Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am pleased to report that last week, bipartisan legislation to restore the rights of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, to have their ashes inurned at Arlington National Cemetery was signed into law. I was proud to have led the Senate's effort, with Senator Mikulski, to honor this group of revolutionary women who courageously served our country. I thank Congresswomen Martha McSally and Susan Davis for their leadership and for spearheading this bill in the House. On the heels of Pearl Harbor, these trailblazing women bucked the status quo and made tremendous sacrifices for this Nation. They joined a groundbreaking flight training program for women, flying noncombat service missions for the Army Air Force to free their male counterparts for combat duty overseas. The WASP willingly put their lives on the line for this country during a time of war. This work wasn't easy and certainly contained peril. In fact, 38 WASP died in service to our great country during World War II. Their sacrifice and love for this Nation deserves to be celebrated and always remembered. Iowa was at one time or another home to at least 25 courageous WASP. While they were eventually granted veteran status in 1977, it was not until 2002 that the Army allowed these women to have their ashes placed in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In 2015 that honor was inexplicably and wrongly revoked by the Army.…”