[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12249-S12250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF SENATE ON COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION OF WORLD WAR 
                              II MEMORIAL

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 296 submitted earlier 
today by Senator Kerrey.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 296) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that, on completion of construction of a World War II 
     Memorial in Area 1 of the District of Columbia and its 
     environs, Congress should provide funding for the 
     maintenance, security, and custodial and long-term care of 
     the memorial by the National Park Service.


[[Page S12250]]


  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to, en bloc; that the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 296) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 296

       World War II is the defining event of the 20th century;
       Whereas in World War II, over 16,000,000 American men and 
     women served the Nation, of which nearly 300,000 were killed 
     and over 670,000 were wounded;
       Whereas in Public Law 103-422 (108 Stat. 4356), Congress 
     approved the location of a memorial to this epic event in 
     Area I of the District of Columbia and its environs, as 
     described in the Act entitled ``An Act to provide standards 
     for placement of commemorative works on certain Federal lands 
     in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other 
     purposes'', approved November 14, 1986 (40 U.S.C. 1001 et 
     seq.); and
       Whereas Congress has traditionally provided funding for the 
     memorials commemorating President Thomas Jefferson and 
     President Abraham Lincoln, the monument to President George 
     Washington, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. FUNDING OF A WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL.

       It is the sense of the Senate that, on completion of 
     construction of a World War II Memorial in Area I of the 
     District of Columbia and its environs, as described in that 
     Act, Congress should provide funding for the maintenance, 
     security, and custodial and long-term care of the memorial by 
     the National Park Service.

  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate has agreed to 
this Sense of the Senate Resolution which would provide funding for the 
maintenance, security, custodial and long-term care of the memorial by 
the National Park Service. This is a significant step forward in 
bringing the World War II Memorial to fruition. What this resolution 
does is put the Senate on record as supporting public funding of some 
sort for the World War II Memorial which will be placed on the National 
Mall--our nation's front yard.
  I felt this resolution necessary because of the continued structural 
problems confronting the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which lies in 
the same flood plain that the World War II Memorial will call home. I 
felt it necessary that the Senate take on some precautionary 
responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of what will be the most 
prominent memorial on the Mall.
  Next year, I intend to introduce legislation to fund not only 
maintenance, security, custodial and long-term care, but also 
construction costs to assist the Honorable Bob Dole in his fund-raising 
endeavor.
  I would again like to thank my colleagues, especially Senators 
Murkowski and Bumpers for their support and assistance.

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