[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 421 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 421

 Recognizing the Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as 
   ``America's National World War I Museum'', and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2004

  Ms. McCarthy of Missouri (for herself, Mr. Skelton, Mr. Blunt, Mr. 
Moore, Mr. Clay, Mr. Graves, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Gephardt, and Mr. Akin) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as 
   ``America's National World War I Museum'', and for other purposes.

Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, was built in 1926 
        in honor of those who served in World War I in defense of liberty and 
        the Nation;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Association, a nonprofit organization which 
        originally built the Liberty Memorial Museum, is responsible for the 
        finances, operations, and collections management of the Liberty Memorial 
        Museum;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum is the only public museum in the Nation that 
        exists for the exclusive purpose of interpreting the experiences of the 
        United States and its allies in the World War I years (1914-1918), both 
        on the battlefield and on the home front;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum project began after the 1918 Armistice 
        through the efforts of a large-scale, grass-roots civic and fundraising 
        effort by the citizens and veterans of the Kansas City metropolitan 
        area;  x 
Whereas after the conclusion of a national architectural design competition, 
        ground was broken in 1921, construction began in 1923, and the Liberty 
        Memorial Museum was opened to the public in 1926;  x 
Whereas in 1994, the Liberty Memorial Museum closed for a massive restoration 
        and expansion project;  x 
Whereas the restored museum reopened to the public on Memorial Day, 2002, during 
        a gala rededication ceremony;  x 
Whereas exhibits prepared for the original museum buildings presaged the 
        dramatic, underground expansion of core exhibition gallery space, with 
        over 30,000 square feet of new interpretive and educational exhibits 
        currently in development;  x 
Whereas the new exhibits, along with an expanded research library and archives, 
        will more fully utilize the many thousands of historical objects, books, 
        maps, posters, photographs, diaries, letters, and reminiscences of World 
        War I participants that are preserved for posterity in the Liberty 
        Memorial Museum's's collections;  x 
Whereas the new core exhibition is scheduled to open on Veterans Day, 2006;  x 
Whereas the City of Kansas City, the State of Missouri, and thousands of private 
        donors and philanthropic foundations have contributed millions of 
        dollars to build and later to restore this national treasure;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum continues to receive the strong support of 
        residents from the States of Missouri and Kansas and across the Nation; 
        x 
Whereas since the restoration and rededication of 2002, the Liberty Memorial 
        Museum has attracted thousands of visitors from across the United States 
        and many foreign countries;  x 
Whereas there remains a need to preserve in a museum setting evidence of the 
        honor, courage, patriotism, and sacrifice of those Americans who offered 
        their services and who gave their lives in defense of liberty during 
        World War I, evidence of the roles of women and African Americans during 
        World War I, and evidence of other relevant subjects;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum seeks to educate a diverse group of 
        audiences through its comprehensive collection of historical materials, 
        emphasizing eyewitness accounts of the participants on the battlefield 
        and the home front and the impact of World War I on individuals, then 
        and now;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum continues to actively acquire and preserve 
        such materials;  x 
Whereas a great opportunity exists to use the invaluable resources of the 
        Liberty Memorial Museum to teach the ``Lessons of Liberty'' to the 
        Nation's schoolchildren through on-site visits, classroom curriculum 
        development, distance learning, and other educational initiatives;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum should always be the Nation's museum of the 
        national experience in the World War I years (1914-1918), where people 
        go to learn about this critical period;  x 
Whereas the Liberty Memorial Museum should be the place where the Nation's 
        history of this monumental struggle will be preserved so that 
        generations of the 21st century may understand the role played by the 
        United States in the preservation and advancement of democracy, freedom, 
        and liberty in the early 20th century;  x 
Whereas this initiative to recognize and preserve the history of the Nation's 
        sacrifices in World War I will take on added significance as the Nation 
        approaches the centennial observance of this event; and  x 
Whereas it is fitting and proper to refer to the Liberty Memorial Museum as 
        ``America's National World War I Museum'': Now, therefore, be it  x 
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes the Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City, 
        Missouri, including the museum's future and expanded exhibits, 
        collections, library, archives, and educational programs, as 
        ``America's National World War I Museum'';
            (2) recognizes the continuing collection, preservation, and 
        interpretation of the historical objects and other historical 
        materials held by the Liberty Memorial Museum that enhance the 
        knowledge and understanding of the Nation's people of the 
        American and allied experience during the World War I years 
        (1914-1918), both on the battlefield and on the home front;
            (3) commends the ongoing development and visibility of 
        ``Lessons of Liberty'' educational outreach programs for 
        teachers and students throughout the Nation; and
            (4) encourages the need for present generations to 
        understand the magnitude of World War I, how it shaped the 
        Nation, other countries, and later world events, and how the 
        sacrifices made then helped preserve liberty, democracy, and 
        other founding principles for generations to come.
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