[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4463-S4464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBB (for himself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Kerrey, Mr. Hagel, 
        Mr. Reed, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Abraham, 
        and Mr. Hutchinson):
  S. 929. A bill to provide for the establishment of a National 
Military Museum, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed 
Services.


                      national military museum act

  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, when future generations search for ``lessons 
learned'' from America's 18th, 19th and 20th century military 
experiences, they no doubt will be accessible through dusty texts, 
dated documentary videos, or long-forgotten Congressional transcripts.
  I am concerned, however, that these lessons will not carry forward 
into the next century as an enduring reminder of the true costs, and 
the true benefits, of waging wars, on behalf of freedom and democracy.
  Increasingly, we have seen the gap between the military, and the rest 
of society, widen.
  Early in the next century, for example, we expect that less than four 
percent of the population will be veterans, down from over 11 percent 
in 1980.
  This means that fewer and fewer civilians will have a personal 
understanding of the military, making it more and more difficult to 
pass on to successive generations, one of our most powerful military 
assets--our experience.
  How then do we ensure that we don't ``repeat'' our past mistakes--and 
that we build on our past successes?
  Mr. President, I am joined by Senators Hutchison, of Texas, Kerrey of 
Nebraska, Hagel, Reed of Rhode Island, Smith of New Hampshire, Cleland, 
Abraham, and Hutchinson of Arkansas in introducing the National 
Military Museum Act.
  It will teach visitors about each of the major wars in which America 
has fought.
  Finally, it will help build pride, in our military, and the nation.
  The United States, through the fine stewardship of the Smithsonian 
Institution, operates over a score of excellent national museums--from 
the National Portrait Gallery, to the National Postal Museum, yet none 
of these are dedicated to the armed forces.
  In fact, the individual military services have many museums--the Army 
alone, has over 60.
  We also have military artifacts and battles represented in sections 
of some of the Smithsonian museums.
  Yet we do not have a single, prestigious, integrated national museum 
to tell America's military story and to honor our armed forces.
  This is an extraordinary shortcoming in the telling of our national 
heritage.
  By contrast, many of our key allies have national military museums.
  The British Imperial War Museum, and the Australian War Memorial, are 
two fine examples.
  The United States is a nation that has influenced world events 
decisively over the last century and will continue to do so for 
centuries to come.
  And it is a military power that has sought not to conquer other 
lands, but to bring freedom, and democracy to the entire world.
  History shows few if any nations, with such disproportionate means, 
employing force for such consistently altruistic ends.
  Yet we have no national place to tell, this extraordinary story.
  Mr. President, where, would a teenager interested in World War I, 
World War II, Korea, or Vietnam, go, to learn more about these wars? 
There really is no museum displaying artifacts from these wars, in a 
comprehensive fashion.
  We do in fact have several fine Civil War museums, but the lack of 
representations of so many other wars is remarkable.
  The idea of a National Military Museum goes back to the late 1800s.
  Several attempts to build this museum, (including a concerted effort 
by President Truman) failed, for various reasons: inadequate funding, 
post-war disillusionment, or blueprints that were too ambitious.

[[Page S4464]]

  Now, as we enter the 21st century, the time is right to display the 
enormous inventories of artifacts, that have been accumulated from this 
century--especially from conflicts since World War II.
  As now envisioned, the National Military Museum would include display 
sections for each of the military services as well as separate sections 
for each of the country's major wars.
  A spectacular atrium would house large items, from: missiles to ship 
sections to aircraft.
  Based on a review of numerous potential sites, this legislation 
authorizes that the new museum be located on the Navy Annex property 
just west of the Pentagon.
  Bounded symbolically, by Arlington National Cemetery, to the north, 
and offering a commanding view of the capital area, this location is 
ideal, and one of the last available parcels, in the area, suitable for 
a museum of this scope and importance.
  The museum would share a large 55-acre tract of land with an 
expansion of Arlington National Cemetery and possibly other veterans' 
memorials.
  The buildings currently on this land, are slated for demolition 
around 2015.
  The National Military Museum Act establishes a National Military 
Museum Foundation, which will be responsible for the design 
construction, and operation, of the museum.
  The Foundation's Board, will consist of 10 members, and their first 
action will be to conduct a study on the siting, design, environmental 
impact, and governing of the museum.
  The Foundation may recommend that the museum, become part, of the 
Smithsonian Institution.
  Assuming no Congressional action, upon receipt of both this study, 
and a General Accounting Office evaluation, the Foundation will proceed 
with final design preparations, and pursue fundraising.
  Construction would begin after demolition of the existing Navy Annex 
buildings.
  Mr. President, I am very pleased to introduce this legislative 
cornerstone, for building, one of the most important, and--I would 
anticipate--most visited museums, in the world.
  Let us honor our nation's military with this long overdue museum.
  Let us safeguard our past, so that future generations will know what 
has been done before--and what may have to be done again, in the 
future--to push back the forces of tyranny, and to preserve the 
freedoms, we are so fortunate to enjoy.
                                 ______