[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 409 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  2d Session

                            H. CON. RES. 409

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing with humble gratitude the more than 16,000,000 veterans who 
 served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II and the 
     Americans who supported the war effort on the home front and 
celebrating the completion of the National World War II Memorial on the 
               National Mall in the District of Columbia.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 409

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in the District 
        of Columbia will be the first national memorial to both recognize the 
        courage, bravery, and unselfish dedication of the members of the United 
        States Armed Forces who served in World War II and those who served on 
        the home front and acknowledge the commitment and achievement of the 
        entire American people in that conflict;
 Whereas World War II veteran Roger Durbin of Berkey, Ohio, first proposed the 
        construction of a National World War II memorial, and Congresswoman 
        Marcy Kaptur of Ohio introduced legislation to establish the memorial in 
        the District of Columbia to honor members of the Armed Forces who served 
        in World War II and to commemorate the participation of the United 
        States in that war;
Whereas, in Public Law 103-32 (107 Stat. 90; 40 U.S.C. 8903 note), approved May 
        25, 1993, Congress authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission, 
        an independent Federal agency, to design and construct the memorial;
Whereas the location selected as the site for the memorial, the Rainbow Pool 
        site on the National Mall at the east end of the Reflecting Pool between 
        the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, was dedicated on 
        November 11, 1995;
Whereas, in an open competition, the American Battle Monuments Commission 
        selected Friedrich St. Florian as the design architect for the memorial, 
        and his final architectural design was approved by the Commission of 
        Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Secretary 
        of the Interior;
Whereas the late Representative Bob Stump of Arizona, who served as Chairman of 
        the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services 
        of the House of Representatives, sponsored several measures to expedite 
        the funding and construction of the memorial, which were enacted as 
        sections 601, 602, and 603 of Public Law 106-117 and Public Law 107-11;
Whereas after eight years of planning, six years of public deliberation, and 
        four years of fund raising, construction began on the memorial in 
        September 2001;
Whereas the memorial would not have been possible without the efforts and 
        dedication of National Chairman Senator Robert J. Dole and National Co-
        Chairman Frederick W. Smith, who were instrumental in raising over 
        $194,000,000 for the construction of the memorial;
Whereas these generous contributions came from hundreds of thousands of 
        individual Americans, as well as corporations, foundations, veterans 
        groups, fraternal and professional organizations, States, communities, 
        and schools;
Whereas actor Tom Hanks, the Advertising Council, and the History Channel played 
        a key role in increasing public awareness of the heroic achievements of 
        American World War II veterans and the war effort and in raising support 
        for the memorial;
Whereas President George W. Bush will formally dedicate the memorial on May 29, 
        2004;
Whereas the memorial will be a monument to the selfless sacrifice and undaunted 
        courage of the members of the United States Armed Forces who served in 
        World War II and a place of remembrance to honor the more than 400,000 
        American servicemen and servicewomen who died in that conflict defending 
        the United States; and
Whereas the memorial will be a source of inspiration for current and future 
        generations of Americans, giving visitors to the memorial a new 
        appreciation for the accomplishments of America's World War II 
        generation, which united in the quest to free the world from tyranny: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress recognizes with humble gratitude the more than 16,000,000 
veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during World War 
II and the Americans who supported the war effort on the home front and 
celebrates the completion of the National World War II Memorial on the 
National Mall in the District of Columbia.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 12, 2004.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.