Ted Poe: “I thank the chairman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, during the peak of World War II, Sandy Thompson, now a Houston…”

“I thank the chairman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, during the peak of World War II, Sandy Thompson, now a Houston resident, left her teaching job and received her aviation wings on September 11, 1943. She had just volunteered for the Women Airforce Service Pilots, known as the WASPs. These pilots had towed targets for live antiaircraft practice. Think about that, Mr. Speaker. They are in the air, and these young teenagers are learning how to shoot antiaircraft guns and to aim them at the targets behind these female pilots who are pulling these--a dangerous occupation. These pilots helped deliver planes to overseas bases, and they tested new aircraft that was used in the Pacific and used in Europe, and, of course, they trained male pilots who went overseas. Of the 1,000 women who were WASPs, 38 were killed during their missions, and 16 of these original pilots of World War II now live in my State of Texas. They were considered civilians until 1977. Then Congress gave them veteran status. In 2002, the WASPs were allowed to be cremated and have their ashes placed in Arlington National Cemetery--right down the street from this building. Now bureaucrats have decided that these veterans are not worthy of a proper military burial, and they have revoked the burial rights at Arlington because of space. This is disgraceful, shameful, and is a sorry excuse to dishonor them. Find space to permanently honor these women.…”