On the recordMarch 16, 2011
we are waiting 10 or 15 minutes for Senators to come to the floor to speak about the bill. Senator Snowe, myself, and others have fairly described it for hours today and yesterday. I thought I would take a minute to pay honor to a gentleman, the last U.S. veteran of World War I, who was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery just yesterday and to put into the Congressional Record an article. I would like to read as much of it as I am able before the other Members come because it struck me as something important. It is a beautifully written article in the Post this morning. I hope many people got to see it. I am hoping many of our Members are able to read it. I learned some things I had actually no idea about, which will become apparent as I read this short article. It was beautifully written by Paul Duggan. I thought I would take a minute to read it into the Record. This is the last U.S. veteran of World War I so, of course, it was not just any ordinary funeral--not that any funeral is ordinary. It was extremely special to our country and to the world. President Obama was in attendance. Vice President Joe Biden was in attendance. I would like to read as much of it as I can: A lowly corporal of long ago was buried Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery, ushered to his grave with all the Army's Old Guard solemn pomp. Frank Woodruff Buckles lived to be 110, the last of nearly 5 million U.S. veterans of a dimly remembered war--a generation now laid to rest.…





