Thomas R. Suozzi: “I thank Chairwoman Waters for yielding to me today. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 550, the…”

“I thank Chairwoman Waters for yielding to me today. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 550, the bipartisan Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. I want to express my deep gratitude to Representative John Garamendi, Representative Don Young, and Representative Susan Brooks for carrying this message forward. This act will award this body's highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to midshipmen who fought on behalf of our country during World War II. This is particularly important to me because I represent the district that is home to the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy, and the Congressional Gold Medal will be housed there at that location. This is so wonderful that this is finally being done. I am a proud member of the Board of Visitors at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point. Kings Point, I want everyone to know, is the only service academy whose students engage in combat during times of war. In fact, during World War II, over 7,000 of these students answered our Nation's call to duty, and 142 students gave the supreme sacrifice. Today, only 600 of these veterans are still alive. Ralph Crump is one of those veterans. In 1941, Mr. Crump went on his first cruise as a freshman cadet at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He was quickly promoted to third assistant engineer.…”