thedrifter
04-07-09, 08:29 AM
Bill to Rename Dept. of Navy Picks Up New Support
A House bill that would change the name of the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps has earned more than 200 co-sponsors and similar renaming efforts are underway in the Senate.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) introduced the bill and has introduced similar legislation in every congressional session since 2001. As Jones told The Eye when he introduced the latest efforts in January, "The Navy and Marine Corps always sell themselves before Congress as 'one fighting team,'" Jones said. “If you're one team, then why isn’t the team's name Navy and Marine Corps?”
Jones, whose district includes the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, also said a name change would extend a courtesy to the families of Marines killed in action who currently receive condolence letters printed on Department of the Navy letterhead and begin with the sentence, "On behalf of the Department of the Navy..." with no explicit mention of the Marine Corps anywhere in the letter.
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) has introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both bills have been referred to their chambers' respective armed services committees. No word yet on when (or if) they might come up for a vote.
By washingtonpost.com Editors | April 7, 2009; 6:20 AM ET
Ellie
A House bill that would change the name of the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps has earned more than 200 co-sponsors and similar renaming efforts are underway in the Senate.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) introduced the bill and has introduced similar legislation in every congressional session since 2001. As Jones told The Eye when he introduced the latest efforts in January, "The Navy and Marine Corps always sell themselves before Congress as 'one fighting team,'" Jones said. “If you're one team, then why isn’t the team's name Navy and Marine Corps?”
Jones, whose district includes the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, also said a name change would extend a courtesy to the families of Marines killed in action who currently receive condolence letters printed on Department of the Navy letterhead and begin with the sentence, "On behalf of the Department of the Navy..." with no explicit mention of the Marine Corps anywhere in the letter.
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) has introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both bills have been referred to their chambers' respective armed services committees. No word yet on when (or if) they might come up for a vote.
By washingtonpost.com Editors | April 7, 2009; 6:20 AM ET
Ellie