[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2216 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2216

     To provide for greater recognition of Veterans Day each year.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2003

   Mr. Baca introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide for greater recognition of Veterans Day each year.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Veterans of service in the Armed Forces have served the 
        Nation with honor and at great personal sacrifice.
            (2) The American people owe the security of the Nation to 
        those who have defended it.
            (3) On Memorial Day each year, the Nation honors those who 
        lost their lives in service to the Nation.
            (4) On Veterans Day each year, the Nation honors those who 
        have defended democracy by serving in the Armed Forces.
            (5) The observance of Memorial Day and Veterans Day is an 
        expression of faith in democracy, faith in American values, and 
        faith that those who fight for freedom will defeat those whose 
        cause is unjust.
            (6) Section 116(a) of title 36, United States Code, 
        provides that ``The last Monday in May is Memorial Day'' and 
        section 116(b) of that title requests the President to issue a 
        proclamation each year--
                    (A) calling on the people of the United States to 
                observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their 
                individual religious faith, for permanent peace;
                    (B) designating a period of time on Memorial Day 
                during which the people may unite in prayer for a 
                permanent peace;
                    (C) calling on the people of the United States to 
                unite in prayer at that time; and
                    (D) calling on the media to join in observing 
                Memorial Day and the period of prayer.
            (7) Section 4 of the National Moment of Remembrance Act 
        (Public Law 106-579) provides, ``The minute beginning at 3:00 
        p.m. (local time) on Memorial Day each year is designated as 
        the `National Moment of Remembrance'''.
            (8) Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, 
        provides that ``Memorial Day, the last Monday in May'' and 
        ``Veteran's Day, November 11'' are legal public holidays.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ACTIVITIES RELATING TO VETERANS 
              DAY.

    Congress--
            (1) encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for 
        veterans on Veterans Day each year by treating that day as a 
        special day of reflection; and
            (2) encourages houses of worship and other institutions to 
        ring bells at 11:00 AM (local time) on Veterans Day each year 
        and the American people to then observe a moment of reflection 
        in recognition of those persons who have served as members of 
        the Armed Forces.

SEC. 3. PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION.

    The President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation 
each year in connection with the observance of Veterans Day calling on 
the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate 
ceremonies and activities.
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