Political Quotes

“I thank my good friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as the House author of legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP, I rise in strong support of today's resolution. I would like to thank my wonderful friend from California, my colleague, my collaborator, Congresswoman Susan Davis of California, for her dedicated work in support of the WASP. Today's bill authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall, a historic place for a historic group of ladies, for an event that will honor a most unique sisterhood of women pioneers. Next, Wednesday, March 10, Mr. Speaker, the United States Congress will present the Congressional Gold Medal to the surviving members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP. This award serves as a small token of our tremendous appreciation of the remarkable courage and sacrifice made by these women during the perilous times of World War II. The WASP were the first women in history to fly America's military aircraft. Between the years of 1942 and 1944, these courageous women volunteered to fly noncombat missions so that every available male pilot could be deployed in combat. More than 25,000 women applied for the program, but only 1,830 qualified women pilots were accepted. Unlike their male counterparts, women applicants were required to be qualified pilots before they could apply for the Army Air Forces' military flight training program. That's what it was called, it sounds odd to say.…”