[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 203 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 203

Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Veterans' 
  Administration and acknowledging the achievements of the Veterans' 
         Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 21, 2005

     Mr. Craig (for himself and Mr. Akaka) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Veterans' 
  Administration and acknowledging the achievements of the Veterans' 
         Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Whereas in the history of the United States more than 48,000,000 citizen-
        soldiers have served the United States in uniform and more than 
        1,000,000 have given their lives as a consequence of their duties;
Whereas as of July 21, 2005, there are more than 25,000,000 living veterans;
Whereas on March 4, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln expressed in his Second 
        Inaugural Address the obligation of the United States ``to care for him 
        who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan'';
Whereas on July 21, 1930, President Herbert Hoover issued an executive order 
        creating a new agency, the Veterans' Administration, to ``consolidate 
        and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans'';
Whereas on October 25, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Act (Public Law 100-527; 102 Stat. 2635), 
        effective March 15, 1989, redesignating the Veterans' Administration as 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs and establishing it as an executive 
        department with the mission of providing Federal benefits to veterans 
        and their families; and
Whereas in 2005, the 230,000 employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        continue the tradition of their predecessors of caring for the veterans 
        of the United States with dedication and compassion and upholding the 
        high standards required of them as stewards of the gratitude of the 
        public to those veterans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the establishment of 
        the Veterans' Administration; and
            (2) acknowledges the achievements of the employees of the 
        Veterans' Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        and commends these employees for serving the veterans of the 
        United States.
                                 <all>