Date: 2011-12-19
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 497 and the placement of a statue or bust of Winston Churchill here in the United States Capitol. Winston Churchill was unique. An inspiration to millions around the world during World War II. Winston Churchills eloquence and courage brought hope to those bound under the weight of tyranny and war. His prose and his voice were direct and succinct. Churchill believed in calling things by their rightful names. When he secretly met with President Roosevelt in August of 1941 and signed the Atlantic Charter. Churchill made sure that it referred specifically to "Nazi tyranny." Always a straight shooter. Churchill called it like it was. In retrospect. many people think that its easy for that kind of nomenclature to be used. but at the time. it was unique. During the 1930s. when voice after voice cautioned against taking too strong a stance against Nazi Germany. Winston Churchill refused to ignore the gathering storm. In 1982. Mr. Speaker. I was a young. secondterm Member of this House. But I. like millions of Americans. was inspired that year by the actions and words of our 40th President. who traveled across the Atlantic in June of that year to address Parliament. He did so out of an appreciation of the common libertyloving and natural rightsaffirming heritage Great Britain and the United States had shared. and which he thought must be protected at all costs. And as he should have. President Reagan quoted frequently from Churchill that day. for there was no other statesman in the 20th century who had thought. who had contemplated. who had written. and who had taught us about war. about the motives of man. and about the causes of and necessities present for civilization to survive. That is why Churchills hatred of tyranny burned so deep. and why his warnings about oppression before and after the war were so prescient. Mr. Speaker. during the long dark night of war in 1940 and 1941. before the United States was there to aid its ally. Britain suffered the horrors of attack after attack. as all others on the continent had fallen and it was left alone. separated only by the channel from utter destruction. During Nazi bombing attacks on London. the great and majestic St. Pauls Cathedral was badly damaged. It looked like it would crumble in flames. but it did not. One of the most inspired images of the war is of St. Pauls with smoke billowing all around it. standing tall. refusing to fall. and reminding us of the things for which Britain was fighting. And like that image. Winston Churchills example does the same. and so much more. Almost 70 years ago to the day. Prime Minister Churchill risked his life in a Uboat attack in a secret voyage across the Atlantic. On December 26. 1941. in an address to a joint session of Congress. he said: "I avow my hope and faith. sure and inviolate. that in the days to come the British and American peoples will. for their own safety and for the good of all. walk together in majesty. in justice. and in peace." This is a charge to which I hope this Congress will still aspire. Mr. Speaker. I support this resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it. and I reserve the balance of my time.