[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 12 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          VFW CHARTER AMENDMENT

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                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 20, 1995
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to amend 
the Congressional Charter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United 
States [VFW]. My good friends Sonny Montgomery, and Jerry Solomon, 
former chairman and former ranking Republican member of the House 
Committee of Veterans' Affairs respectively, join me in introducing 
this bill. It provides that veterans who have served in the Republic of 
Korea for not less than 30 consecutive days, or a total of 60 days 
after June 30, 1949, would become eligible for VFW membership.
  Now, only veterans of Korea who served during the war itself are 
eligible to belong to the VFW. The VFW's congressional charter requires 
its members to have received a campaign medal or badge to be eligible 
for membership. However, many veterans have served in Korea but did not 
receive the requisite campaign medal or badge because of narrow DOD 
eligibility criteria. Consequently, those service men and women are not 
eligible to join the VFW.
  The VFW believes, and I agree, that those veterans who would be 
covered by this legislation should be eligible to enjoy membership in 
the VFW. Only Congress can make this change, because the VFW's 
congressional charter must be amended.
  Mr. Speaker, the realities of the United States military presence in 
Korea, and the current dangers there provide compelling reasons to 
support the VFW's desire to amend its charter, I strongly urge all 
Members to cosponsor and support this bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


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