Congressional Record—Senate
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January 4, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S23 that his work here on this Earth away last month, he was 90 years old. resented the very best of who we are. changed the lives of thousands and He will be missed by his family, his In the dark days of the beginning of that his legacy will not be forgotten. friends, and his community, and he will World War II, they showed America’s May his memory live on for years to always be remembered by a grateful fighting spirit and inspired a nation. come.∑ nation. I extend my deepest sym- I extend my deepest sympathies to f pathies to his family. We are forever in Mr. Wallace’s family and friends. I HONORING GEORGE SMITH his debt. I hope that those who mourn hope that you will find comfort in your him now will find comfort in all that memories of his long, and distin- ∑ Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. he accomplished. His life made a dif- guished, life. We honor his valor and President, just a few weeks ago our Na- ference. His invaluable service during his example, and we mourn your loss.∑ tion commemorated Veterans Day. It World War II saved lives. Our Nation is f is above all a day of remembrance and free because of heroes like Code Talker gratitude. A time to remember the George Smith.∑ MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT courage and sacrifice of the brave men Messages from the President of the and women who have served our Nation f United States were communicated to in the Armed Forces. It is a day when HONORING VIRGIL WALLACE the Senate by Mr. Pate, one of his sec- we pay tribute to the heroes among us. ∑ Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. retaries. And to those who are no longer with President, in the annals of our Nation’s f us. military history, the story of the de- Today I wish to honor one of those fenders of Bataan will long live in our EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED heroes. On Tuesday, October 30, our Na- collective memory. One of those great tion lost a great American, Navajo As in executive session the PRE- defenders, Mr. Virgil Wallace, recently SIDING OFFICER laid before the Sen- Code Talker George Smith. Mr. Smith passed away at the age of 99. Mr. Wal- was born on June 15, 1922, in Mariano ate messages from the President of the lace survived the 4 month battle, the United States submitting sundry nomi- Lake, NM, and was Salt People Clan, infamous Bataan Death March, and 3 born for Black Streak Wood People nations which were referred to the years of horrendous captivity. He was Committee on the Judiciary. Clan. In 1943, he enlisted with the Ma- the State of New Mexico’s oldest Ba- rines. He was trained as a Navajo Code (The messages received today are taan veteran. Talker and achieved the rank of cor- printed at the end of the Senate pro- Our Nation is forever in debt to the ceedings.) poral while serving in the Pacific. Cor- extraordinary courage and sacrifice poral Smith fought in battles in that Mr. Wallace and the ‘‘Battling f Saipan, Tinian, Ryukyu Islands. He Bastards of Bataan’’ demonstrated in MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE also served in Okinawa, Hawaii, and the early days of World War II. Their Japan. His brother, Albert Smith, also At 12:32 p.m., a message from the heroic resistance helped slow the Japa- trained as a Code Talker, and served House of Representatives, delivered by nese advance, allowing crucial time for with him. Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks, The Marines who constituted the the Allied forces to reorganize and announced that the House has passed Navajo Code Talkers were small in eventually reverse Japan’s progress. the following bill, in which it requests number, but monumental in signifi- They played a crucial role in our Na- the concurrence of the Senate: tion’s history. I am proud to have spon- cance. Their skills were crucial to H.R. 41. An act to temporarily increase the American victory in the Pacific during sored legislation to award these valiant borrowing authority of the Federal Emer- World War II. They turned their lan- soldiers the Congressional Gold Medal. gency Management Agency for carrying out guage into an unbreakable code. In bat- The Japanese attack on the Phil- the National Flood Insurance Program. ippines in December, 1941, just hours tle after battle, in the thick of fero- The message further announced that after the attack on Pearl Harbor, led to cious combat, they used that code as a the House has agreed to the following 4 months of intense combat. Out- powerful weapon in securing Allied vic- concurrent resolutions, without numbered, outgunned, Mr. Wallace and tory. Our Nation will never forget what amendment: George Smith, and his brother, Albert his fellow soldiers put up a desperate fight. For 4 months, they struggled, S. Con. Res. 1. Concurrent resolution to Smith, and all of their fellow Code provide for the counting on January 4, 2013, Talkers accomplished. they valiantly fought, against impos- of the electoral votes for President and Vice Their service is all the more poignant sible odds, and without hope of resup- President of the United States. in that they fought for freedom in a ply, until they finally surrendered. S. Con. Res. 2. Concurrent resolution ex- world that did not always accord free- Their suffering was only just begin- tending the life of the Joint Congressional dom to them. When America entered ning. The brutal Bataan Death March Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. World War II, the U.S. government had was followed by terrible conditions in S. Con. Res. 3. Concurrent resolution pro- viding for a conditional adjournment or re- only recognized Native Americans as Japanese prisons and work camps. Starvation. Torture. Forced work. And, cess of the Senate and an adjournment of the citizens for 17 years. In some places, House of Representatives. tribal members still did not have the for so many of these brave men, death. The message also announced that the right to vote. 45,000 of the 350,000 Na- By the time they were rescued, toward House has agreed to the following con- tive Americans in the U.S. at that time the end of the war, half of New Mexi- current resolution, in which it requests served in the war. This tradition of co’s 1,800 soldiers serving in Bataan the concurrence of the Senate: military service by Native Americans had died. Another 300 would die from continues to this day. Native Ameri- complications related to their cap- H. Con. Res. 1. Concurrent resolution re- cans have the highest rate of service of tivity within a year of returning to the garding consent to assemble outside the seat of government. any ethnic group. U.S. Mr. Wallace was held captive for Mr. Smith was awarded the Congres- more than 3 horrific years. The message further announced that sional Silver Medal. After the war, Virgil Wallace was awarded the pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1024(a), and the Code Talker Smith returned home and Bronze Star and numerous other com- order of the House of January 3, 2013, dedicated himself to his family and mendations for his heroic service. After the Speaker appoints the following community. He worked at Fort the war, he returned to New Mexico, Members of the House of Representa- Wingate in disposing of old ammuni- where he worked for the Department of tives to the Joint Economic Com- tion, and then as a mechanic at Fort Transportation and later Carrie mittee: Mr. BRADY of Texas and Mrs. Wingate Trading Post. Eventually, he Tingley Hospital in Truth or Con- MALONEY of New York. went to Fort Defiance, where he served sequences. f as a shop foreman. He later worked as Our Nation will long remember this a heavy equipment mechanic in courageous soldier, a man who gave so TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE Shiprock. much in service to his country. Mr. FEMA BORROWING AUTHORITY Code Talker George Smith was Wallace is one of the last of a leg- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- blessed with a long life. When he passed endary band of brothers, who rep- imous consent that the Senate proceed VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:31 Jan 05, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04JA6.004 S04JAPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with S24 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 4, 2013 to the consideration H.R. 41, which was 2013, for the Joint Session of the Inau- SHERI POLSTER CHAPPELL, OF FLORIDA, TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE DIS- received from the House and is at the gural Ceremonies, and that upon con- TRICT OF FLORIDA, VICE GREGORY A. PRESNELL, RE- desk. clusion of the joint session, the Senate TIRED. PAMELA KI MAI CHEN, OF NEW YORK, TO BE UNITED The PRESIDING OFFICER. The recess until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Janu- STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT clerk will report the bill by title. ary 22, 2013; that following the prayer OF NEW YORK, VICE RAYMOND J. DEARIE, RETIRED. BRIAN J. DAVIS, OF FLORIDA, TO BE UNITED STATES The assistant legislative clerk read and pledge, the Journal of proceedings DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLOR- as follows: be approved to date and the time for IDA, VICE RICHARD A. LAZZARA, RETIRED. SHELLY DECKERT DICK, OF LOUISIANA, TO BE UNITED A bill (H.R. 41) to temporarily increase the the two leaders be reserved for their STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF borrowing authority of the Federal Emer- use later in the day; that following any LOUISIANA, VICE RALPH E.