to be tough, at no time have the ROE been modified The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a he knew when to laugh, he knew when to place our troops at greater risk,’ previous order of the House, the gen- to speak his thoughts, but, above all, Mullen wrote. ‘Our troops still operate tleman from Texas (Mr. POE) is recog- he knew how to serve the people of this under a set of ROE that allows them to nized for 5 minutes. great country and his district. protect themselves against enemy ac- (Mr. POE of Texas addressed the At the age of 23, after graduating tions in balance with the Afghan popu- House. His remarks will appear here- with a bachelor of science degree from lace.’ ’’ the U.S. Naval Academy, Charlie joined after in the Extensions of Remarks.) Sergeant Bernard, a retired Marine the United States Navy, where he at- f who served this Nation, said ‘‘the let- tained the rank of lieutenant. After ter is ‘smoke and mirrors’ and over- serving as a surface fleet officer for 4 AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN looks his consistent concern: A coun- years, he was assigned to the Pentagon terinsurgency strategy won’t work as as part of an intelligence unit that The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a long as Afghanistan is filled with war- studied the Soviet Union’s nuclear previous order of the House, the gen- ring tribes that have no empathy for forces. tleman from North Carolina (Mr. the U.S. and its way of life.’’ At the age of 27, Charlie was elected JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. I further want to read down in his re- to the Texas Legislature, and in 1961 he Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, today sponse in the Marine Corps Times: ‘‘I was sworn into office in the State’s during the debate about Afghanistan, I already talked to Collins’ office and capital in Austin, Texas. For more joined Mr. KUCINICH and several others said, ‘Don’t let him spin this crap.’ than 12 years, Charlie was known as in our concerns about Afghanistan, and There’s no indication that Afghanistan the tough dog in the State capitol, and I wanted to further read to the House. has changed anywhere. Our mission he was also often called the ‘‘liberal I had used a Marine Times article that should be very, very simple: Chase and from Lufkin, Texas.’’ During his time has a photograph of a marine who is re- kill the enemy.’’ in the State legislature, he fought for tired now and his son, Joshua, who was Madam Speaker, that’s exactly what Medicaid, tax exemptions for the elder- killed in Afghanistan. The article says they should be doing, instead of this ly, the Equal Rights Amendment, and a ‘‘Caution Killed My Son. Marine Fami- other type of strategy. minimum wage bill. lies Blast Suicidal Tactics in Afghani- Bernard said he is frustrated that the In 1972, while I was an elected county stan.’’ senator’s office, one of his home State commissioner in Texas, Charlie was In addition to this article about his senators and a member of the Senate elected to the House of Representatives son and the tighter rules of engage- Armed Service Committee, has handled from the Second District of Texas near ment, ‘‘families voice outrage over new his complaints as that of a single con- Houston. He served in Congress for 11 restrictions in Afghanistan,’’ they also stituent—and I’m not getting into

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He did not run tivities Division to the Afghan Mujahe- ‘‘ ‘You can’t turn this into one lone for reelection in 1996. In fact, he re- deen during the Soviet war in Afghani- idiot in the backwoods of Maine signed in October of 1996. stan. From a few million dollars in the mourning his son,’ he said. ‘This is big- Charles Nesbitt Wilson was born in 1980s, his support for the resistance ger than that.’ ’’ Trinity, Texas, where his father was an grew to $750 million a year by the end So, Madam Speaker, I intend to ask accountant for a lumber company, on of the decade. the Armed Services Committee, which June 1, 1933, in the depths of the De- I remember Charlie Wilson telling us is chaired by a wonderful man from pression. He attended the Naval Acad- in 1996, when he was leaving, and ear- Missouri, and the ranking member emy in Annapolis and graduated in lier, that we made a mistake by aban- from California, we need to have this 1956. He served 4 years in the Navy, doning Afghanistan. And literally after debate on behalf of the families as well from 1956 to 1960, and came back to 9/11, he came and talked to the delega- as the Marines and the Army. What are Texas, where he was elected to the tion and said we made a mistake, and the rules of engagement? What can State house and the State senate. we’re paying the price for it right now they do and cannot do? When I read Charlie Wilson died on February 10, because we left Afghanistan in turmoil these articles about the number that 2010, at Lufkin Memorial Hospital in and ended up with the Taliban. We have died just because we could not Lufkin, Texas, where he had been don’t need to make that mistake again. give them cover in certain situations, taken after collapsing earlier in the That’s why tonight I’m proud to honor if that’s the way we’re supposed to day and suffered from a cardiopul- Charlie Wilson in his service to our fight a war, then that’s a poor way to monary arrest. He was pronounced country. fight the war. dead at 12:16 p.m. Central Time. Con- f Madam Speaker, with that, I’m going gressman Wilson received a graveside The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a to close as I always do. I know the gen- service with full military honors at the previous order of the House, the gen- tleman from Texas has a tribute to pay Arlington National Cemetery on Feb- tleman from Kansas (Mr. MORAN) is to a former Member who I happened to ruary 23, 2010. recognized for 5 minutes. serve one term with and thought the Now for some of the stories about (Mr. MORAN of Kansas addressed the world of him. My daddy knew him and Charlie Wilson as a friend. I’m glad my House. His remarks will appear here- thought Charlie Wilson was a great colleague from Texas, , is after in the Extensions of Remarks.) here, and Congressman CHET EDWARDS guy. Let me get that on the RECORD. f My close is this: I ask God to please and and SHEILA JACKSON IN HONOR OF CHARLIE WILSON bless our men and women in uniform. I LEE, because Charlie had some stories ask God to please bless the families of that we couldn’t tell on the floor of the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a our men and women in uniform. I ask House. But I’m going to tell you some previous order of the House, the gen- God to please bless this country and of the good ones. tleman from Texas (Mr. BARTON) is rec- bless the President, that he will do He is survived by his wife, Barbara, ognized for 5 minutes. what is right for this country. And I the former Barbara Alberstadt, and his Mr. BARTON of Texas. I rise in sup- ask God to please bless America. sister, Sharon Allison. Charlie told me port and honor of the late Congressman many times, like he told other Mem- Charlie Wilson of the Second Congres- f bers, that he credited his wife Barbara sional District of Texas. I didn’t know The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a with saving his life because it got him Congressman Wilson in his salad days. previous order of the House, the gentle- off a lot of things that he shouldn’t I didn’t get elected until 1984. By that woman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) have been on to begin with. In having time, he had calmed down, apparently is recognized for 5 minutes. seen him many times after he left Con- quite a bit. But I can now state it, (Ms. WOOLSEY addressed the House. gress, Charlie was still Charlie. since the statute of limitations has ex- Her remarks will appear hereafter in Charlie entered politics as a teen- pired, I voted for Congressman Wilson the Extensions of Remarks.) ager. He began by running a campaign six times. I lived in east Texas, in f against his next-door neighbor, a city Crockett, Texas, in Houston County, in council member in Trinity, Texas. the Second Congressional District, and TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE WILSON When Charlie was 13, his dog entered we didn’t have a Republican primary, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a that neighbor’s yard—a city council and I don’t recall that we had a Repub- previous order of the House, the gentle- member—and he retaliated by mixing lican opponent against Congressman woman from Texas (Mr. ) glass in the dog’s food and causing Wilson in the time that I lived in is recognized for 5 minutes. fatal internal bleeding. Being a farm- Crockett. And so my choice was to vote Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I’m er’s son, Charlie was able to get a driv- for him or not vote at all. I chose to proud to follow my colleague from er’s permit at age 13. And so he was vote for him. North Carolina. We share his support going to pay that council member I never went to one of his town hall and his prayers for our men and women back. So he drove 96 people to the polls meetings down at the courthouse on serving this country. That’s why it’s so on the next election at age 13—it was the square because I felt like he was important tonight to be here to honor mainly black citizens, African Amer- doing a very good job for those con- the late Member of Congress, Charlie ican citizens from the poor side of stituents in east Texas, including my- Wilson, from east Texas. town—to make sure they knew what self. He was a strong defender of the I first met Charlie Wilson in 1972, as happened to his dog. That incumbent military, very strong on what we call a young State representative. He had lost by 16 votes. So Charlie Wilson en- Texas values. He worked quite a bit on just been elected to Congress. It was a tered politics at 13 years of age by de- the Big Thicket in east Texas. He was fundraiser for him at the Interconti- feating a city council member in his an environmentalist ahead of his time. nental Airport, The Marriott, in Hous- neighborhood. When I got elected in 1984, I made it ton. I was 25-years-old and went out Charlie had so many things I could a point to get to know Congressman there, and the State senator who was tell you; wrapping his arm around us Wilson, or Charlie Wilson, because I just elected to Congress, and heard and giving us that counsel. But I think had been his constituent and I knew of Charlie tell the folks stories. And this he’s best known outside of Texas for his reputation. I just felt like he would is 1972—long before Afghanistan, long being the leader in Congress during the be a good guy to get to know. And he before Charlie Wilson became known as 1980s and known for supporting Oper- was. He was a really, really good per- ‘‘good-time Charlie.’’ In fact, in Texas, ation Cyclone, the largest-ever Central son. When his mother died, I felt as a

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