[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 105 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9433-S9434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SARBANES:
  S. 2374. A bill to provide additional funding for repair of the 
Korean War Veterans Memorial; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.


                korean war veterans memorial legislation

   Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I am introducing 
legislation to fix and restore one of our most important monuments, the 
Korean War Veterans Memorial. My bill would authorize the Secretary of 
the Army to provide, within existing funds, up to $2 million to 
complete essential repairs to the Memorial.
  The Korean War Memorial is the newest war monument in Washington, DC. 
It was authorized in 1986 by Public Law 99-752 which established a 
Presidential Advisory Board to raise funds and oversee the design of 
the project, and charged the American Battle Monuments Commission with 
the management of this project. The authorization provided $1 million 
in federal funds for the design and initial construction of the 
memorial and Korean War Veterans' organizations and the Advisory Board 
raised over $13 million in private donations to complete the facility. 
Construction on the memorial began in 1992 and it was dedicated on July 
27, 1995.
  For those who haven't visited, the Memorial is located south of the 
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial on the Mall, to the east of the Lincoln 
Memorial. Designed by world class Cooper Lecky Architects, the monument 
contains a triangular ``field of service,'' with 19 stainless steel, 
larger than life statues, depicting a squad of soldiers on patrol. A 
curb of granite north of the statues lists the 22 countries of the 
United Nations that sent troops in defense of South Korea. To the south 
of the patrol stands a wall of black granite, with engraved images of 
more than 2,400 unamed servicemen and women detailing the countless 
ways in which Americans answered the call to service. Adjacent to the 
wall is a fountain which is supposed to be encircled by a Memorial 
Grove of linden trees, creating a peaceful setting for quiet 
reflection. When

[[Page S9434]]

this memorial was originally created, it was intended to be a lasting 
and fitting tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of our troops who 
fought in the ``Forgotten War.'' Unfortunately, just three years after 
its dedication, the monument is not lasting and is no longer fitting.
  The Memorial has not functioned as it was originally conceived and 
designed and has instead been plagued by a series of problems in its 
construction. The grove of 40 linden trees have all died and been 
removed from the ground, leaving forty gaping holes. The pipes feeding 
the ``pool of remembrance's'' return system have cracked and the pool 
has been cordoned off. The monument's lighting system has been deemed 
inadequate and has caused safety problems for those who wish to visit 
the site at night. As a result, most of the 1.3 million who visit the 
monument each year--many of whom are veterans--must cope with 
construction gates or areas which have been cordoned off instead of 
experiencing the full effect of the Memorial.
  Let me read a quote from the Washington Post--from a Korean War 
Veteran, John LeGault who visited the site--that I think captures the 
frustration associated with not having a fitting and complete tribute 
for the Korean War. He says, ``Who cares?'' ``That was the forgotten 
war and this is the forgotten memorial.'' Mr. President, we ought not 
to be sunshine patriots when it comes to making decisions which affect 
our veterans. Too often, we are very high on the contributions that our 
military makes in times of crisis, but when a crisis fades from the 
scene, we seem to forget about this sacrifice. Our veterans deserve 
better.
  To resolve these problems and restore this monument to something that 
our Korean War Veterans can be proud of, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers conducted an extensive study of the site in an effort to 
identify, comprehensively, what corrective actions would be required. 
The Corps has determined that an additional $2 million would be 
required to complete the restoration of the grove work and replace the 
statuary lighting. My legislation would provide the authority for the 
funds to make these repairs swiftly and once and for all.
  With the 50th anniversary of the Korean War conflict fast 
approaching, we must ensure that these repairs are made as soon as 
possible. This additional funding would ensure that we have a fitting, 
proper, and lasting tribute to those who served in Korea and that we 
will never forget those who served in the ``Forgotten War.'' I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2374

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

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR KOREAN WAR VETERANS 
                   MEMORIAL.

       Section 3 of Public Law 99-572 (40 U.S.C. 1003 note) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
  ``(c) Additional Funding.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to amounts made available 
     under subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary of the Army may 
     expend, from any funds available to the Secretary on the date 
     of enactment of this paragraph, $2,000,000 for repair of the 
     memorial.
       ``(2) Disposition of funds received from claims.--Any funds 
     received by the Secretary of the Army as a result of any 
     claim against a contractor in connection with construction of 
     the memorial shall be deposited in the general fund of the 
     Treasury.''.
                                 ______