At arlington. Officials said that under existing rules, they do not qualify. Next, the floor debate on the bill. I moved to suspend the rules as amended. Of the clerk will report the title of the bill. Floridaentleman from will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. All members will have five days with which to revise remarks or add extraneous material. Without objection. Yield myself time. Thank you. I rise to urge all members to. Upport this bill this bill was introduced by our , ensuringin arizona that activeduty designees including Women Air Force pilots are eligible for internment with full military honors at arlington military ceremony cemetery. They are members who served alongside the regular armed forces during world war i and world war ii. They were often located in combat zones where they risked their lives to protect the freedom that we should never take for granted. Their contributions to the effort were so vital that they had been granted the most prestigious title we can the still, veteran. They are eligible to be laid to rest in any cemetery administered by the National Cemetery administration in the department of veterans affairs. Arlington National Cemetery is run by the department of the army. Until last year, the army in unfortunately, last march, the secretary reversed the policy which means that many of those individuals can no longer choose to be laid to rest in arlington National Cemetery. Bill would reverse this decision and require the army to provide activeduty designees military honors in arlington National Cemetery. Is our duty to ensure that those who have served our nation are treated with the utmost respect and dignity after they pass on. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as amended. I reserve the balance of my time. The gentleman from florida is recognized. Myself at such time as i may consume. I rise in support of this bill as amended. Arlington National Cemetery has been called our nations most hallowed ground. Since the first day real took 1860 four, arlington is the final resting place for over 4000 400,000 activeduty service members, veterans, and families. This bill would overturn a recent change in policy to restore the rights of Women Air ForceService Pilots of world war ii who want to be buried in arlington. These women volunteered for duty and their service made a major contribution to our victory in that war. In addition, this bill would restore the rights of others who assisted in this war and whose sacrifice was recognized. Forplaud my colleagues introducing this important bill and leading the fight, a fight int has widespread support bipartisan support to recognize the service of these brave women and others who helped us defeat the power in world war ii. That we bring this to the floor during womens History Month is fitting. Justice andtter of a matter of fairness. In 2009, we recognized the service and sacrifice of these brave women when we awarded a congressional gold medal to the womens air force Service Pilots to date we have the opportunity to do it again. Mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The gentleman from florida is recognized. It is my honor to recognize the sponsor of this legislation, a combat veteran herself, a pilot from the Second District of arizona, for five minutes. The gentleman is recognized. Thank you. I rise today in wholehearted support of this bill. The wasp millington restoration act. This is the right thing to do. Want to think the chairman for moving this onto the floor. Thank you for signing off on it so that we could do the right thing to allow these amazing women and these pioneers who went before us who opened the door for so many of us women in the military to serve that they can be laid to rest in the place where we honor as a place of honor and a place of rest for the most hallowed, the most amazing than in women who have served in gone before us. The fact that these women were denied this right is unconscionable and quite frankly infuriating. Let me tell you about the wasps. During world war ii, they said i will support, we needed pilots, we needed all people men and women to do whatever it took for the war effort so these women went through training, 1074 of them. Additional 28 already have flying experience and more directly brought in. 1102 who saidy im going to be a pilot. The head of the Army Air Corps had intended the baby militarize. They went your military training, marched, went through everything that the men attendde them did in the was to militarize them the only reason they were not was because of hangups and sexism that the role of women in the military. Heaven forbid we have women military pilots we cannot handle it. These women served anyway. They flew 60 million miles, airplanes all over the theaters. They towed targets for the ground cutters to practice at shooting at targets. They trained male pilots to head off to the war effort. 38 of them perished in training. Yet they were in this quasicivilian status. No veterans benefits. They were passing the hat around to get their bodies back to their families. They still served. At the end of the world, they were discharged. The man needed the cockpits pretty wasnt until 1977 that this Congress Passed a law giving them rights so that they would be treated as veterans they were afterthefact given honorable discharges. Was finallythis over, the fight was over, that they would be recognized for all that they deserved and he would be able to be laid to rest with full military honors better bureaucratic technocratic glitch created another door that shut to them. This is an extraordinary example of somebody taking action to bring a romp to our attention and for us to deal to make it right and i want to highlight Elaine Harman who passed away he passed away last year. I met with her family. She wanted to have her ashes in arlington. She requested it. We thought that they were allowed to the family put in the request and it wasnt until they got a letter back saying denied, wasps are not allowed it arlington, that they didnt just accept that no. In the legacy of alain harman and by the way, these women were feisty and strong and they were not going to take no for an answer in in that spirit, her children and her granddaughter are in the gallery today said we are not going to take no for an answer and we are going to get my grandmother the rights that she deserves so i first heard about this through the media in january we sprung into action working with our colleagues getting responses from over 190 right now this has been fast tracked through the committee in order to another and to be related rest of their her ashes are sitting on a shelf in her granddaughters closet. We to make this right as quickly as possible. Let me just say mr. Chairman this is not just about the pioneers that we read about in history books, these were personal mentors to me. I first went through combat training, we cannot have any women to look up to and his amazing women came alongside me as we went in to encourage me, mentor me, i had three of them in my front row and my change of command ceremony when i took over command. And he personally supported and encouraged me along the way. Just because of their service at the doors were open for those of us the military to serve and it is ridiculous that arlington when closed the case that the very time they were opening positions to women in the military. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation especially in womens History Month. The least we could do is allow the loss to be laid to rest in arlington and Elaine Harman as quickly as possible lets get this passed today. The rest that remaining that choose to have their ashes in arlington, this is their right. The only reason they were not active duty at the time is because of sexism. It is time to give them his final resting place. Thank you. Yields. Entleman members are reminded to not make references to the gallery. The gentleman from florida is recognized. Highyield three minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire. The gentleman from New Hampshire is recognized. I want to thank our colleagues on both sides in the aisle for a knowledge in the air force Service Pilots. My father was ap 47 Fighter Pilot in world war ii and he was able to access the benefits that were due him in terms of his military career and it is only fitting now in womens History Month that we would begin to finally get the opportunity for care at to be interred arlington National Cemetery. I want to acknowledge our colleague representative nick sally and her service to this country and my colleagues. Ceremony withd a Brigadier General the first brigadier first woman to reach the Brigadier General status and the first woman to deploy within the air force bomber unit. She was an inspiration to us and i just want to add one of the reasons for doing this bill now is that we learned recently in the da committee that women are the Fastest Growing group of veterans that often our Women Veterans do not access the benefits including Health Benefits and cemetery benefits to which they are entitled. We need to encourage women who have served the country, you have served us and now it is our turn to serve you and we need to encourage Women Veterans to come forward for the veterans for the benefits they deserve. I think my call these from arizona and the colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It is a great time to do this. The gentlewoman peels back. Yields back. I yield to mr. Kaufman. The gentleman is recognized. Ofi rise today in support 4336. In colorado springs, a monument stands in honor of the Women Air ForceService Pilots. Saluteis legislation, we them today and recognize that we neglected to salute them for too long. During world war ii, more than 1000 of them flew over 16 million air miles. Without official recognition, families were forced to pay outofpocket to send 36 father comrades home. Fallen comrades home. Deniedhe war, the u. S. Then military status despite their extraordinary service. Help correctwe can some of that injustice. Would restore the right for these women to be buried at arlington. These women paved the way for the women in uniform today. They entered genderbased discrimination. They served and died just as other members of the military did. I believe people in arlington. Thank you. I believe they belong in arlington. Thank you. Yield oneeld one i minute. Thank you for this opportunity to stand up here as part of womens History Month to say that this is a bipartisan piece of legislation that. Epresents something overdue i am packed to be able to say that there were women who went before me who were brave and courageous and it all the jobs that were asked of them in a manner that was of High Standard and that they gave and sacrificed on my behalf and now we have the opportunity to eliminate some of the last vestiges of disparate treatment. I rise in support of this legislation. I congratulate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for bringing this to our attention. Thank you. I yield three minutes. Thank you. I am here to urge my colleagues to support this legislation recognizing the services of certain groups of men and women who have valiantly served their country. When the g. I. Bill improvement act became law it contained language championed by Berry Goldwater that deemed certain groups of women and foreigners are served the United States has active duty in order to qualify for benefits administered by the v. A. 35 groups had been made eligible through that law. These include the Women Air ForceService Pilots, the men, male civilian more. Pilots, and many in recognition of their service, the cremated remains of their groups may be inured. Arlington cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the department of defense. That all recognizes individuals eligible to have their cremated remains at arlington to include groups get a veteran status, including the loss. Including the wasps. I am proud to continue louisianas tradition of support for these groups by cosponsoring this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Thank you. The chairman from florida is recognized. I have one minute scheduled for a member of our the a committee from illinois. Thank you. World war ii was a time when americans came together to defend this nation against evil. Families enlisted in the efforts prevent included many dedicated women who entered the womens air force Service Pilots. Iny flew military aircraft noncombat roles and served as instructors for male pilots. When the program was created, it was intended that they would. Eceive a full military status that goal has not been achieved. That is why hr 4336 is so important. It overturns the previous armys directive that restores rights for burial at arlington. I please ask that all of my colleagues join us in supporting their rights and putting them in place where they need to be and receiving those full military benefits. Thank you. The gentleman from florida. I reserve. The chairman from florida is recognized. D to the gentleman from texas. During the peak of world war ii, Sandy Johnson left her teaching job and received her aviation wings on september 11 1943. She had volunteered for the womens air force Service Pilots, known as the wasps. Fore pilots towed targets aircraft practice. Think about that, mr. Speaker. You have teenagers learning how to aim at targets. Dangerous occupation. These pilots delivered things to overseas bases. They tested near aircraft that was used in europe and a trained male pilots. Of the thousand women, 38 were killed during their missions. Pilots nowriginal live in my state of texas. They were considered civilians until 1977. Then Congress Gave them veteran status. In 2002, they were allowed to be cremated and have ashes placed at arlington right down the street from this building. Now, bureaucrats have decided that hes veterans are not worthy of a proper military burial and have revoked their rights at arlington because of space. This is disgraceful and a sorry excuse. Find space to permanently honor these women. As a former member of the air force reserves, i urge that we show respect to these pilots and give them a proper burial. That is just the way it is. The gentleman from florida is recognized. The gentlewoman from florida is recognized. Thank you. Let me think all of the men and who have women served this nation. I cannot imagine why any person, any person of sound mind would deny women the right to the same benefits to the same recognition that men get. I would think that not one person would deny them this right. I cannot imagine why those who would have to fight for the dignity that every Single Person that serves should have. I would say that i support this legislation, i support the people who supported and anybody who doesnt should not be instilled. Think should not be in this building. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, it should not take an active congress for atse women to be inurned arlington. This is simply the right thing to do. The army should have just said yes. The president should have used his phone to order the army to do it. Guess what . We are here now and it is going to take an act of congress. I cannot imagine not passing this out of this house unanimously and i suspect we will see similar results. The remains of these women should not have to rest in closets. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill unanimously in urge the senate to act quickly. It is simply the right thing to do. We have just got to do it. In closing, let me say that in recent servings recent hearings, it was indicated that this was a top priority. I want to close by mentioning the fact that women have served in every single more in this country and they deserve the same benefits and recognition of men and i would urge my colleagues to support this important and timely bill to honor those brief women and others whose efforts was essential in the victory in world war ii. I yield back the balance of my time. The gentleman from florida is recognized. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill. Back. Gentleman yields those in favor . Those opposed . Yeas and nays requested. Further proceedings on this question will be postponed. Announcer you are watching American History tv all weekend, every weekend on cspan3. To join the conversation, like us on facebook. Cspans touring cities across the country exploring American History. Next, our visit to long beach, california