Senate Proceeding on Dec 7th, 2011 :: 2:08:20 to 2:14:05
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2:08:09 to 2:08:30( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: senator from virginia is recognized. mr. webb: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, 70 years ago today, even as i speak, at 00:07:45 in hawaii -- it's now about 8:40 in the morning -- our

2:08:20 to 2:14:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: James Webb

2:08:31 to 2:08:52( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: country was attacked at pearl harbor, bringing us into world war ii, a war that had been ongoing in europe for more than three years and in asia in different forms for a much longer period, probably seven to eight years.

2:08:53 to 2:09:14( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: this began a national effort that was historically unprecedented in its unit and in its vigor -- in its unity and in its vigor in which the united states astounded the world in terms of it's capacity to respond to this attack in many

2:09:15 to 2:09:37( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: different front fronts. economic production was staggering. by p 1943 our production schedule included 125,000 aircraft, 75,000 tanks, 35,000 antiaircraft guns, 10 -- millions of tons of merchant shipping during the course of that war.

2:09:38 to 2:09:58( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: the productive capacity of this country gave our allied forces more than half of all of its armaments, including 86% of the armaments that were used in response to the japanese attack on pearl harbor.

2:09:59 to 2:10:21( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: but i rise today really to express my thanks and my appreciation to the men and women of that generation who stepped forward and responded to the call of service in this period. during world war ii, more than 16 million americans stepped

2:10:22 to 2:10:44( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: forward to serve our country. and in that period, more than 400,000 of them died, including 291,557 who were killed in action, another 670,846 were wounded in action.

2:10:45 to 2:11:05( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: of those 16.1 million, today about 1.7 million world war ii veterans remain alive. they are carrying the torch and the memory of this larger group that stepped forward and served and became known as "the

2:11:06 to 2:11:27( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: greatest generation" and it is my profound pleasure and, quite frankly, my duty to stand forth and rember all of them today. among those 16 million who served, nearly 8 million were able to take advantage of the world war ii g.i. bill. it was my honor to have

2:11:28 to 2:11:48( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: introduced a similar g.i. bill on my first day here in the senate in 2007, and within 16 months our body and the other body had come together to agree on an educational package that would allow those who served since 9/11 to have the same

2:11:49 to 2:12:09( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: chance at a first-class future as those who served during world war ii, a program that would pay their tuition, buy their books, give them a monthly stipend. and on this day of rembrance for those who served during world war ii, we should also remember that for every dollar that was spent on the world war

2:12:10 to 2:12:32( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: ii g.i. bill, our treasury received $7 in tax reimbursements because of the ability of the greatest generation to have successful careers and to contribute to our economy. so today i would just like to say, as many of us here -- as

2:12:33 to 2:12:53( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: one of many of us here who are the next generation from the great generation -- how thankful i am for the service that they gave and for the example that they set when they returned from war. for many of us -- for me -- they were our parents, they were our

2:12:54 to 2:13:14( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: mentors, they were our role models, they were our leaders, as we ourselves matured into leaders. they taught us how to love our country, they taught us how to value the notion of service. their legacy is in every area of our society today. we honor them and we should

2:13:15 to 2:13:35( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: resolve -- all of us -- to continue in the traditions that were imbued in them by -- imbued in us by their sacrifices and the example they set when they returned from the most difficult i yield the floor. and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the

2:13:36 to 2:13:41( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: clerk will call the roll.