CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE June 13, 2000 American War
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10604 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE June 13, 2000 American War. He will join 109 other the Congressional Medal of Honor 102 And I would say to the gentleman soldiers, sailors and Marines who were years after he earned it. I think it from Indiana (Mr. BUYER), who has awarded the Medal of Honor for their comes down to simple justice. The fact served our Nation in uniform and I actions during that conflict. is that Theodore Roosevelt is one of have great respect and admiration for However, it troubles me that for our greatest Americans. His face ap- him because of that, there is no greater some inexplicable reason that Presi- pears on Mount Rushmore. He has been service than I think an American can dent Clinton has delayed acting upon known as one of America’s greatest render to put his life on the line and Secretary Cohen’s recommendation. I Presidents. Before that, he was a Gov- cause freedom in America’s interests. urge President Clinton to announce the ernor of the State of New York. He was This is what Colonel Roosevelt did as award now. a great conservationist and a reformer. a volunteer. He displayed extraor- f b 2340 dinary courage, and that was docu- mented at the time by his superiors AWARDING MEDAL OF HONOR TO He was the architect of the modern and his contemporaries. So this is not PRESIDENT THEODORE ROO- Navy, and in many ways help shape something where Congress is reaching SEVELT American foreign policy as we entered back and recreating history. We have a the global age. But it is for none of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a strong historical record. There was a those reasons that Theodore Roosevelt previous order of the House, the gen- voluminous brief that was submitted deserves the Congressional Medal of tleman from New York (Mr. LAZIO) is by me 3 years ago with the assistance Honor. It is for the facts that the gen- recognized for 5 minutes. of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. tleman from Indiana (Mr. BUYER) has Mr. LAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to BUYER). The fact is that there is plenty laid out. the gentleman from Indiana. of evidence, plenty of evidence that Mr. BUYER. Moreover, it is my sin- On that day, on July 1 of 1898, when a volunteer Lieutenant Colonel Theo- suggests that Roosevelt was denied for cerest hope that the award ceremony political reason. will be conducted here in Washington dore Roosevelt led his men up a hill, a strategic hill to secure that high Now is a time to correct that record as befits a celebration that honors a to see that justice is done and for truly larger than life American. Last- ground which saved many American lives that day, and contrary to public President Clinton to give him his due, ly, I spoke with Tweed Roosevelt belief, a popular belief the Rough Rid- the Congressional Medal of Honor. We today, a direct descendant of Teddy ers, who Lieutenant Colonel led, went call upon the President to do that. Roosevelt, and I endorse the Roosevelt forward that day without their horses Mr. Speaker, I would like to include family’s desire that President Roo- as dismounted infantry and they faced in the RECORD a part of that brief, if I sevelt’s Medal of Honor permanently an enemy much better positioned than can, which documents the historical reside next to his Nobel Peace Prize in the Spaniards in securing the high record. the Roosevelt Room of the White ground. They faced an enemy with mu- Congressman Rick Lazio submitted the fol- House. That is the working room of the nitions and with arms far superior to lowing argument for the Award of the Con- West Wing just off the Oval Office. I gressional Medal of Honor for President that which they had, including ma- Theodore Roosevelt on September 9, 1997 can think of no better tribute to the chine guns, which were only a few THEODORE ROOSEVELT DESERVES THE MEDAL greatness of President Roosevelt than years later in World War I create such OF HONOR to bring together in one room the acco- mass destruction; but even at that INTRODUCTION lades that he received as both a warrior point in 1898, these guns were trained and as a peacemaker. What finer exam- down on them. The 100th Anniversary of the Spanish- ple could we offer the leader of our Na- Alongside Roosevelt and his Rough American War has raised public interest in this important segment of American His- tion, what better inspiration for our fu- Riders advanced the 9th and 10th col- ture Presidents to strive for excellence tory. The Spanish American War is for many ored Cavalry Regiments, the famed a line of demarcation signifying America’s in their quest of the greater under- Buffalo Soldiers of the Indian Wars. emergence as a world power. Inextricably en- standing. And I will say to the gentleman from twined in this coming of age on the world Mr. Speaker, I would like to com- Indiana (Mr. BUYER), to all of those in stage is the history and efforts of President mend Congress for its work to secure the Chamber, the Spanish bullets re- Theodore Roosevelt. the Medal of Honor for Teddy Roo- spected neither race nor social rank. In Roosevelt, as the leader of the First Volun- sevelt. We have attempted to right a the end the blood was American. teer Cavalry Regiment known more com- historical wrong and we have come to Up the steep hill, the Rough Riders monly as the Rough Riders, played a signifi- learn more about why Theodore Roo- cant and heroic role in the victory in Cuba. climbed facing a withering fire from This victory catapulted both Roosevelt and sevelt was one of our greatest histor- the trenches blow up the steep hill, the United States onto the world stage and ical figures. He displayed the qualities climbed with men from the rear ranks the eventual position of leadership we enjoy of a great leader: courage, cunning, in- taken the place of the fallen, up that today. tellect, boldness and charisma all steep hill they climbed led by their be- The focus here is not on Theodore Roo- founded on deep moral purpose. His spectacled, mustached leader, Colonel sevelt, leader of the Rough Riders and his courage and the enthusiasm that his Roosevelt. gallant charges to secure the San Juan courage generated motivated his In the finest military tradition, Heights. Theodore Roosevelt was unjustly Rough Riders on the battlefield at San Teddy Roosevelt led the way. Rather overlooked for the Congressional Medal of Honor. His application, when taken in the Juan Heights and inspired a generation than pushing his men forward from be- context for awarding America’s highest mili- of Americans as they emerged from the hind, he pulled them forward from in tary honor at that time, warranted more se- chaos of the late 19th century. front. By his own conspicuous courage, rious consideration than it was given. Many Mr. Clinton, we urge you to avoid Roosevelt inspired his men to conquer attribute this oversight to political squab- further delay and expeditiously award their fear, to climb those heights bles of the times as well as prejudice in favor the Medal of Honor to Colonel Theo- against a hail of enemy lead. of the regular army regiments. The Centen- dore Roosevelt. In placing themselves in dire danger, nial of this historic effort is an appropriate Mr. LAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Roosevelt animated his men to move time to correct this injustice. gentleman from Indiana, and I want to towards the trenches that belched the NARRATIVE begin by acknowledging his terrific venomous fire. By his leadership, by Thedore Roosevelt’s service in the Spanish work in terms of bringing this issue to dint of his personal example, Roosevelt American War began with an offer of a com- the forefront of this Congress and all of propelled his troops to capture the mission from Secretary of War Russell Alger as Lieutenant Colonel in a regiment com- his partnership with me in these last 3 Spanish defenses. Of the 490 men who manded by Colonel Leonard Wood in April of years as we have been fighting for this started to climb that hill that day, 89 1898 after the United States declared war on sense of justice. People say why do we were killed or wounded. One of those Spain retroactive to April 21, 1898. The Regi- care about giving Theodore Roosevelt wounded was Colonel Roosevelt. ment was designated the 1st United States VerDate jul 14 2003 08:05 Oct 22, 2004 Jkt 039102 PO 00000 Frm 00112 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\H13JN0.003 H13JN0 June 13, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 10605 Volunteer Calvary. However, they quickly passed them. Many junior officers and en- b. A bias against the volunteer regiments may became more commonly known as the listed men of the Ninth then followed Roo- have prevented Roosevelt and others from ‘‘Rough Riders.’’ The regiment was made of sevelt and the Rough Riders up the hill. Roo- receiving the Medal of Honor volunteers from all walks of life and all sevelt was at the forefront of the charge up A second suspected reason for not award- classes of Americans. The outfit was consid- the hill and through a barbed wire fence to ing the medal to Roosevelt is an inherent ered to be unpolished and undisciplined. the crest of the hill all while under constant bias against the volunteers in this war.