Policy
Geronimo!
Nine members of the House of Representatives, all military veterans, did their best impression of screaming eagles on Friday, as they recreated the daring parachute jump performed by American forces in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), the green beret adorned with the Bronze Star, organized the effort and was joined by Reps. Derek Van Orden (R-Wisconsin), Keith Self (R-Texas), and Darrell Issa (R). – California), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Ronnie Jackson (R-TX), Mark Green (R-TN), Corey Mills (R-FL), and Jason Crow (D-CO).
All nine are former members of the Army, Navy, or Marines.
House members also looked the part, wearing World War II khaki uniforms, carrying patches from the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, and standard-issue paratrooper helmets and boots from the same period before lining up aboard a vintage C-47 transport plane. Plane to drop.
“President Johnson says additional prayers for our parachutists as 8 House GOP members jump in Normandy 80!” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) Published on X Before lawmakers get airborne.
Later, one of Waltz’s aides shared GoPro footage of the jump, with the Florida Republican shouting “Airborne!” While falling from the plane.
The congressional delegation took in the scenery—including a view of the island of Mont Saint-Michel—as it floated.
“Hell of a jump,” Waltz said after landing. “Honoring our ancestors. The heroes. The Greatest Generation. It’s an honor as a congressman and a Green Beret veteran to be able to do this. Just incredible.”
The last surviving D-Day invasion vets visited beaches in northern France with lawmakers this week and gathered on beaches in Omaha and Utah to honor their fellow soldiers who fell on the morning of June 6, 1944.
The reactivation of lawmakers was an important point of solidarity for the 118th Congress — especially in the narrowly divided chamber that saw the first-ever ouster of a president and was marked by infighting in both parties.
These disagreements have often centered on the United States’ role in foreign affairs — including a $95 billion military aid package passed despite bipartisan opposition to fund Ukraine’s ongoing war efforts against Russia and Israel’s against Hamas.
Issa, one of the longtime lawmakers who voted for that package, He told ABC News Before the jump, he expressed hope that the anniversary would remind US lawmakers not to “delay in pushing back against tyranny” — echoing President Biden’s comments on Thursday.
“Making the same jump those units did 80 years ago is an important way to honor these veterans and remember that America is at its best when we put self-interest aside,” Crowe, who served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. , he told the outlet, “and did great things for the betterment of our country, just as the Greatest Generation did decades ago.”
GOP leadership expressed concern about reckless members of the conference putting their 218-213 majority in jeopardy with risky out-of-session antics, the Wall Street Journal reported. mentioned in April.
Waltz told ABC that he assured House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that although their uniforms were “vintage” the “parachutes are new.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine,” the Florida native said he told Johnson.
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