[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 102 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1457-E1458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  1998

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 15, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House of the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill, H.R. 2107, making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to recognize the good work 
of a local organization in my congressional district, the Greater 
Cleveland Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, and the 
contribution they have made to one of our Nation's memorials. Included 
in this bill are funds for the National Park Service, which oversees 
our national memorials, including the Korean War Veterans' Memorial 
here in Washington, DC.
  The Cleveland Chapter of the KWVA has an active membership and its 
leadership includes Mr. Joe Shearer, who serves as second vice 
president. Recently, Mr. Shearer brought to my attention and to the 
attention of Senator Glenn and others in the Ohio congressional 
delegation the troubling story of the condition of the Korean War 
Veterans' Memorial. Apparently the memorial was in a state of disrepair 
due to problems associated with poor construction and engineering.
  In true American ``can-do'' spirit, Mr. Shearer and some of his 
fellow veterans drove to Washington, DC, to personally inform me of 
this situation. Letters were sent to the Department of the Interior and 
the National Park Service expressing concerns about the memorial. Due 
to the efforts of Mr. Shearer and other veterans, I have been assured 
by the National Park Service that repairs are currently underway and 
adequate funds needed to repair the Korean War Memorial have been made 
available.
  The Korean War Veterans Memorial is a tribute to those who served in 
``the forgotten war.'' Our Korean war veterans deserve our utmost 
respect and deserve a memorial in

[[Page E1458]]

which they can be proud. I applaud Mr. Shearer and his colleague's 
efforts in helping to memorialize the sacrifice that was made by our 
Korean war veterans. I am proud to stand in salute of a veteran who 
continues to honor the memories of those soldiers who gave their lives 
in the Korean war.

                          ____________________