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Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony Honoring the 65th Infantry Regiment

April 13, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Leaders of the U.S. House and Senate held a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony today honoring the 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers. The following are U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s remarks delivered during the ceremony, which took place in Emancipation Hall, in the U.S. Capitol:

“Christmas Eve is a special time for many of us. It’s an evening filled with love and anticipation, confections and devotion. That’s true whether you’re in Louisville or Las Vegas, Anchorage or Austin, Seattle or San Juan.

“If you happened to be in San Juan one particular Christmas Eve in 1950, you might have seen families celebrating over elaborate dinners.

“You might have detected the smells of roast pork and the faint melodies of familiar songs like Silent Night. And maybe, just maybe, you might have detected a recognizable echo from half a world away — the sound of soldiers singing, in Spanish, the very same song.

“It could have been a song of gratitude for hot showers and warm meals, or a song of remembrance for comrades lost, or a song of celebration for ‘one of the greatest withdrawals in modern military history.’

“What we do know is this. The men singing that Christmas Eve off the coast of North Korea were proud members of the 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers.

“These soldiers had just faced a daunting mission: help Korean refugees and fellow American soldiers escape encirclement from over a hundred thousand Communist Chinese troops — troops that not only outnumbered the Americans but carried orders to annihilate them.

“Outgunned and outmanned though the 65th may have been, these soldiers courageously marched forward — through subzero temperatures, through mountainous terrain, and then into heavy gunfire.

“Near the beaches of Hungnam, the 65th Infantry Regiment swung into action, providing rear-guard assistance to the 1st Marine Division. What these soldiers achieved at the Chosin Reservoir helped thousands maneuver to safety.

“The men of the 65th lost many comrades, but they stayed behind until the job was done. They were among the last to evacuate — on Christmas Eve.

“It’s no wonder General Douglas MacArthur praised this regiment for its ‘valor, determination and a resolute will to victory.’ These soldiers, he said, were ‘writing a brilliant record of achievement.’

“It’s a record that began in the sometimes-hellish theaters of both World War I and II. It continued across fierce battles in the Korean War. And what these men achieved is all the more remarkable when you consider the other obstacles they often had to confront at the same time.

“We’re proud today to have some of these brave men and their families here with us. We also honor the soldiers who can’t be here; we remember the wounded, the missing, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“The soldiers of the 65th Infantry Regiment distinguished themselves with a number of high honors in the Korean War: nearly a dozen Distinguished Service Crosses, some 250 Silver Stars, more than 600 Bronze Stars, and over 2,700 Purple Hearts.

“We add to that today, with the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow.

“The Congressional Gold Medal is an honor that has been granted to our country’s most distinguished military units, from the Doolittle Raiders and Navajo Code Talkers to the Fighter Aces and Tuskegee Airmen.

“We now present it to a group of soldiers who distinguished themselves with bravery and a determination to never stop writing that ‘brilliant record of achievement.’”

Bipartisan FAA Bill Will Ramp Up Airport Security, Help Keep Americans Safe

‘There are several good security measures included in the bill, like increased efforts to prevent cybersecurity risks…let’s take the next steps in passing this legislation and getting it one step closer to becoming law.’

April 13, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act:

“Whether traveling for business or leisure, American passengers want to feel safe and informed when flying. They also want to feel assured that, in light of recent terror attacks, more is being done to protect them in our airports and in the skies.

“Chairman Thune knows this, and that’s why he’s worked attentively with members from both sides to put forth this bipartisan FAA reauthorization and security bill. I appreciate his work with the Aviation Subcommittee Chair, Senator Ayotte, and their counterparts Senators Nelson and Cantwell, to move this important bill forward.

“There are several good security measures included in the bill, like increased efforts to prevent cybersecurity risks and efforts to help better prepare us when it comes to communicable diseases. But these Senators didn’t stop there. They worked to include additional safety measures in an amendment that passed by a bipartisan majority.

“Here’s what we know the amendment will do:

• It will help prevent the ‘inside threat’ of terrorism by enhancing inspections and vetting of airport employees.

• It will require a review of perimeter security.

• It will also improve various efforts to secure international flights coming into our airports.

“In addition to these steps designed to ramp up security, we also adopted an amendment from Senator Heinrich that would increase security in pre-screening areas, which could be vulnerable to terror attacks. And Senators Toomey and Casey have worked tirelessly to get the Senate to pass an amendment addressing the security of cockpit doors.

“These three amendments, put forth by Republicans and Democrats, emphasize the bipartisan nature of this issue and of this bipartisan FAA reauthorization and security bill.

“Nearly 60 amendments — from both sides — were accepted in Committee. And more than a dozen — from both sides — were accepted here on the floor.

“I encourage members to continue working across the aisle to move this bill forward.

“As the Chairman reminded us yesterday, this bill contains ‘the most comprehensive set of aviation security reforms’ in years. So let’s take the next steps in passing this legislation and getting it one step closer to becoming law.”

Senate Makes Headway on Bipartisan, Consumer-Friendly FAA Bill

April 12, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act:

“I’ve been pleased to see the progress we’ve made on the FAA Reauthorization Act, and I appreciate the Senators who’ve worked with the bill managers to process amendments — like those to bolster airport security.

“Last evening we processed another set of amendments to help make this good bill an even better one.

“One such amendment, offered by Senator Flake, would help improve communication between the FAA and local airports in order to provide a greater say for local stakeholders in the management of the airspace near their own airports. This will benefit communities and airports across the country, including at Kentucky’s own Louisville airport. I appreciate Senator Flake’s leadership on this issue and was pleased to see this provision included in the overall bill.

“I’d encourage members who have ideas they think would strengthen the bill to continue working with bill managers so we can move this legislation forward.

“So let's continue working today to take the next steps in seeing this consumer-friendly FAA Reauthorization and airport security bill through to passage. This bill contains a number of important measures to increase security in our airports and the skies. It also takes more steps to look out for airline passengers. Here’s how.

“It will improve information about seat availability and create a standard for information on fee disclosures. It will require airlines to offer refunds to customers whose bags are lost or who’ve paid for services they didn’t receive. It will also maintain rural access and help improve travel for passengers with disabilities.

“I know there are some who think we should go further and re-regulate the airline industry. But we know that deregulation has helped make air travel more accessible and more affordable for families and business travelers to get from point A to point B. I know there are some who also think Washington bureaucrats should define what constitutes a reasonable fee. But we want consumers to make that choice for themselves. That’s why this bipartisan bill includes the important consumer protection provisions I mentioned earlier, and we know this bipartisan legislation is the result of months of dedicated work by Chairman Thune and his counterpart Senator Nelson. It sets new requirements for making sure consumers understand what fees they could face for certain ancillary services, and then — importantly — it holds airlines accountable for delivering to consumers.

“This is common-sense legislation. It’s the product of Senators working across the aisle on behalf of the American people. Let’s continue working together to move it forward.”

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