CAPITAL CLOSE-UP

Photo by Susan Robertson, CAP National Headquarters
Congressman Charlie Dent, at podium, introduces his new border security legislation with members and cadets of the Pennsylvania
Wing looking on at the Queen City Municipal Airport in Allentown, Pa.
the nation’s waters from wartime Nazi U-boat aggressors
bent on victimizing Allied shipping. CAP succeeded,
safeguarding the American war effort.
Today, its missions have expanded greatly. Now
known primarily for search and rescue, this nonprofit,
all-volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force performs 95
percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions.
It was credited by the Air Force with saving 58
lives in 2006.
CAP volunteers also perform disaster relief and counterdrug
missions at the request of federal, state and local
agencies. And members play a leading role in aerospace
education, serving as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young
people currently participating in the CAP cadet program.
Garnering congressional support
Dent, who represents Pennsylvania’s 15th District,
filed HR 1333 in March, and subcommittees are now
beginning to take a look at the legislation.
One of Dent’s own committees, the Homeland
Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications,
Preparedness and Response, was first to review the bill
during an April 25 hearing. Dent serves as a ranking
member (minority chairman) of the subcommittee.
“This hearing (before the subcommittee) is the first
step of a sometimes long process,” said Dent spokesman
Gregg Bortz. “The bill will hopefully be considered (by
the full Congress) later this year, but there is no guarantee
of that. We continue to rally support for this legislation.”
Thirty-four House members signed on as co-sponsors
of HR 1333 when it was filed on March 6; by mid-April
at least 10 more co-sponsors had signed.
The House subcommittee hearing on April 25 featured
testimony from Maj. Gen. Antonio J. Pineda,
CAP national commander. Pineda assured members of
the subcommittee CAP is the perfect fit to support this
effort because of the skill, expertise and experience the
organization brings to the table. And he indicated the
Civil Air Patrol Volunteer 5 May-June 2007