Thanking the People of Denmark and Greenland

Floor Speech

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Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the people of Denmark and Greenland for their quick professional evacuation last Saturday of a U.S. submariner on board the USS Delaware 7 miles off Greenland's coast. The submariner was experiencing an acute medical problem that required immediate hospital care.

Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of representing the Connecticut submarine base where the USS Delaware and its crew are homeported. In the north Atlantic, our subs have conducted joint NATO patrols in the waters off Greenland, Iceland, and the U.K. for many decades which benefits U.S. Homeland Security. It is a team effort and Denmark's response to a U.S. sailor in distress is a powerful example of how the NATO alliance is not just based on words but rather meaningful deeds.

Mr. Speaker, for some reason, there has been deafening silence from our Commander in Chief and Navy leadership to publicly thank Denmark for its act of friendship on Saturday.

As the Representative of the USS Delaware's home port and ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, I will publicly tell the people of that nation that your caring response to one of our sea servicemembers in distress is deeply appreciated and will be long remembered.

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