[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8397 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8397

  To designate the National Service Animals Monument to recognize the 
heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and handlers of service 
         animals in the United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 24, 2020

   Ms. Wild introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To designate the National Service Animals Monument to recognize the 
heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and handlers of service 
         animals in the United States, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Service Animals Monument 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) service animals, such as dogs, horses, mules, homing 
        pigeons, and other animals, have accompanied and supported 
        servicemembers throughout history;
            (2) service animals have worked alongside law enforcement 
        personnel and first responders in performing vital, heroic, and 
        often life-saving support activities;
            (3) shelter dogs are often trained as service animals;
            (4) many veterans and individuals with disabilities rely on 
        the devotion, training, and care provided by companion, guide, 
        assistance, and therapy animals, which are increasingly 
        important to improving the quality of life of the veterans and 
        individuals with disabilities that rely on the animals;
            (5) the Department of the Navy--
                    (A) uses sea lions, which have excellent eyesight--
                            (i) to find and retrieve unarmed test 
                        ordinance (including practice mines); and
                            (ii) to secure port complexes; and
                    (B) uses dolphins--
                            (i) to find and retrieve equipment lost at 
                        sea;
                            (ii) to identify intruders in restricted 
                        areas; and
                            (iii) to detect underwater mines;
            (6) rescue dogs and handlers have been used in many 
        critical disaster settings, including--
                    (A) in the aftermath of avalanches or other natural 
                disasters; and
                    (B) during search and rescue missions, such as the 
                search and rescue missions after the 9/11 terrorist 
                attacks;
            (7) during World War I and World War II--
                    (A) homing pigeons served as critical messengers 
                with tiny message capsules attached to the legs of the 
                pigeons that were used to send communications to save 
                the lives of countless soldiers, resulting in many 
                pigeons becoming the target of enemy fire; and
                    (B) donkeys and mules transported food, supplies, 
                ammunition, and wounded soldiers during terrible 
                hardships;
            (8) the military working dog program in the United States--
                    (A) began in World War II with the program known as 
                ``Dogs for Defense''; and
                    (B) continues to be an active program in the 
                military;
            (9) military working dogs--
                    (A) have saved tens of thousands of lives through 
                the service and sacrifice of the dogs; and
                    (B) are one of the greatest assets of the military;
            (10) servicemembers have served on horseback from the 
        Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan;
            (11) horses have carried wounded servicemembers and 
        critical supplies in support of various military operations;
            (12) the purple poppy is the international symbol for the 
        service and sacrifice of service animals;
            (13) on February 24 of each year, National Service Animals 
        Day is celebrated in the United States and throughout the 
        world; and
            (14) a National Service Animals Monument would represent a 
        place of pride, introspection, and education to pay tribute to 
        the contributions and sacrifices made by all service animals 
        and handlers of service animals throughout history.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MONUMENT AS NATIONAL SERVICE ANIMALS MONUMENT.

    (a) Designation.--The monument to commemorate and recognize the 
heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and the handlers of 
service animals in the United States, to be constructed by the National 
Service Animals Monument Corporation at a location determined to be 
appropriate by the National Service Animals Monument Corporation, is 
designated as the ``National Service Animals Monument''.
    (b) Effect of Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The monument designated by subsection (a) 
        is not a unit of the National Park System.
            (2) Use of federal funds.--The designation of the monument 
        by subsection (a) shall not require Federal funds to be 
        expended for any purpose relating to the monument.
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