[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9955-H9957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NEED FOR WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ON THE MALL

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 145) expressing the 
sense of Congress on the propriety and need for expeditious 
construction of the National World War II Memorial at the Rainbow Pool 
on the National Mall in the Nation's Capitol.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 145

       Whereas World War II is the defining event of the twentieth 
     century for the United States and its wartime allies;
       Whereas in World War II, more than 16,000,000 American men 
     and women served in uniform in the Armed Forces, more than 
     400,000 of them gave their lives, and more than 670,000 of 
     them were wounded;
       Whereas many millions more on the home front in the United 
     States organized and sacrificed to give unwavering support to 
     those in uniform;
       Whereas fewer than 6,000,000 World War II veterans are 
     surviving at the end of the twentieth century, and the Nation 
     mourns the passing of more than 1,200 veterans each day;
       Whereas Congress, in Public Law 103-422 (108 Stat. 4356) 
     enacted in 1994, approved the location of a memorial to this 
     epic era in an area of the National Mall that includes the 
     Rainbow Pool;
       Whereas since 1995, the National World War II Memorial site 
     and design have been the subject of 19 public hearings that 
     have resulted in an endorsement from the State Historic 
     Preservation Officer of the District of Columbia, three 
     endorsements from the District of Columbia Historic 
     Preservation Review Board, the endorsement of many Members of 
     Congress, and, most significantly, four approvals from the 
     Commission of Fine Arts and four approvals from the National 
     Capital Planning Commission (including the approvals of those 
     Commissions for the final architectural design);
       Whereas on Veterans Day 1995, the President dedicated the 
     approved site at the Rainbow Pool on the National Mall as the 
     site for the National World War II Memorial; and
       Whereas fundraising for the National World War II Memorial 
     has been enormously successful, garnering enthusiastic 
     support from half a million individual Americans, hundreds of 
     corporations and foundations, dozens of civic, fraternal, and 
     professional organizations, state legislatures, students in 
     1,100 schools, and more than 450 veterans groups representing 
     11,000,000 veterans: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is appropriate for the United States to memorialize 
     in the Nation's Capitol the triumph of democracy over tyranny 
     in World War II, the most important event of the twentieth 
     century;
       (2) the will of the American people to memorialize that 
     triumph and all who labored to achieve it, and the decisions 
     made on that memorialization by the appointed bodies charged 
     by law with protecting the public's interests in the design, 
     location, and construction of memorials on the National Mall 
     in the Nation's Capitol, should be fulfilled by the 
     construction of the National World War II Memorial, as 
     designed, at the approved and dedicated Rainbow Pool site on 
     the National Mall; and
       (3) it is imperative that expeditious action be taken to 
     commence and complete the construction of the National World 
     War II Memorial so that the completed memorial will be 
     dedicated while Americans of the World War II generation are 
     alive to receive the national tribute embodied in that 
     memorial, which they earned with their sacrifice and 
     achievement during the largest and most devastating war the 
     world has known.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) 
each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H9956]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, S. Con. Res. 145 expresses the sense of Congress on 
the propriety and need for expeditious construction of the National 
World War II Memorial at the Rainbow Pool on the National Mall on the 
Nation's capitol. In short, this gives the congressional approval to 
construct this memorial to the brave men and women who served and gave 
their lives during World War II at the Rainbow Pool location in the 
Mall and will, I hope, put this issue to rest.
  Madam Speaker, there are two indisputable facts dealing with this 
memorial. One is the fact that no one can possibly think that memorial 
does not deserve to be in a place of the utmost prominence in the Mall. 
World War II was the most important event in this century and over 1 
million Americans were either killed or wounded.
  The other fact is that all approvals from various commissions have 
been granted to proceed with the construction of this memorial at this 
site. However, it is apparent that construction is still mired down, 
now with misguided lawsuits by a few people who apparently do not 
believe that this event and the 16 million brave men and women who 
proudly wore the American uniform deserve recognition.
  Enough is enough, Madam Speaker. The process of constructing this 
memorial has gone on far and long enough, and it is high time we got 
down to the business and build this deserved memorial which means so 
much to so many people. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to 
support S. Con. Res. 145.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, no one can argue with the substance of this concurrent 
resolution. The Second World War is recognized as the most significant 
event of the 20th Century. Millions of American men and women served 
with distinction and honor in that conflict and more than 400,000 made 
the ultimate sacrifice as part of their service to their Nation. The 
core principles of this legislation, that it is the sense of Congress 
that a memorial commemorating the World War II activities should be 
built within area 1 on the Mall and that it should be built as 
expeditiously as possible, that is incontrovertible. Of course, we are 
all aware that there is some remaining controversy, but that 
controversy has moved to the courts, and Congress really has no further 
role in resolving that issue.
  As the process moves towards what we hope will be a rapid resolution, 
it is appropriate that Congress re-assert its support for this 
important project, and as a result, the minority side fully supports 
the passage of this measure.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), the champion for all veterans 
in our country.
  Mr. STUMP. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for 
yielding me this time.
  Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) first 
introduced this resolution to create the memorial in 1987 but it was 
not enacted until 1993.
  Since its authorization, this memorial has been through 19 public 
hearings. It has been completely redesigned in response to concerns 
raised in this public process. It has been approved by the National 
Park Service, the Department of Interior and the President, as well as 
the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board, the National Capital 
Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.
  The World War II Memorial is supported by virtually every veterans' 
organization in this country representing over 10 million veterans. 
Ground
breaking is scheduled for this coming Veterans Day, which is November 
11. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, it has taken three times as long to 
get from bill introduction to groundbreaking as it did to win the war 
in the first place.
  Yet there are still opponents of this memorial continuing to 
challenge the design and location on the Mall. They would delay the 
groundbreaking of this already long overdue tribute to our Nation's 
triumph over tyranny. Every day that we wait to begin construction, 
over a thousand more World War II veterans pass on and join their 
fallen comrades.
  Madam Speaker, this World War II memorial will not encroach on other 
monuments to America's founders and heroes. As Ray Smith, the Commander 
of the American Legion eloquently stated, and I quote, ``This memorial 
will whisper poignantly of the blood shed and loss that preserved that 
which the Mall represents, the establishment and endurance of American 
democracy.''
  S. Con. Res. 145 was introduced on October 6 by the Chairman of the 
Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator Warner. I introduced the 
same measure on the same day in the House, along with my colleagues, 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), and others.
  It simply reaffirms congressional support for expeditious 
construction of the World War II memorial at the Rainbow Pool on the 
National Mall of the Nation's Capitol. I strongly urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Arizona has given an eloquent and 
articulate statement of the need for this memorial tribute, and I thank 
him for that.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi 
(Mr. Shows).
  Mr. SHOWS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Holt) for yielding me the time.
  Madam Speaker, today we are considering legislation to expedite the 
construction of the National World War II Memorial at the Rainbow Pool 
on the National Mall in the Nation's Capitol. More than 16 million 
American men and women served in uniform in the Armed Forces in World 
War II. More than 400,000 of them gave their lives, and more than 
670,000 were wounded.
  These Americans, like all of our veterans, knew the meaning of 
sacrifice, honor, duty, courage under fire and, yes, patriotism. They 
fought because they were asked to fight. They fought to keep America 
free and to extend freedom and democracy and liberty outside our 
Nation's borders so that the future of Americans would not be 
threatened. They fought because they had the will to stand up to the 
forces that threaten and destroy freedom and democracy. They fought and 
they made that ultimate sacrifice.
  We have seen the photo of the six American Marines who raised the 
flags over Iwo Jima. I do not think there is a person alive today who 
knows about World War II who can look at that photo and not have tears 
in their eyes. The battle of Iwo Jima was considered vital to the war 
effort. Following intense air campaign, this ground battle began. It 
was the largest Marine force ever sent into battle. Casualties were 
high. It was a very bloody battle, but our Marines did not give up the 
American spirit.

  The bravery shown by the men who fought that battle and who raised 
that flag at the end is an example of courage under fire. Just as the 
photo of the brave men at Iwo Jima is in every history book and in the 
minds of every American during Veterans and Memorial Day, the National 
World War II Memorial will serve as the same tribute and reminder of 
the sacrifices made by the members of the greatest generation.
  My father, Clifford Shows, was a prisoner of war during World War II. 
He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. I grew up hearing 
stories of those who survived and those who did not. My father is 75 
years old and was 69 years old when this was passed in Congress in 1994 
and first approved for this location on the National Mall, so that is 
when we must begin, when these men and women are still alive.
  Madam Speaker, I want people like my dad to be able to enjoy the 
National World War II Memorial and tell their grandchildren and great-
grandchildren about it.
  Finally, I want to applaud the efforts of another World War II 
veteran, Senator Bob Dole. Senator Dole is one of

[[Page H9957]]

the leaders in the effort to raise funding and in bringing the 
importance of the construction of the National World War II Memorial to 
legislators and the public alike. He is to be commended for his 
efforts.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the 
resolution before us today.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I would just add that the gentleman from Mississippi 
has spoken eloquently on behalf of those who served, those who 
supported them and those of us who have followed them.
  Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. Con. 
Res. 145. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this timely 
legislation.
  S. Con. Res. 145 expresses the sense of the Congress on the propriety 
and need for the expeditious construction on the national World War II 
memorial at the Rainbow Pool on the National Mall here in Washington.
  As a World War II veteran, I have been a strong supporter of the 
memorial since the inception of this project several years ago. Now 
that final approval for the design and site has been given, we hope to 
see the memorial constructed in as expeditious a manner as possible.
  Along with many of my fellow World War II veterans, we are looking 
forward to the groundbreaking ceremony of this memorial on November 
11th, and I speak for many of my fellow World War II veterans who wish 
to be able to visit a completed World War II memorial in Washington in 
their lifetime.
  I accordingly urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I regret that when Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 145, Expressing a Sense of the Congress on the Propriety and 
Need for Construction of the National World War II Memorial on the 
National Mall, came to the floor today I was giving the keynote speech 
to BusinessLINC, a national group that develops mentoring relationships 
between large and small businesses. Most members are out of town 
because there are no votes today, and there was apparently no one 
present who could give the true story of why there has been opposition 
to the World War II Memorial here in the District an throughout the 
country. Instead there were some comments that apparently disparaged 
the opposition and insulted their motives by indicating that they 
oppose a memorial to World War II veterans or feel less passionately 
about it than those who support the memorial. There are real 
differences, but let the record be clear that there are no differences 
on the belated honor that should have been made to World War II 
veterans long ago. The ``greatest generation'' of veterans, alone among 
our veterans, have not been honored, perhaps reflecting the 
extraordinary selflessness with which they have approached the entirety 
of their generous lives, from saving our country during the Great 
Depression to saving the free world itself during World War II, and 
thereafter the rebuilding of our economy in the post-war years.
  The controversy surrounding the memorial has nothing to do with the 
veterans. The controversy has nothing to do with a memorial to the 
veterans on the Mall. All agree that the memorial to these veterans 
belongs on the Mall. The controversy arose because of the memorial's 
placement, obstructing one of the great American vistas. Its placement 
is largely the work of one man, J. Carter Brown, Chair of the 
Commission on Fine Arts. The veterans did not choose the particular 
place on the Mall and had nothing to do with the selection of that 
site. Another site has been chosen. Brown, however, decided to do what 
had always been understood to be a violation of virtually sacred 
national ground, the space between the Washington Monument and the 
Lincoln Memorial. This space between the memorials to our greatest 
presidents is the last expansive space left on the Mall and has been 
left that way for obvious reasons. This breathtaking space calls to 
mind the sweep of our extraordinary history and the unique role played 
by Washington and Lincoln in particular. The view that this pristine 
space should not be interrupted is not held by a few disgruntled 
Washingtonians or people who look to bring lawsuits when they do not 
get their way. Some of the opponents are World War II veterans. Some 
are historic preservationists and others with a deep appreciation of 
the McMillan Plan for the Mall and the present Mall legacy of green 
space created by Charles McKim and Frederick Olmstead, Jr. Many others 
have voiced opposition, and they are as diverse as editorials from the 
Wall Street Journal to the Los Angeles Times expressing opposition 
indicate.
  Until the end, I had hoped and worked for a compromise, even one that 
left a memorial at the Rainbow Pool site between the Lincoln Memorial 
and the Washington Monument--a compromise would have avoided many 
issues. The memorial, as proposed, has not only been criticized for its 
size and artistry. It also threatens to do irreparable damage to 
traffic and congestion. It will take huge areas out of other sections 
of the Mall to make way for buses and crowds that will destroy the 
ambiance of the Mall as it has been known for decades.
  World War II veterans deserve a national festival to celebrate a 
memorial in their honor, not lawsuits that have become inevitable. 
Perhaps citizens would have been willing to join the celebration and 
forego their lawsuits had a compromise been reached. However, the 
memorial was put on a track that avoided the usual safeguards, 
procedures, and public comment, and the necessary disposition toward 
compromise never emerged.
  Although no resolution is necessary for the memorial to proceed, if 
Congress wishes to go on record supporting the memorial, it should do 
so without impugning the motives of those who believed that two noble 
purposes could be served at once: a long overdue memorial on the Mall 
to the men and women who served our country during the greatest wartime 
crisis of the 20th century and the preservation of the historic and 
irreplaceable space between the memorials to our greatest presidents. 
The failure to serve worthy purposes is a failure for which our 
generation will have to pay. It is certainly no failure of the veterans 
of the ``greatest generation.''
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House suspend the 
rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 145.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate concurrent resolution 
was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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