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AND POLITICAL LIFE.
REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU
FOR ASKING ME TO COME DOWN THIS
EVENING.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND ON
IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR US IN THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY AND IMPORTANT
TO AMERICANS AS ISRAEL IS OUR
STRONGEST ALLY AND FRIEND.
YOU ARE RIGHT AND THE REASON I
WANTED YOU TO COME DOWN TONIGHT,
GROWING UP AS A JEWISH GIRL ON
LONG ISLAND, I KNEW A FEW FOLKS
OVER YOUR WAY IN CONNECTICUT,
BEING A RESIDENT OF THE
TRI-STATE AREA AND KNOWING THE
OF POLITICAL
ACTIVISM OF JEWISH LEADERS IN
CONNECTICUT AND WE'LL CALL YOU
AN HONOREE JEW TONIGHT,
MUIRYBERG.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR JOINING
US TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
JEWISH AMERICANS.
MR. SPR, I'M GOING TO WRAP UP
AND SHARE A FEW OTHER THINGS TO
HELP TIE A RIBBON ON THE
SECOND-TO-LAST OF JEWISH
I WANT TO SHARE A STORY OF A
FLORIDIAN, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES,
CERTAINLY RECENTLY, FLORIDA
WOULD BE WELL KNOWN FOR OUR
SIGNIFICANT SIZEABLE AND
ACCOMPLISHED JEWISH COMMUNITY,
PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA
WHERE MY DISTRICT IS.
I LIKE TO SAY THAT THE PERSON
THAT REPRESENTS PARADISE DOWN
OUR WAY IN SOUTH FLORIDA, BUT
THE PARADISE THAT WE SEE TODAY
IN SOUTH FLORIDA WAS MOSTLY
SWAMPLAND MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
SO THE PIONEERS THAT BLAZED THE
TRAIL THAT ALLOWED FOR THE
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR STATE WELLRY WERE WERE
JUST THAT WERE PINERS.
AND I WANT TO SHARE A STORY.
FOR EXAMPLE, MOSE LEVY, HE WAS
ONE OF THE EARLIES AND LARGEST
DEVELOPERS IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA.
AT HIS PLANTATION, WHICH WAS THE
FIRST JEWISH SETTLEMENT IN OUR
COMMUNITY, HE HOUSED SEVERAL
JEWISH FAMILIES WHILE
REINTRODUCING SUGAR C ARCH NMP
THANKS TO HIS CULTIVATION IN
ALACHUA COUNTY, GO GATORS,
FLORIDA, BOASTS A SUGAR
PRODUCTION MARKET TODAY AND THAT
LEVY.
AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST,
THAT'S THE STORY I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT.
HE HAD THE INTELLECTUAL SPIRIT
AND REPAIRING THE WORLD.
HE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC
EDUCATION FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AND
THAT WASN'T COMMON BACK THEN.
EDUCATION WAS LEFT MORE OFTEN
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS WERE LUCKY IF
THEY HAD SOMEONE IN THEIR LIVES
TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET AN
EDUCATION AND I'M PROUD TO
REMEMBER HIS EARLY CONTRIBUTIONS
AND DEDICATION TO EDUCATION AND
GENDER EQUALITY.
LEVY COUNTY TODAY IS NAMED AFTER
THIS GENTLEMAN AS WELL AS HIS
DAVID LEV YINCH, OUR FIRST
UNITED STATES SENATOR IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA AND WAS AN
AMERICAN JEW.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
MENTION, MR. SPEAKER, IS ALSO
NOT OFTEN THAT AMERICANS ARE
AWARE OF JEWISH CONTRIBUTIONS TO
OUR MILITARY HISTORY, AND THERE
IS A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN GET
EDUCATED ABOUT AMERICAN JEWISH
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MILITARY
HISTORY THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY
OF INVOLVEMENT MILITARILY, BY
GOING AND VISITING THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH
MILITARY HISTORY WHICH IS IN OUR
NATION'S CAPITAL ON DUPONT
CIRCLE.
I HOSTED AN EVENT A FEW YEARS
AGO AND WAS THRILLED TO LEARN
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS ALL THE
WAY BACK, MR. SPEAKER, TO THE
JEWS WERE NOT ONLY A PART OF
FIGHTING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
AND FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM IN THE
UNITED STATES, BUT ALSO
FINANCING AND MAKING SURE THAT
SOLOMON WAS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE
IN ENSURING WE HAD THE RESOURCES
AND THE MINUTE MEN HAD THE
RESOURCES TO ULTIMATELY BE ABLE
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A
COUNTRY AND WE ARE THE BEACON OF
FREEDOM ACROSS THE WORLD THAT WE
ARE TODAY THAT WAS IN NO SMALL
MEASURE, THANKS TO THE
PIONEERS HERE IN AMERICA.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO SHARE SOME
OF THE UNIQUE EVENTS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED THROUGHOUT JEWISH
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND WILL
CONTINUE TO FOSTER AND THRIVE
AND ENCOURAGE BOTH JEWS AND
NON-JEWS TO CELEBRATE THESE RICH
TRADITIONS.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, ON MAY 2,
THERE WAS A FOCUS AND A PROGRAM
ON RELIGION AND POLITICS, CALLED
"WHEN GENERAL GRANT EXPELED THE
JEWS," BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT
AND JEWISH COMMUNITY LIEDERS
TALK SO OFTEN ABOUT THE
WE CAN MAKE HISTORY DOESN'T
REPEAT AND HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY AT THE MUSEUM IN
PHILADELPHIA TO HOLD THAT
LECTURE SO WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH
THAT HISTORY WAS IMPORTANT.
IT WAS ALSO A PROGRAM IN MIAMI
BEACH, COMING TO AMERICA, THE
RESPONSE.
WE HAD SOME YOU KNEE
PROGRAMMING, THE AMERICAN JEWISH
DELI, BECAUSE FOOD IS IMPORTANT
TO THE JEWISH WAY OF LIFE ALL
OVER THE WORLD AND HELD IN NEW
YORK CITY AT THE PARK EAST
AND TWO OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS
TO HIGHLIGHT WHICH THE JEWISH
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, FILM
FESTIVAL HELD HERE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., AND LASTLY THE
PROGRAM HELD IN MARGATE,
HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTRIBUTION OF
JEWISH WOMEN IN AMERICA.
AS A JEWISH WOMAN IN AMERICA I'M
PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF
INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION,
ENSURING THAT ULTIMATELY WE WERE
ABLE TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF AMERICAN JEWS TO OUR HISTORY,
BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CAN HELP ALL AMERICANS MAKE IT A
PRIORITY THAT WE PROMOTE
TOLERANCE AND REDUCE ANTI--
SEFMENTISM AND REDUCE BIGOTRY
AND REACH OUT TO NON-JEWS AND
LEARN A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT A CULTURE THAT THEY
ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH AND HISTORY
AND CULTURE THAT IS FOREIGN TO
THEM, SO WE CAN ALL COME
TOGETHER AS WE ARE SO COMMITTED
TO DOING IN AMERICA, AS ONE
PEOPLE STANDING FOR FREEDOM,
STANDING FOR TOLERANCE AND
STANDING FOR JUSTICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I YIELD BACK.
GENTLEWOMAN JEELEDS BACK.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY, THE GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH
CAROLINA, MR. JONES, IS
RECOGNIZED AS THE DESIGNEE OF
THE MAJORITY LEADER.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS NOT THE
FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ON THE
FLOOR OF THE HOUSE TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE V-22 OSPREY CRASH THAT
TOOK PLACE IN ARIZONA IN BUT TO
-- 2000.
THE CRASH THAT CLAIMED THE LIVES
19 MARINES, MR. SPEAKER, THE
PILOTS OF THE OSPREY, MAJOR
BROOKS GRUBER AND LIEUTENANT
COLONEL JOHN BROW HAVE BEEN
MEDIA.
THE REASON I'M STANDING HERE 1
YEARS LATER IS THAT THE MARINE
CORPS HAS NOT SUPPORTED THE
FINDING OF THEIR OWN ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION FOR 12 YEARS.
THE REPORT KNOWN AS THE JAGMAN
REPORT, CONDUCTED BY THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS, CLEARLY
STATES THAT THE PILOTS WERE NOT
AT FAULT.
ON PAGE 77 OF THE JAGMAN IT
SAYS, AND I QUOTE, DURING THIS
INVESTIGATION WE FOUND NOTHING
THAT WE WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS
NEGLIGENCE, DELIBERATE PILOT
ERROR OR MAINTENANCE MATERIAL
FAILURE.
AFTER 12 YEARS THE JAGMAN, WHICH
HAS NOT BEEN NOR DO WE WANT TO
TRY TO CHANGE THAT REPORT THAT I
SPEAKER, BUT WE
ARE ASKING THE UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS TO MAKE THE CHANGE
THAT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE
PRESS RELEASE THAT CAME OUT
AFTER THE CRASH ON APRIL 8 OF
2000, THE UNITED STATES MA KIN
REPORT CLAIMED -- MARINE CORPS
CLAIMED IN THEIR OWN PRESS
RELEASE, AND I QUOTE, THE PILOTS
TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION
APPEARS TO BE THE FATAL FACTOR.
MR. SPEAKER, THE OSPREY, FOR
THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT BE
FAMILIAR, AND I WILL HOLD UP, IS
THE HELICOPTER THAT GOES FROM
THE HELICOPTER MODE INTO AN
AIRPLANE MODE AND I'M HOLDING
IT, MR. SPEAKER, SO THAT THOSE
THAT ARE WATCHING MIGHT BE ABLE
TO SEE IT.
AT THE TIME OF THIS CRASH, THE
STILL A PLANE AND WHAT
NEEDED TO BE ASKED BY THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS WAS THAT
BILL BOEING DO MORE TESTING AND
MORE TESTING WOULD HAVE PROBABLY
MEANT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE
UNDERSTOOD AN ISSUE THAT'S
V.R.S.
HELICOPTERS BUT IN THE OSPREY
THAT HAS THE TWIN ENGINES, THEY
DID NOT KNOW HOW THE VORTEX
REINSTATE WOULD AFFECT THE
THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THIS TRAGIC
ACCIDENT IN 2000.
AGAIN, THERE WERE 19 MARINES
THAT WERE KILLED AND BURNT TO
DEBT.
MR. SPEAKER, IN THIS 10-YEAR
JOURNEY THAT I HAVE BEEN ON TO
CLEAR THE NAMES OF THE TWO
MARINE PILOTS, THE ONE ON MY
IMMEDIATE LEFT IS COLONEL JOHN
BROW, HIS LOVELL WIFE TRISH AND
THEIR TWO CHILDREN, MATTHEW AND
MICHAEL LIVE IN CALIFORNIA,
THE OTHER YOUNG MARINE BESIDES
COLONEL BROW'S PHOTOGRAPH, IT'S
THE CO-PILOT WHOSE NAME IS MAJOR
BROOKS GRUBER.
MAJOR GRUBER'S WIFE, CONNIE,
LIVES IN MY DISTRICT.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THIS
TO MY ATTENTION.
IN THESE 10 YEARS, IN ADDITION
TO THE JAGMAN REPORT THAT I JUST
QUOTED, THAT SAYS THAT THESE
PILOTS WERE NOT AT FAULT, I'VE
REACHED OUT TO SO MANY PEOPLE
THAT IT'S UNBELIEVABLE,
INCLUDING THE FORMER ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PHIL CORE,
AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ HIS
COMMENT, MR. SPEAKER, AND I
QUOTE, MAJOR GRUBER SHOULD NOT
BE BLAMED FOR AN ACCIDENT CAUSED
BY LOSS OF LIFT DUE TO THE
AIRCRAFT ENTERING VORTEX RING
STATE.
IT IS A PHENOMENA WHICH NO ONE
IN THE MARINE CORPS ADEQUATELY
UNDERSTOOD IN RELATION TO THE
OSPREY AT THE TIME OF THE
PHIL CORE FURTHER STATED, AND I
READ, NOT ONLY DID THE MINUTE
CORPS NOT UNDERSTAND OSPREY
PERFORMANCE UNDER V.R.S., THE
ROOT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT
NEITHER DID THE CONTRACTOR, NOR
THE MARINE CORPS HAD TESTED THE
AIRCRAFT VIA V.R.S. CONDITIONS,
SOMETHING WHICH FOLLOWING THE
ACCIDENT IT LATER TOOK THE
MARINE CORPS YEARS TO
ACCOMPLISH.
SURELY MAJOR GRUBER CANNOT BE
BLAMED FOR SOMETHING THAT THE
MARINE CORPS ITSELF DID NOT
GRASP UNTIL YEARS AFTER HIS
AND, MR. SPEAKER, I FURTHER
QUOTE PHIL CORE.
CONSIDERING THAT IT WAS
MARINE CORPS THAT CAUSED THE
APRIL, 2000, ACCIDENT, THE
MARINE CORPS SHOULD MAKE IT
CLEAR TO GRUBER'S FAMILY, WITH
NO IFS OR BUTS, THAT GRUBER WAS
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
ACCIDENT.
I DON'T SUPPOSE MARINE CORPS
EVER APOLOGIZES BUT CONSIDERING
THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS THEIR
FAULT AND NOT MAJOR GRUBER'S
AN APOLOGY TO THE FAMILY
WOULD BE IN ORDER ALSO.
MR. SPEAKER, I DON'T REALLY LIKE
READING THAT BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH
GREAT RESPECT FOR THE MARINE
CORPS, BUT I MUST SAY TODAY ON
THE FLOOR THAT I'M VERY
DISAPPOINTED IN THE MARINE
CORPS.
BECAUSE BEFORE I FINISH, IN JUST
A FEW MINUTES, YOU'RE GOING TO
UNDERSTAND WHY I'M DISAPPOINTED.
BECAUSE THE TWO WIVES HAVE ASKED
FOR SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR AND I
WILL EXPLAIN THAT BEFORE I
CLOSE.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE EXPERTS WHO
HAS JOINED US, FORMER ADVISOR TO
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, REX,
STATED, AND I QUOTE, THE FAILURE
OF THE MANUFACTURER BILL BOEING
AND THE NAVY TO CHARACTERIZE THE
SLOW SPEED, HIGH RATE OF
DISSENT, HANDLING QUALITIES OF
THE V-22 THROUGH FLIGHT TESTING,
TO DESCRIBE THEM FOR THE AIR
CREW IN THE NATOPS AND PROVIDE
AN ADEQUATE WARNING SYSTEM WERE
THE CAUSE OF THE MISHAP, NOT THE
WITH THE PASSING OF 10 YEARS AND
THE FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT NOW
SECURE, EXCUSE ME, THE NATURE OF
THE AIRCRAFT NOW SECURE, I
SINCERELY HOPE THE NAMES OF BROW
AND GRUBER CAN BE CLEARED FOR
POSTERITY.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT ANY AND ALL
MEASURES TO THIS END AND REQUEST
THAT THIS LETTER BE INCLUDED IN
THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE M-22
MISHAP IN ARIZONA ON APRIL 8, OR
ANY RESOLUTION ATTEMPTING TO
CLEAR THE NAMES OF LIEUTENANT
COLONEL JOHN BROW AND MAJOR
BROOKS GRUBER.
MR. SPEAKER, SO MANY PEOPLE IN
THIS 10-YEAR EFFORT HAVE JOINED,
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
I READ JUST FROM TWO OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS, WELL KNOWN IN THE
DEFENSE INDUSTRY.
ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS IN THE
AIR IN THE THIRD OSPREY,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES
SCHAFER, A DEAR FRIEND OF BROW
AND GRUBER'S, WHO WAS IN THE AIR
WITH THEM THAT NIGHT IN A
PLANE AGREES WITH ME
AND HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN
HIS QUEST TO CLEAR HIS FRIENDS'
NAMES.
I WANT TO THANK COLONEL --
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES SCHAFER
FOR STEPPING OUT.
HE'S A GREAT MARINE, HE LOVES
THE MARINE CORPS BUT HE KNOWS
THAT THESE TWO GENTLEMEN SHOULD
NEVER BE SEEN AS BEING AT FAULT.
MR. SPEAKER, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW
THE TWO ATTORNEYS WHO DEFENDED
THE FAMILIES.
JIM FURMAN IN TEXAS WAS THE
ATTORNEY FOR JOHN BROW AND
BROOKS GRUBER'S FAMILIES.
IN NEW YORK THE ATTORNEY WAS
BRIAN ALEXANDER WHO DEFENDED HE
AND HIS ASSOCIATE DEFENDED THE
17 MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHO WERE KILLED IN THE BACK OF
BOTH THESE ATTORNEYS, MR.
SPEAKER, AS WRITTEN TO THE
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
AND MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT
THE LAWSUITS ARE ALL SETTLED AND
NOTHING, SHOULD THE MARINE CORPS
DECIDE TO GIVE THE TWO WIVES
WHAT I'M GOING TO DESCRIBE IN
JUST A FEW MINUTES, A LETTER
STATING CLEARLY THAT THEIR
HUSBANDS, COLONEL JOHN BROW AND
MAJOR BROOKS GRUBER, SHOULD NOT
BE SEEN AS FAULT.
THEY HAVE STATED IN WRITING AND
I HAVE COPIES, MR. SPEAKER, THAT
THERE WILL BE NO LAWSUITS.
THE LAWSUITS ARE OVER.
THIS IS WHAT CONNIE GRUBER WROTE
ME BACK IN 2002, I WANT TO READ
PART OF THIS FOR THE RECORD.
I CONTACT YOU IN HOPES THAT
LEADERS OF INTEGRITY, FREE OF
BIAS, WOULD HAVE BOTH THE
INTELLIGENCE AND THE COURAGE IT
TAKES TO DECIDE THE FACTS FOR
THEMSELVES.
IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL AGREE
THE HUMAN FACTOR/PILOT ERROR
FINDINGS SHOULD NOT STAND AS IT
IS IN THE MILITARY HISTORY.
AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT.
PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY PASS THIS
MATTER ALONG TO GENERAL JONES
THE SUPPORT MY
HUSBAND AND HIS COMRADES
DESERVE.
PLEASE REMEMBER THESE 19 MARINES
THEMSELVES.
SPEAK FOR THEM AND I BELIEVE
SOMEBODY HAS TO.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S EASIER PUT TO
REST THAN FORGOTTEN, PLEASE JOIN
ME IN DOING THE RIGHT THING BY
TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
OVER THE YEARS I HAVE RECEIVED
SOME HELP FROM THE UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS BUT THE COMMANDANT
IS THE PERSON NOW, MR. SPEAKER,
THAT COULD GIVE THE WIVES WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THAT IS JUST A SIMPLE LETTER
THAT I'M GOING TO READ FOR THE
RECORD.
ON JULY 27 OF 2000, THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS ISSUED A
PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE APRIL 8,
2000, MV-22 OSPREY CRASH THAT
KILLED 19 MARINES IN ARIZONA.
IN THAT PRESS RELEASE THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS CITED HUMAN
FACTORS AS A CAUSE OF THE
ACCIDENT.
FURTHERMORE, THE RELEASE
INCLUDED A STATEMENT SAYING THE
PILOTS' DRIVE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT
MISSION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE
FATAL FACTOR.
SINCE THAT PRESS RELEASE, THERE
HAS BEEN A MISTAKEN PERCEPTION
IN THE NEWS MEDIA AND WRITTEN
HISTORY THAT BECAUSE OF THE
ACCIDENT WAS PILOT ERROR, THAT
PERCEPTION DISHONORS THE PILOTS
WHO DIED THAT NIGHT, LIEUTENANT
COLONEL JOHN BROW AND MAJOR
BROOKS GRUBER.
I WOULD LIKE TO SET THE RECORD
STRAIGHT ON THIS MATTER.
THE JULY 27, 2000, PRESS RELEASE
UNFAIRLY PLACED THE BLAME FOR
THE ACCIDENT AT THE PILOTS' FEET
, IS MORALLY WRONG TO PLACE THE
BLAME FOR THAT ACCIDENT ON JOHN
BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER.
THE MISHAP WAS NOT A RESULT OF
PILOT ERROR BUT WAS THE RESULT
OF A PERFECT STORM OF
CIRCUMSTANCES.
ANY ACCIDENT IS A RESULT OF A
MULTITUDE OF FACTORS.
THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF FACTORS OF
THIS ACCIDENT WERE, ONE,
INSUFFICIENT DEVELOPMENTAL
RESEARCH AND FLIGHT TESTING,
TWO, NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE
POSSIBLE SUDDEN ONSET OF AN
ASYMMETRICAL FLIGHT CONDITION
AND LOSS OF CONTROL DURING
VORTEX RING STATE, THIRD,
INADEQUATE MV-22 NATOPS V.R.S.
PROCEEDERS.
NO V.R.S. AVOIDANCE TRAPING --
TRAINING, FURTHER STATE WHAT IS
WE'RE ASKING THE COMMANDANT TO
ISSUE I'VE JUST READ A LITTLE
BIT, PART OF IT, NOW I WANT TO
FINISH, MR. SPEAKER.
WITH NO KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING OR
WARNING CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE
CONSEQUENCES OF V.R.S., JOHN
BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER WERE
ESSENTIALLY ON THEIR OWN IN
UNCHARTED TERRITORY.
THE OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION INTO
THIS MISHAP EXPLICITLY STATES,
AND I QUOTE, DURING THIS
INVESTIGATION WE FOUND NOTHING
THAT WE WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS
NEGLIGENCE, DELIBERATE PILOT
FAILURE.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THE
INVESTIGATION, ANY PUBLICATION
THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE OFFICIAL
MARINE CORPS INVESTIGATION AND
REFLECTS THE MISHAP WAS A RESULT
OF PILOT ERROR SHOULD BE
CORRECTED AND RECANTED.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN BROW AND
MAJOR BROOKS GRUBER WERE
AVIATION PIONEERS IN THE TRUER
SENSE.
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE MADE BY
ALL 19 MARINES ABOARD THE
AIRCRAFT THAT NIGHT LED TO A
CRITICAL ADVANCEMENT IN MV-22
SAFETY AND CAPABILITY.
AND OVERALL READINESS OF THE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR SACRIFICE
THAT THE MV-22 IS SUCCESSFULLY
CARRYING MARINES IN AND OUT OF
COMBAT TODAY.
MR. SPEAKER, THE LETTER I JUST
READ HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE
MARINES WHO WROTE THE
INVESTIGATION, COLONEL MIKE
MORGAN, COLONEL RON RADISH, AND
MAJOR PHIL STACKHOUSE, AND HAS
BEEN APPROVED BY THE WIDOWS,
CONNIE GRUBER, DOWN IN
JACKSONVILLE, AND TRISH BROW IN
CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND, AND HER
TWO SONS, MICHAEL AND MATTHEW.
THE LETTER DOES NOT GO AGAINST
ANY WORD IN INVESTIGATION.
THE COMMANDANT SHOULD SEND THESE
LETTERS TO BOTH WIVES.
AND, MR. SPEAKER, I HAVE SAID TO
THE COMMANDANT A FEW MONTHS AGO,
SIR, IF YOU WOULD CALL A PRESS
CONFERENCE AT MARINE
HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON,
D.C., AND YOU INVITE THE
FAMILIES OF JOHN BROW AND BROOKS
GRUBER, YOU WOULD PRESENT THE
TWO WIFES, CONNIE AND TRISH, ON
YOUR STATIONARY EXACTLY, MR.
SPEAKER, WHAT I JUST READ, THIS
WOULD BRING A TRAGEDY TO A CLOSE
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BEAT
THIS DRUM, MR. SPEAKER, FOR AS
LONG AS I CAN.
BECAUSE THE DEAD CANNOT SPEAK
FOR THEMSELVES AND IT'S WE THE
LIVING DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE DEAD
AND SPEAK THE TRUTH, HOW YOU CAN
EVER CORRECT A MISTAKE IF WE
DON'T TAKE THIS UPON OURSELVES?
THE LAST POINT BEFORE I CLOSE,
I WANT TO READ THIS, THIS IS
FROM THE ATTORNEY, BRIAN YOUNG,
THESE TWO ATTORNEYS WENT TO AN
ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE AND THE
LAWYERS FOR BELL-BOEING WERE
THERE, AND THEY MADE THIS
ON APRIL 8, 2000, THERE WAS NO
EMERGENCY PROCEDURE OR RECOVERY
TECHNIQUE FOR ASYMMETRICAL
V.R.S.
THE PILOT'S MANUAL LACKED
ADEQUATE CONTENT AND CLARITY
BECAUSE OF THE INCOMPLETE
DEVELOPMENT TESTING THAT WAS
INSUFFICIENT, EXPLANATORY OR
EMPHATIC TESTS TO WARN PILOTS
OF THE HAZARD OF OPERATING IN
THIS AREA.
THE PILOT MANUAL WAS PLAGUED
INACCURACIES THAT DEGRADED
FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND CONTAINS
PERFORMANCE CHARTS PROVIDED BY
THE DEVELOPERS WHICH DID NOT
REFLECT ACTUAL CONDITIONS.
MR. SPEAKER, BELL-BOEING AFTER
THE LAWSUIT HAD THE
EXPERIMENTAL PILOT NAMED TOM
MCDONALD SPEND 700 HOURS IN THE
AIR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
RESPOND TO VORTEX WING STATE.
HE FIGURED IT OUT.
HE WON THE KINSLER AWARD, ONLY
GIVEN TO ONE EXPERIMENTAL PIE
ROT IN THIS COUNTRY PER YEAR
BECAUSE HE SOLVED THE PROBLEM
OF VORTEX WING STATE V. --
VORTEX RING STATE, WHAT PILOTS
ARE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THEY
HIT THE V.R.S. STATE.
MR. SPEAKER, I HOPE THAT THE
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS,
WHO I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR,
WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR JOHN
BROW, BROOKS GRUBER AND THE 17
MARINES IN THE BACK OF THE
PLANE THAT CRASHED AND ISSUE
THE LETTER THAT I JUST READ FOR
THE RECORD TO THE TWO WIVES, DO
IT IN A PUBLIC SETTING, BRING
THE PRESS IN, AND SAY THAT THE
MARINE CORPS DOES NOT FORGET
ITS DEAD.
IT IS SO SIMPLE, MR. SPEAKER,
YOU WOULD NEVER BELIEVE HOW
MANY PEOPLE SAID TO ME IN THIS
10-YEAR JOURNEY, WHY DOESN'T
THE MARINE CORPS DO IT?
I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.
THE LAWSUITS ARE OTHER.
THE PLANE IS SAFE, THE V-22 IS
OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT FOR THE FAMILIES OF JOHN
BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER, THIS IS
THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND IN MY
HUMBLE OPINION, THE MARINE
CORPS IS SO WELL RESPECTED AND
THOUGHT OF IN THIS NATION THAT
THEY WOULD BE EVEN REVERED MORE
IF THEY WOULD SAY TO COLONEL
JOHN BROW, TO MAJOR BROOKS
GRUBER AND YOUR FAMILIES, YOU
DID YOUR JOB, YOU DID IT TO THE
BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, WE REGRET
YOU WERE NOT PREPARED BUT IT
WAS NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU
WERE NOT PREPARED.
IT WAS A RUSH TO GET THIS THING
COMPLETED BY BELL-BOEING AND
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I WANT
TO THANK THE STAFF FOR STAYING
LATER TONIGHT.
I KNEW THAT I COULD CONVEY MY
HEART IN ABOUT 25 MINUTES.
AND MR. SPEAKER, I WILL
CONTINUE TO BE ON THE FLOOR
FROM TIME TO TIME WITH THE
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THESE TWO YOUNG
MARINE OFFICERS.
I WISH I HAD THE 17 THAT WERE
IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE BUT I
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, AS I
ALWAYS DO WHEN I THINK ABOUT
OUR TROOPS OVER IN AFGHANISTAN
AND IRAQ, I CLOSE BY ASKING GOD
TO PLEASE BLESS THE FAMILIES OF
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM, I
ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS THOSE
WHO HAVE GIVEN A CHILD DIING
FOR FREEDOM IN AFGHANISTAN AND
IRAQ AND I'M GOING TO ASK GOD
TO PLEASE BLESS THIS EFFORT TO
CLEAN THE -- CLEAR THE NAMES OF
JOHN BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER AND
ASK THAT WE WILL DO WHAT IS
RIGHT IN THE EYES OF FWOTH FOR
I ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS MR.
OBAMA THAT HE'LL DO WHAT IS
RIGHT IN THE EYES OF GOD FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THREE
TIMES I CANNED, GOD, PLEASE,
GOD, PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE,
CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA.
WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
IF YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A
MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM NORTH CAROLINA RISE?
I MAKE A MOTION THAT
THE HOUSE DO NOW ADJOURN.
THE
QUESTION IS ON THE MOTION TO
ADJOURN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT.
MOTION IS ADOPTED.
ACCORDINGLY, THE HOUSE STANDS
ADJOURNED UNTIL 10:00 A.M.