John Garamendi: “I thank Chairwoman Waters so very much for the opportunity to speak on this bill. I am very pleased that the House is…”

“I thank Chairwoman Waters so very much for the opportunity to speak on this bill. I am very pleased that the House is taking up the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, H.R. 550. I am proud to have worked on this bipartisan legislation with my original cosponsors, Representative Don Young of Alaska and Representative Susan Brooks, who I see is joining us here on the floor, finally getting this bill to the floor this session. This is not the first session. Five years of work have brought us to this point, three Congresses. Mrs. Brooks, last year, carried this, and we got it out of this House and then to the Senate. My hope is that the Senate will finally send this bill to the President's desk so it can be signed into law. Our bill would award the Congressional Gold Medal to our American merchant mariners who served during World War II, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Following the award of this medal, given to the American merchant mariners who served during World War II, it will be on display at the American Merchant Marine Museum at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Long Island, New York. It will be there displayed in honor of our Nation's merchant mariners.…”