The joint Session of the Senate and the House having been dissolved, the House was called to order by the Speaker at 12 o'clock and 46 minutes p. m.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the message of the President of the United states be referred to the committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed.
The SPEAKER. Without objection it is so ordered.
There was no objection.
* * * * * *
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass House Joint Resolution 254, which I send to the desk.
The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the joint resolution.
The Clerk read as follows:
"Declaring that a state of war exists between the Imperial Government of Japan and the Government and the people of the United States and making provisions to prosecute the same.
"Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America:
"Therefore be it
"Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial Government of Japan which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and that the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Imperial Government of Japan; and to bring the conflict to a successful termination all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States."
The SPEAKER. Is a second demanded?
Mr. MARTIN of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I demand a second.
The SPEAKER. Without objection, a second is considered as ordered.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack].
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 20 seconds.
Mr. Speaker and my fellow Americans, the President of the United States has just spoken to the Congress and to the American people. A dastardly attack has been made upon us. This is the time for action.
After debate.
* * * * * *
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask for a vote, and on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Massachusetts demands the yeas and nays. Those who favor taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted.
The SPEAKER. The yeas and nays were ordered. The question is, Will the House suspend the rules and pass the resolution?
The question was taken; and there were yeas 388, nays 1.
* * * * * *
So (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended, and the joint resolution was passed.
The SPEAKER. The Chair desires to announce that he has held in the past and will hold henceforth that it is contrary to the rules of the House for any Member to announce how an absent Member would vote if present.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
* * * * * *
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may be permitted to extend their own remarks on the resolution just acted upon immediately prior to the roll call.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, will that permit one to include in his remarks a telegram from a colleague showing how he would have voted ?
The SPEAKER. His own remarks only. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
There was no objection.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, a number of Members are unavoidably absent and on their way here. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to extend their own remarks on the resolution just adopted.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
There was no objection.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate joint resolution (S. J. Res. 116) declaring that a state of war exists between the Imperial Government of Japan and the Government and the people of the United States, and making provision to prosecute the same, and agree to the same.
The Clerk read the Senate joint resolution, as follows:
"Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America:
"Therefore be it
"Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial Government of Japan which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and that the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Imperial Government of Japan; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States."
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
Mr. MARTIN of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object and, of course, I am not going to object this is the same declaration that we just passed?
The SPEAKER. The same.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Yes.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
There was no objection.
The Senate joint resolution was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the proceedings by which the House passed House Joint Resolution 254 be vacated and that the resolution be laid on the table.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCormack]?
There was no objection.
The Speaker laid before the House the following message from the President of the United States, which was read:
"To the Congress of the United States:
"On the morning of December 11, the Government of Germany, pursuing its course of world co nquest, declared war against the United States.
"The long known and the long expected has thus taken place. The forces endeavoring to enslave the entire world now are moving toward this hemisphere.
"Never before has there been a greater challenge to life, liberty, and civilization.
"Delay invites greater danger. Rapid and united effort by all of the peoples of the world who are determined to remain free will insure a world victory of the forces of justice and of righteousness over the forces of savagery and of barbarism.
"Italy also has declared war against the United States.
"I, therefore, request the Congress to recognize a state of war between the United States and Germany, and between the United States and Italy.
"FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
"THE WHITE HOUSE, "December 11, 1941."
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I move that the message of the President be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and ordered printed.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass House Joint Resolution 256, which I send to the desk and ask to have read.
The Clerk read as follows.
"Whereas the Government of Germany has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it
"Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Germany; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States."
The SPEAKER. The question is, Will the House suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution?
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
* * * * * *
The question was taken; and there were yeas 393, answered "present" 1, not voting 36.
So (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended, and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
A message from the Senate, by Mr. Frazier, its legislative clerk, announced that the Senate had passed joint resolutions of the following titles, in which the concurrence of the House is requested:
"S. J. Res. 119. Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Germany and the Government and the people of the United States and making provision to prosecute the same; and
"S. J. Res. 120. Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Italy and the Government and the people of the United States and making provision to prosecute the same."
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table Senate Joint Resolution 119, which is identical with the resolution just adopted by the House, and pass the Senate resolution.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
The Senate joint resolution was read a third time, and passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the action just taken by the House in the passage of House Joint Resolution 256 be vacated and that the resolution be laid on the table.
The SPEAKER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
There was no objection.
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rule and pass Senate Joint Resolution 120, which I have sent to the Clerk's desk.
The Clerk read as follows:
"Whereas the Government of Italy has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it
"Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Italy, which has thus been thrust upon the United States, is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Italy; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States."
The SPEAKER. The question is, Will the House suspend the rules and pass the resolution?
Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, on this vote I ask for the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The question was taken; and there were yeas 399, answered "present" 1, not voting 30, as follows:
* * * * * *
So, two-thirds having voted in favor thereof, the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.