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<PRE>[DOCID: f:hc160ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 160

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should continue 
 to honor its commitment to the United States aviators who lost their 
lives flying for France during World War I by appropriating sufficient 
          funds to restore the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2001

 Mr. Stearns (for himself, Mr. Hansen, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Hall of Ohio, 
    Mr. McKeon, Ms. Hart, Mr. Linder, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. 
  Hostettler, Mr. Bilirakis, and Mr. Kleczka) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should continue 
 to honor its commitment to the United States aviators who lost their 
lives flying for France during World War I by appropriating sufficient 
          funds to restore the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.

Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille, an aviation squadron within the French 
        Lafayette Flying Corps, was formed April 16, 1916;
Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille consisted of aviators from the United States 
        who volunteered to fight for the people of France during World War I;
Whereas 265 volunteers from the United States served in the Lafayette Flying 
        Corps, completing 3,000 combat sorties and amassing nearly 200 
        victories;
Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille won 4 Legions of Honor, 7 Medailles Militaires, 
        and 31 citations, each with a Croix de Guerre;
Whereas in 1918 command of the Lafayette Escadrille was transferred to the 
        United States, where the Lafayette Escadrille became the combat air 
        force of the United States;
Whereas in 1921 a Franco-American committee was organized to locate a final 
        resting place for the 68 United States aviators who lost their lives 
        flying for France during World War I;
Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial was dedicated on July 4, 1928, in 
        honor of all United States aviators who flew for France during World War 
        I;
Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Foundation, located in the United 
        States and in France, was founded by Nelson Cromwell in 1930 and endowed 
        with a $1,500,000 trust for the maintenance and upkeep of the Lafayette 
        Escadrille Memorial;
Whereas environmental conditions have contributed to structural damage to, and 
        the overall degradation of, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, 
        preventing the holding of memorial services inside the crypt;
Whereas the French Government has pledged funds to support a restoration of the 
        Lafayette Escadrille Memorial; and
Whereas the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial should be restored to its original 
        beauty to honor all the United States aviators who flew for France 
        during World War I and to demonstrate the respect of the United States 
        for the sacrifices made by all Americans who have served our Nation and 
        our allies: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the United States should continue 
to honor its commitment to the United States aviators who lost their 
lives flying for France during World War I by appropriating sufficient 
funds to restore the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.
                                 &lt;all&gt;

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