President Abraham Lincoln.
THE TORCH HAS BEEN LIT
Tuesday, Mar 17, at approximately 2:20 pm Eastern time, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison became a true CHAMPION for the WASP when she introduced a Bill to honor the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII with the CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest and most distinguished award that Congress can award a civilian.
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Along with Senator Hutchison and original co-sponsor Senator Barbara Mikulski, D, MD, EVERY FEMALE
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Along with Senator Hutchison and original co-sponsor Senator Barbara Mikulski, D, MD, EVERY FEMALE SENATOR in the UNITED STATES SENATE is now a co-sponor of this bill. Seventeen female Senators said “YES” -- this is important and it is time.
This is a long overdue honor for the WASP. Wings Across America had been working on this project for over a year with two high ranking officials in the Pentagon, but their efforts took on an entirely new engery and focus in November of 2008.
At the opening of the Wings Across America “Fly
Girls of WWII” WASP exhibit, Major Nicole Malachowski, the first female Thunderbird pilot, took the lead. She had the passion, the clout and the connections to get it to the right Senator, and we were more than willing to furnish her the ammunition she needed for the mission.
She submitted a draft bill and convinced our Texas Senator and her staff that it was of the
utmost importance and urgency. As she continued her meetings with staff and Congress people, Senator Hutchison enthusiastically agreed, so from there, with WAA’s additional suggestions and corrections, her staff ran with it.
"I am convinced every opportunity I’ve been afforded, from flying combat patrols in the skies over Iraq, to the honor of being a USAF Thunderbird, to representing the military as a Fellow, is because of these pioneering women. There couldn't be a more principled use of time and effort than seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for my personal heroines, the courageous WASP of WWII."
Major Nicole “Fifi” Malachowski
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? PREPARE TO PICK UP THE TORCH! Email, call or write your SENATORS AND your REPRESENTATIVES. Ask them to CO-SPONSOR S.614 honoring the WASP of WWII with the Congressional Gold Medal. THIS IS IMPORTANT. They pay attention to EVERY phone call and EVERY email. YOU could be the one who makes the difference. Congress has already awarded this prestigious honor to the Tuskeegee Airmen and the Navaho Code Talkers. It is now time for the courageous women pilots--who paid their way to serve their country--and preformed so valiantly in face of enormous challenges--to step into the national spotlight, where they have always belonged.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for our entire nation to say thank you to a group of women who served their country without question and without expectations of honor or glory. Their patriotism, sacrifice, service, faith, courage, integrity and determination in the face of enormous odds are inspirational. This is an honor the WASP did not seek, yet, in awarding this highest civilian honor, the United States Congress has the privilege of coming together in a righteous cause. We owe it to the WASP and to those we hope will follow in their footsteps.”
Nancy Parrish, Director, Wings Across America
Do you need facts for your email? Visit WASP FACTS: http://www.wingsacrossamerica.us/wasp/facts.htm
Do you need facts for your email? Visit WASP FACTS: http://www.wingsacrossamerica.us/wasp/facts.htm
Visit our FACE BOOK page--so that we can co-ordinate our efforts and share information. **This is new. Let us know who you call, who you write and any suggestions you might have to encourage the entire Senate to pass this bill.
OTHER INFORMATION:
Senator Hutchison’s website: http://hutchison.senate.gov/ (speech and bill information)
Senator Hutchison's Press Release : http://hutchison.senate.gov/releases.html
VIDEO: Senator Hutchison’s youtube site:http://www.youtube.com/user/SenatorHutchison (where the complete video will be very soon)
YOU MAY POST ON THIS SITE--OR EMAIL nancy@wingsacrossamerica.org
Meantime, DON'T FORGET TO CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!
JUST IN: FLORIDA REP ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (RANKING FEMALE REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE) JUST SIGNED ON TO CO-SPONSOR THE BILL IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MORE NEWS TO FOLLOW.
