[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 153 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7452-H7456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE AMERICAN LEGION 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2519) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint
commemorative coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of The
American Legion, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2519
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``The American Legion 100th
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) on March 15, 1919, The American Legion was founded in
Paris, France, by members of the American Expeditionary Force
occupying Europe after World War I and concerned about the
welfare of their comrades and communities upon their return
to the United States;
(2) on September 16, 1919, Congress chartered The American
Legion, which quickly grew to become the largest veterans
service organization in the United States;
(3) The American Legion conferences in Washington, DC, in
1923 and 1924 crafted the first United States Flag Code,
which was adopted in schools, States, cities and counties
prior to being enacted in 1942, establishing the proper use,
display, and respect for the colors of the United States;
(4) during World War II, The American Legion developed and
presented to Congress its case for vastly improved support
for medically discharged, disabled veterans, which ultimately
became the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat.
284; chapter 268), better known as the G.I. Bill of Rights,
and was drafted by former American Legion National Commander
Harry W. Colmery in Washington's Mayflower Hotel;
(5) through the leadership and advocacy of The American
Legion, the G.I. Bill was enacted in June 1944, which led to
monumental changes in United States society, including the
democratization of higher education, home ownership for
average people in the United States, better VA hospitals,
business
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and farm loans for veterans, and the ability to appeal
conditions of military discharge;
(6) defying those who argued the G.I. Bill would break the
Treasury, according to various researchers, the G.I. Bill
provided a tremendous return on investment of $7 to the
United States economy for every $1 spent on the program,
triggering a half-century of prosperity in the United States;
(7) after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, The American Legion
established the National Emergency Fund to provide immediate
cash relief for veterans who have been affected by natural
disasters;
(8) American Legion National Emergency Fund grants after
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, for instance, exceeded
$1,700,000;
(9) The American Legion fought to see the Veterans
Administration elevated to Cabinet-level status as the
Department of Veterans Affairs, ensuring support for veterans
would be set at the highest level of the Federal Government,
as a priority issue for the President;
(10) after a decades-long struggle to improve the
adjudication process for veterans disputing claims decisions,
The American Legion helped shape and introduce the Veterans
Reassurance Act to create a venue for judicial review of
veterans' appeals;
(11) building on these efforts, legislation was passed in
1988 to create the United States Court of Veterans Appeals,
today known as the United States Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims;
(12) The American Legion created the American Legacy
Scholarship Fund for children of military members killed on
active duty on or after September 11, 2001;
(13) in 2016, The American Legion's National Executive
Committee amended the original scholarship criteria to
include children of veterans with 50 percent or greater VA
disability ratings;
(14) President George W. Bush signed into law the Post-9/11
Veterans Educational Assistance Act (title V of the
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008; 122 Stat. 2357), a
next-generation G.I. Bill strongly supported by The American
Legion and the most comprehensive educational benefits
package since the original G.I. Bill of Rights was enacted in
1944;
(15) in August 2018, The American Legion will begin its
centennial recognition at the 100th National Convention in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, the site of the first American Legion
National Convention; and
(16) in March 2019, the organization will celebrate its
100th birthday in Paris, France, and September 16, 2019, will
mark the 100th anniversary of The American Legion's Federal
charter.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In recognition and celebration of the
100th anniversary of The American Legion, the Secretary of
the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 50,000 $5 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain not less than 90 percent gold.
(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain not less than 90 percent silver.
(3) Half-dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half-
dollar coins which shall--
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half-dollar coins
contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be
legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United
States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and
5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under
this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) In General.--The design for the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of The American Legion.
(b) Designations and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act there shall be--
(1) a designation of the denomination of the coin;
(2) an inscription of the year ``2019''; and
(3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We
Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus
Unum''.
(c) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this
Act shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with--
(A) the Commission of Fine Arts; and
(B) the Adjutant of The American Legion, as defined in the
constitution and bylaws of The American Legion; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory
Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins
minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning
on January 1, 2019.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be
sold by the Secretary at a price based upon the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to
such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the
coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of
such coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act
shall include a surcharge as follows:
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin described
under section 3(a)(2).
(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31,
United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary
from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be
promptly paid by the Secretary to The American Legion for
costs related to--
(1) promoting the importance of and caring for those who
have served in uniform, ensuring they receive proper health
care and disability benefits earned through military service;
(2) promoting the importance of, and caring for, those who
are still serving in the Armed Forces;
(3) promoting the importance of maintaining the patriotic
values, morals, culture, and citizenship of the United
States; and
(4) promoting the importance of maintaining strong
families, assistance for at-risk children, and activities
that promote their healthy and wholesome development.
(c) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), no
surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under
this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the
time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result
in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during
such year to exceed the annual commemorative coin program
issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31,
United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment
of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue
guidance to carry out this subsection.
(d) Audit.--The recipient described under subsection (b)
shall be subject to the audit requirements of section
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to
the amounts received under subsection (b).
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary
to ensure that--
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not
result in any net cost to the United States Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are
disbursed to the recipient designated in section 7 until the
total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins
authorized by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use
of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is
recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with
sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Barr) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2519, The American
Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, which would require
the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins in
recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of The American
Legion.
For nearly 100 years, The American Legion, which was formed for
veterans and by veterans, through the support of Congress, has helped
to provide services to wartime veterans and the communities in which
they live across the United States and the globe.
On March 27, 1919, Theodore Roosevelt sent a telegram to Mr. William
Marshall Bullitt of Louisville, Kentucky, and many more respected
military wartime veteran leaders across the country which announced:
``A conference will be held at St. Louis about May 1 for the purpose of
organizing an association composed of those who
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have been in the land and naval forces of the United States in this
war. A convention held in France has already organized forces there in
an association called The American Legion and will have its
representatives at this convention.''
Shortly after this first national gathering of unified veterans held
in St. Louis, Missouri, the United States Congress officially chartered
The American Legion on September 16, 1919.
Since this charter, The American Legion has grown to be one of the
most influential, nonpartisan, nonprofit, and the largest veterans
service organization in the United States, with a standing membership
of over 2.4 million veterans in 14,000 posts worldwide.
The Legion annually raises millions of dollars in donations at the
local, State, and national levels to help veterans and their families
during times of need and to provide college scholarships and other
opportunities for deserving students.
Even in the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, which I proudly
represent, The American Legion continues to be a strong and aggressive
advocate for wartime veteran-centered issues. Just yesterday, I met
with many of The American Legion Nicholasville Post veterans right
there serving and honoring the Gold Star families at Camp Nelson in
Jessamine County, Kentucky.
The American Legion Department of Kentucky has established 139 posts,
3 areas, and 11 districts in our Commonwealth of 120 counties. The
American Legion continues to strive to achieve what has always been
held as a sacred duty to every good American since General George
Washington's vision to promote the importance of providing provisions
for the adequate care for war disabled veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 2519, legislation that calls for the
issuance of a commemorative coin in honor of the 100th anniversary of
The American Legion, a distinguished organization that works tirelessly
in communities across the Nation to serve our veterans and those still
in the Armed Forces.
Since being chartered by Congress following the First World War, The
American Legion has played a pivotal role in the lives of so many
servicemembers and their families, always stepping up and lending a
hand to those who need it most. For example, The American Legion
provides key services, such as healthcare claims assistance for
veterans and job fairs. They support targeted efforts to meet the needs
of homeless veterans.
The American Legion also supports military personnel and their
families through the provision of financial assistance and comfort
items for hospitalized veterans and, also, dedicated funds to support
the needs of youth at risk.
Over its history, The American Legion has also advocated and played a
leading role in securing the passage of key laws that better the lives
of our servicemembers, such as the landmark GI Bill, as well as the
Veterans' Reassurance Act and the Post-911 Veteran Education Assistance
Act.
In addition to honoring and raising awareness of the important work
of The American Legion, the legislation before us will also help raise
small sums that will help it carry out its tremendous work and advance
American values. Specifically, surcharge proceeds raised through the
sale of the coin provided in this bill will allow The American Legion
to advance the interests of those who have served in uniform and ensure
they receive the proper healthcare and disability benefits earned
through military service; promote the importance of and caring for
those who are still serving in the Armed Forces; promote the patriotic
values, morals, culture, and citizenship of the United States; and
provide support for at-risk children and activities that nurture their
development.
This overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation has the support of more
than 350 Members of the House and has already received the unanimous
support of the United States Senate, where the legislation passed by
voice vote.
For all these reasons, I urge my colleagues to join me in the passage
of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).
Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, which I
introduced along with my colleague from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).
People in Kentucky think that they invented basketball. It was
actually invented in Massachusetts. But I want to thank him personally,
as well as professionally, for the good work that he has done in
helping to bring about this day.
As the Hall of Fame celebrates its 125th anniversary of the invention
of basketball, this commemorative coin symbolizes all the sport has
accomplished since its humble beginnings in a YMCA gymnasium in
Springfield, Massachusetts. This truly American game continues to be
played by men and women at every level and on every continent.
In December of 1891, a physical education professor named Dr. James
Naismith created a game with a simple objective: throw a round ball
into a peach basket that was suspended 10 feet above the ground. While
only one basket was made available during those first games, it would
soon become quite popular with students.
Thanks to the network of YMCAs throughout the country and the game's
success on various college campuses, the sport soon became a national
phenomenon. By 1894, basketball was being played around the Nation and
in dozens of countries around the world.
During the 1920s and 1930s, teams like the Original Celtics and the
New York Renaissance carried professional basketball to the national
conscience for the first time.
{time} 1630
Internationally, popularity of the new sport from America led to the
formation of the International Basketball Federation, which was pivotal
in adding basketball to the Summer Olympic Games in 1936. Eventually,
the National Basketball Association was founded in 1946, and continues
to enjoy great success.
The Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959, despite
the lack of any physical structure. They would get their first home on
the campus of Springfield College in 1968, just a short way from the
game's first site.
Thousands of visitors came to the campus to see memorabilia and be
inspired by the stories of the sport's early days. As the game
skyrocketed in national popularity in the 1980s, with icons like Larry
Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan, the Hall of Fame found the
need to expand. As the mayor of Springfield at the time, I helped to
ensure a location on the banks of the Connecticut River.
In 1985, the Hall reopened with a three-level museum with hundreds of
pieces of memorabilia and displays. The admiration for the sport forced
the Hall to expand once again, in 2002, with a state-of-the-art
structure just steps away from the old facility.
Today, the Hall welcomes 6 million visitors annually. They are
dazzled with its interactive displays and exhibits. As of this year,
the Hall has inducted 365 of the greatest players, coaches, and
referees. Players like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill
Bradley, and coaches like John Wooden and Pat Summitt have been honored
for their contributions to the sport. The Basketball Hall of Fame
commemorative coin is the ideal way for the legacy of these great
athletes and coaches to be remembered for decades to come.
With no cost to the American taxpayer, the surcharges on these coins
will go to further the museum's curation efforts. The proceeds will
also go toward educational programs to promote good sportsmanship and
respect on and off the court.
Mr. Speaker, I have worked with the Hall of Fame on multiple projects
for more than 30 years. It is a terrific tax-exempt organization that
works tirelessly to preserve the history and educate people about this
truly American game.
[[Page H7455]]
I believe that basketball instills the virtues that this country was
built upon and gives Americans someone to aspire to be. As former NBA
player and United States Senator Bill Bradley put it: ``Sports is a
metaphor for overcoming obstacles and achieving against great odds.
Athletes, in times of difficulty, can be important role models.''
For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1235, and a
special note of thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) for
keeping the debate open so that I could actually speak on this.
Again, as I close, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr). He
was terrific in his help on this bill.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Massachusetts and his
leadership. I do recognize the great game of basketball was, in fact,
invented in Massachusetts. That is okay, because Massachusetts gave us
Coach Calipari along the way. We really appreciate his leadership.
This would not have happened without the leadership of the gentleman
from Massachusetts. It is my honor to work with him on this bipartisan
piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on The American
Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in honor of the first woman to be
national commander of The American Legion. Her name is Denise Rohan.
She knows that this is a milestone. Therefore, she is very proud to
have been named to this position. She says: ``It is about time.''
From Ms. Rohan's perspective, women have always been leaders in the
Legion. I am sure most of us didn't even know that.
She says: ``If you look back, women were post commanders early on. We
have been in leadership positions. If we weren't leading from the
front, we were still there, helping the organization along.''
She says she doesn't think of herself as a female legionnaire. She
says: ``I want to be known as a great American Legion leader who
happens to be a woman. I have been working hard for the Legion for more
than 30 years and am humbled''--that the Legion--``chose me to be
national commander. It is an honor.''
She was elected at the Legion's 99th national convention in Reno,
Nevada, in August. She herself, of course, is an Army veteran and the
second national commander from Wisconsin. She and her husband, Mike,
belong to Mason Lindsay Post 385 in Verona. I am sure she would want
that known here on the floor. They have lived 30 years in Sun Prairie.
Members have supported Ms. Rohan for a long time and are excited to
see her at the top. She is regarded as very capable, outgoing,
friendly, and able to bring people to a consensus.
Her parents, Joe and Dorothy Hulbert, set a strong example for three
daughters. Both were volunteers and active in the local United Church
of Christ.
She first encountered the Legion as a girl at Memorial Day services
in a Catholic cemetery near her home. She waited patiently to receive a
spent brass shell casing from the honor guard to use as a whistle.
``The town always had a parade that started at the cemetery, came
down the hill, went across the bridge and ended up at another cemetery
on the other side of the river,'' Ms. Rohan said. ``There was only one
parade I remember going the other way, when they brought home the body
of someone killed in Vietnam. It began at the high school and went up
the hill. That memory stayed with me.''
Still, the idea of serving in the military herself certainly didn't
occur to Ms. Rohan until a high school friend asked her and another
girl to accompany her to Des Moines for an Army physical. Her friend
failed, they passed, and Rohan had a choice. Unsure what she wanted to
do with her life and reluctant to ask her parents to put a third child
through college, she joined under the buddy system in 1974.
For a person who struggled with homesickness--that is what she called
it: homesickness--she got along just fine.
``Somehow my mother lived through me sobbing on the phone every
single call for a couple of weeks,'' Ms. Rohan said. ``Then I started
realizing that I had another family: the women in basic training with
me. They had my back, they made sure I was taken care of, and we became
sisters.''
At Fort Lee, Virginia, she completed quartermaster school and was the
outstanding graduate of her class. Needing female instructors, the Army
sent Ms. Rohan to more training. That is where she met Mike, who was
working as a television production specialist.
``I had to have some time in the studio,'' she said, teasing him.
``My roommate at the time was a runner-up for Miss West Virginia the
year before she joined the Army, so here is this beautiful blonde who
probably did really good on camera because she was used to that kind of
stuff. He doesn't remember meeting me that day.''
By Mike's recollection, they met through a mutual friend a couple of
months later. He soon realized this girl had the qualities his mother
told him to seek in a woman--and more.
``She never once told me to look for someone who could shoot an M-16,
or crawl under barbed wire with live fire going on, or run 2 miles with
a rucksack on her back, but that is what I found,'' he says. ``Denise
has all those abilities of a soldier but is also a loving wife and
mother.''
They started dating, fell in love, and Mike got orders to go to
Korea. About the same time, Rohan was up for reenlistment. Wanting to
stay together, they were married by a justice of the peace during one
of Rohan's morning breaks. Their reception was at McDonald's. ``That is
our romantic place we go every year, on May 21,'' she says.
Women are veterans, too. In the end, the Army couldn't guarantee
Rohan an assignment overseas, so she left the service and became an
Army wife. Of course, that would not be the case today.
Over the next few years, the couple lived in Korea, Texas, and,
finally, Wisconsin. Mike spent the first half of his career as
enlisted, then became a warrant officer in the National Guard.
Meanwhile, Rohan built her own career at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, starting as a program assistant in the student loan office.
She eventually rose to the position of assistant bursar, managing a
$120 million loan officer portfolio and helping to develop a
computerized system to manage it all. She retired in 2012, after 29
years. She is missed a lot, say those who worked with her and under
her.
Ms. Rohan's American Legion career has had a similar trajectory. She
joined in 1984, when the new commander of Post 333 in Sun Prairie, a
friend of Mike's, recruited her to join so she could serve as adjunct.
She laughs when she recalls an older veteran who was flustered by a
woman's presence at the meetings. He was saying something, swore, and
then he took his cap off and said: ``I am sorry, I didn't mean to be
disrespectful.'' Later, he did it again. He said: ``I just don't know
how I am going to do this.'' She told him: ``Hey, I was in the Army,
too. I have heard those words before.''
Ms. Rohan really found her spot in the Sun Prairie Post when she was
coordinating community blood drives: four a year, for two decades.
``Each pint of blood can help three people, and we collected hundreds
at each drive,'' she says. ``The volunteers kept coming back, the
donors kept coming back. It makes you feel like you are making a
difference.''
From there, Ms. Rohan's reputation for hard work and willingness to
serve opened door after door: district adjutant and commander,
department historian--she is a four-time winner of the National
American Legion Historian contest--and department commander.
On the national level, she is a former chair of the Veterans
Employment and Education Commission, as well as the National Membership
and Post Activities Committee.
Along the way, she volunteered for dozens of smaller jobs that have
cemented the Legion's place in her community, like chartering a Boy
Scouts
[[Page H7456]]
troop, organizing children's Christmas parties, and assembling troop
care packages.
None of it would have happened if Ms. Rohan was the sort to hold
grudges, however. When the couple lived briefly in Marshall, Wisconsin,
a member of the local American Legion came by to recruit Mike.
{time} 1645
Rohan identified herself as an eligible veteran, but the Legion
recruiter told her that women could join the auxiliary only.
Years later, the Marshall Post realized its mistake and hung a photo
of Ms. Rohan, then district commander, behind a sign that says:
``Remember, women are veterans, too.''
Today, the Marshall Post is one of her biggest supporters. ``I
promised they would get one of my first national commander photos to
put in that frame,'' she says. ``We can do that,'' is what Rohan has
become known for. Her name is known in more than just Legion circles.
At the Wisconsin National Guard Armory in Madison, she and her
husband are Aunt Denise and Uncle Mike. Since 2006, they frequented
drill weekends so often that young servicemen sometimes assumed they
are part of their unit.
Facing a rough situation with a soldier fresh off deployment and
needing resources fast, Staff Sergeant Dan Killam was told to talk to
the Rohans at the Legion. That call led to an unbelievable amount of
care for troops and their families.
When soldiers needed satellite phone minutes to call home after a
battle, the Wisconsin Legion family raised $50,000. At a spur run for
the 105th Calvary, Legionnaires fed nearly 500 people.
I think after this lengthy--but I think much deserved--report on the
first woman to head The American Legion, we understand why the bill
that comes before us is much deserved.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time I have remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky has 14 minutes
remaining. The time of the gentleman from Texas has expired.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, once again, in support of The American Legion 100th
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, I want to share a story from just
yesterday in Nicholasville, Kentucky, where The American Legion was
there, as they always are, supporting our veteran families.
We were at Camp Nelson--which was originally a Union Army cemetery,
but since the Civil War, has become a final resting place for many of
our heroes--yesterday to honor many of the Kentucky Gold Star families
who had lost loved ones, heroes, in the war on terror.
The first one was a U.S. Naval officer killed on September 11, 2001,
in the Pentagon. And most recently, Captain Matthew Roland, a captain
in the United States Air Force, was killed in action in August of 2015
in Afghanistan. And the families of these fallen heroes were there. We
were there to honor those fallen heroes and unveil a dedication, a
memorial to those Gold Star families who had sacrificed so much. Not
only did those heroes sacrifice everything for this country, but those
families have sacrificed because they have lost their loved ones, and
they are missing anniversaries, birthdays, and their children growing
up and walking down the aisle.
But who was there to honor those Gold Star families?
The American Legion. And The American Legion was there holding those
American flags high, and they were there to deliver the three-volley
salute in honor of those fallen heroes.
The American Legion is, first and foremost, a local organization.
They pride themselves in that, and that is what they were in Jessamine
County, Kentucky, honoring those Gold Star families. Yes, they
represent a country of heroes and servicemembers and veterans, but they
are local, and they showed that yesterday in the Sixth Congressional
District of Kentucky, and they show that all over this country.
I would just note also, Mr. Speaker, that when we think of how to
honor our veterans, we have to remember what General George
Washington--who, of course, was the Founder of our country, and who, of
course, was that famous general during the American Revolution who
arguably was the first veteran--said. And what General Washington--
President Washington famously said about our country and veterans was
that the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in
any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how
they perceive veterans of earlier wars and how they were treated and
appreciated by our Nation.
The American Legion embodies that. They are a group of patriots, of
veterans who know that it is critically important to instill in other
Americans the importance of patriotism, love of our country, love of
the American flag, so they help us and future generations respect our
veterans and their service and their sacrifice.
We appreciate the fact that we have a piece of legislation before
this body today that honors that great organization--The American
Legion--that provides that level of patriotism and support to our men
and women in uniform and veterans who have served this country so
heroically and patriotically.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Minnesota (Mr. Walz), the legislation's sponsor.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time
and, more importantly, for his eloquent words. I appreciate the support
both for The American Legion and for this piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for bringing the bill to the floor, H.R. 2519,
The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, for a
vote today.
For nearly a century, The American Legion has worked tirelessly day
and night to improve the lives of veterans and their families. For that
reason, words cannot express the gratitude that we have for the men and
women of The American Legion.
As both a veteran and a legislator, I see firsthand the results they
achieve for veterans on a daily basis.
This bipartisan piece of legislation has the support of over 370 of
our peers, including the entirety of the House Veterans' Affairs
Committee, the Financial Services Committee, and the majority and
minority leaders.
The Senate has passed a similar piece of legislation, and I look
forward to continue working to get this to the President's desk.
These commemorative coins are just a small token of thanks to show
the millions of American Legion members that we appreciate what they do
for our servicemembers, for our veterans, for our national security,
and for our local communities.
In full disclosure, Mr. Speaker, as a longtime member of The American
Legion, I am proud to stand here sponsoring this piece of legislation.
I look forward to it being signed into law, and then I look forward to
Americans getting a piece of this history that we should all be proud
of.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2519, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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