Florida Senate - 2013 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. SM 1266
Barcode 123664
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
.
.
.
Floor: 1/AD/2R .
03/27/2013 05:13 PM .
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Senator Soto moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment
2
3 Delete lines 7 - 90
4 and insert:
5
6 WHEREAS, the Borinqueneers trace their linage to the
7 “Puerto Rico Regiment of Volunteer Infantry,” authorized by
8 Congress on March 2, 1899, as the first body of native troops in
9 Puerto Rico, the only Hispanic-segregated unit in the United
10 States Armed Forces that played a prominent role in American
11 military history, and
12 WHEREAS, during World War I, the Borinqueneers rallied a
13 force of over 1,500 to defend the Panama Canal, and upon their
14 return to Puerto Rico were renamed “The 65th Infantry Regiment,”
15 and
16 WHEREAS, during World War II, the Borinqueneers served in
17 North Africa and Europe, winning Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arne,
18 Central Europe, and Rhineland battle campaign awards; and were
19 assigned security, anti-sabotage, and other occupation missions
20 around Kaiserslautern and Mannheim, Germany after the war, and
21 WHEREAS, during the Korean War, the Borinqueneers were the
22 only all-Hispanic unit; joined the United States 3rd Infantry
23 Division to be among the first infantry to engage in battle with
24 North Korean troops; served with distinction to earn 4
25 Distinguished Service Crosses, 124 Silver Stars, 9 Korean battle
26 campaign awards, the Presidential and Meritorious Unit
27 Commendations, 2 Korean Presidential Unit Citations, and the
28 Greek Gold Medal for Bravery; and are credited with launching
29 the last recorded battalion-sized bayonet assault in United
30 States Army history, and
31 WHEREAS, legendary United States Army General Douglas
32 MacArthur lauded the Borinqueneers, crediting them with a
33 resolute will to victory and loyalty to the United States,
34 saying, “They are writing a brilliant record of heroism in
35 battle and I am indeed proud to have them under my command. I
36 wish that we could count on many more like them,” and
37 WHEREAS, in 1959, the Borinqueneers passed their colors to
38 the National Guard of the United States Territory of Puerto
39 Rico, withdrawing from the Regular Army, the only time in United
40 States Army history that active unit colors were not retired,
41 but, instead, turned over to a National Guard unit, and
42 WHEREAS, today, the legacy of the Borinqueneers lives on in
43 the National Guard in Puerto Rico, which continues to defend the
44 United States in the ongoing War on Terrorism, and
45 WHEREAS, the Borinqueneers served and sacrificed, shedding
46 blood for our democracy and helping to ensure our prosperity as
47 they faced segregation and discrimination, protecting our nation
48 and fighting for the good of all, and
49 WHEREAS, these warriors, the Borinqueneers, deserve a place
50 with all American heroes, and should be honored, commended, and
51 never forgotten for their feats, and
52 WHEREAS, the Congressional Gold Medal is the highest
53 civilian award given by the United States Congress, awarded as
54 an expression of public gratitude on behalf of the nation for
55 distinguished contributions, NOW, THEREFORE,
56
57 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
58
59 That, in recognition of the bravery and sacrifice of the
60 United States 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers, the
61 President and the Congress of the United States are urged to
62 award the Congressional Gold Medal to these true heroes and
63 defenders of our great nation.
64 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
65 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
66 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
67 United States House of Representatives, to each member of the
68 Florida delegation to the United States Congress, to the Puerto
69 Rico Resident Commissioner, to the President of the United
70 States 65th Infantry Regiment Association, the chairman of the
71 Hispanic Achievers Grant Council, the chairman of the
72 Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance, and the
73 National Association for Uniformed Services.