Floor SpeechNeutral2026-04-14

COMMEMORATING THE 35TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET

Context

On 2026-04-14, Representative John Joyce (R-PA-13) delivered a floor speech titled "COMMEMORATING THE 35TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET" in the House.

Full Text

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E322] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] COMMEMORATING THE 35TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET ______ HON. JOHN JOYCE of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join in the commemoration of the recent Blessing of the Fleet, which was conducted on April 11, 2026 at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. Passed down through generations of sailors, fishermen, merchant mariners, and navies around the world, the centuries-old Blessing of the Fleet ceremony is intended to safeguard crews and their ships. It is said to protect them from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water's edge. As a tribute to our Nation's rich maritime heritage and the men and women who have contributed to its growth and success, the United States Navy Memorial hosts its annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony each spring. During the ceremony, sailors from the U.S. Navy's Ceremonial Guard proceed across the Granite Sea on Navy Memorial Plaza to pour water from the Seven Seas and Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains. This element of the ceremony charges the fountains with life, as they usher in the spring season. On behalf of constituents throughout the 13th Congressional District, I express gratitude to the men and women of the Seas Services--past and present--for their devotion to duty and defense of liberty. May their service be forever remembered. ____________________

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COMMEMORATING THE 35TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E322] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] COMMEMORATING THE 35TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET ______ HON. JOHN JOYCE of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join in the commemoration of the recent Blessing of the Fleet, which was conducted on April 11, 2026 at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. Passed down through generations of sailors, fishermen, merchant mariners, and navies around the world, the centuries-old Blessing of the Fleet ceremony is intended to safeguard crews and their ships. It is said to protect them from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water's edge. As a tribute to our Nation's rich maritime heritage and the men and women who have contributed to its growth and success, the United States Navy Memorial hosts its annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony each spring. During the ceremony, sailors from the U.S. Navy's Ceremonial Guard proceed across the Granite Sea on Navy Memorial Plaza to pour water from the Seven Seas and Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains. This element of the ceremony charges the fountains with life, as they usher in the spring season. On behalf of constituents throughout the 13th Congressional District, I express gratitude to the men and women of the Seas Services--past and present--for their devotion to duty and defense of liberty. May their service be forever remembered. ____________________