[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 162 (Monday, September 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6546-S6548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 535
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, we recently marked the 20th anniversary of
September 11, a day that forever changed our Nation. This direct
assault on our country sparked the Global War on Terrorism, a war that
came at great personal cost to our men and women serving in the Armed
Forces.
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As a combat veteran, as the mother of a future soldier, even simply
as an American, the events in Afghanistan have been extremely
disheartening to watch. I have heard from so many veterans and
servicemembers who served during this war, many of whom are distraught
and disappointed at the haphazard way the war in Afghanistan came to a
close. I have also heard from too many Gold Star families who lost so
much during this conflict--their spouses, their fathers, their mothers,
brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters.
Recent events have left them questioning themselves and whether their
family member's sacrifice was worth it.
While we can't put the genie back in the bottle when it comes to what
happened in Afghanistan last month, we can properly memorialize the
service of the brave men and women who fought and died to protect and
defend the United States since the beginning of the Global War on
Terror.
I stand before you today to ask that the Senate join with me in
honoring our Global War on Terrorism veterans and the sacrifices they
made by supporting and passing my bipartisan bill, the Global War on
Terrorism Memorial Location Act.
In August of 2017, Congress passed and President Trump signed into
law our bill authorizing the creation of a memorial commemorating the
sacrifices of all those wonderful Americans who fought in the Global
War on Terrorism.
This memorial will be 100 percent privately funded and will not use a
single dime of taxpayer money. Most importantly, it will pay tribute to
our fallen servicemembers across the country, including the 13 who
perished in Afghanistan on August 26. Among the 13 was Iowa native, Cpl
Daegan William-Tyeler Page, who bravely gave the greatest sacrifice of
all.
This memorial is going to be built. It has already become law. It is
ready to go. So let's get it built on the National Mall in Washington,
DC, where it belongs. It is the least we in Congress can do for the men
and women who have given so much.
We have the opportunity to unite around a common cause, while
providing a central location for our many veterans and their families
affected by the Global War on Terror to reunite and reflect on their
loved ones' sacrifices.
This isn't a partisan idea. Earlier this month, the six surviving
Secretaries of Defense, spanning Democratic and Republican
administrations--Robert Gates, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Ash Carter,
Jim Mattis, and Mark Esper--they all wrote an op-ed in the Washington
Post in support of placing the Global War on Terror Memorial on our
National Mall.
While nothing will ever restore the lives that we have lost, this
memorial would serve as a tribute to those brave men and women and
their loved ones who have sacrificed in defense of our freedom.
For more than 20 years, I had the privilege of serving my State and
country in uniform. As a veteran of the Global War on Terror, I know
firsthand the sacrifices the millions of brave men and women of our
Armed Forces made in this fight against radical extremists.
Like many others, I have risen my right hand and taken that oath
voluntarily and without reservation. That is why the effort to build
this memorial in its rightful place is a personal one, not just to me
but to every servicemember, veteran, surviving family member, and
civilian who has been impacted by this fight.
This national memorial will provide all Americans a permanent place
of reflection in the heart of our Nation's Capital. It will serve as a
permanent commitment to the mothers and fathers, husbands and wives,
and children who lost their whole world that this country is forever
grateful and in their debt. It will serve as a place of healing for the
thousands of veterans still carrying the wounds of war, both seen and
unseen.
The National Mall is currently home to the memorials honoring World
War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. How could we put the
memorial for our Nation's longest war anywhere else?
Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent
that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from
further consideration of S. 535 and the Senate proceed to its immediate
consideration. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read
a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered
made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Mr. MANCHIN. Reserving the right to object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, 4 years ago, I was proud to join Senator
Ernst in sponsoring legislation to authorize construction on the
National Global War on Terrorism Memorial to commemorate and honor the
members of the Armed Forces' Global War on Terror.
That bill passed the House and Senate on a voice vote and was signed
into law August 2017.
A memorial honoring the men and women of the Armed Forces who served
our Nation in the Global War on Terror--our country's longest military
conflict--is the least that we can do to recognize their service and
sacrifice and especially those who gave their lives in the service of
our Nation.
In 2017, I said that it was incredibly important to honor these men
and women, and it remains incredibly important today. I want the
memorial to be built as quickly as possible. In fact, I think it should
be the National Park Service's highest priority for approving new
memorials, but it should be built following the same process that
applies to all other memorials and commemorative works.
Since 2003, the Commemorative Works Act has prohibited new memorials
in an area called the Reserve, which is essentially the National Mall.
Since that time, there have been several proposals to waive the
prohibition for new memorials or museums in that area on the Mall,
including the World War I Memorial and the Desert Storm and Desert
Shield Memorial.
Ultimately, these were located in other high-profile areas in
compliance with the Commemorative Works Act. This legislation would
override this provision in law to allow the Global War on Terrorism
Memorial to be sited on the Reserve.
As chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I believe
this precedent would reopen the fight to locate other memorials on the
National Mall and create more controversy that will ultimately delay
the construction of this memorial which is much needed.
While I am a strong supporter of the Global War on Terrorism
Memorial, this would be creating an exception to the law for one
memorial where others have been turned away and doing so without full
committee process.
Our Subcommittee on National Parks, which is chaired by Senator King
from Maine, held a hearing on Senator Ernst's bill on June 23. At that
hearing, the Department of Interior testified in opposition to S. 535
as currently drafted.
I would respectfully ask my friend Senator Ernst to withdraw her
unanimous consent request to discharge her bill from committee and
would commit to holding a markup of the bill so we can consider the
options, the impact, and a path forward for this most important
memorial.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator withdraw her request?
Ms. ERNST. Respectfully, I do not.
Mr. MANCHIN. I respectfully object to the Senator's request but
maintain my commitment to working with my friend from Iowa and the
families who, rightfully, want to memorialize their loved ones to find
a path forward for this important memorial.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
The Senator from Iowa.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I will continue on this path. We, again,
passed this bill. It was signed into law in 2017, creating the
foundation to establish the Global War on Terrorism Memorial. So that
was the first step in a process that has now culminated after 4 years
of discussion and work. And I am very hopeful that the committee will
go through regular process.
I would encourage the chair to move forward on a markup of the bill
and a vote on the bill. If we can receive that markup and vote, then I
will stop my
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live UCs. But until that point, I think it is imperative that we
continue pushing for that regular order.
I feel committed, obviously, to those whom I have served with, the
others who have served in the Global War on Terror, their families, the
affected communities, our Gold Star families, and others.
This is our Nation's longest running war. It is a war that has
affected more than just those servicemembers who set foot in the Middle
East. My commitment to those families, those communities, and our
country is that we will continue to proceed to make sure that this
memorial is placed in prominence on our National Mall.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Mr. MANCHIN. In response to my friend from Iowa, you have my
commitment. We will do this markup and get it scheduled as quickly as
we possibly can, and we will work through that. We encourage you to be
at the markup, if you would like, and speak on it at that time. We will
have the park people there and go through this in a very diligent way
and hopefully get a result as soon as possible.
Ms. ERNST. Thank you.
I yield the floor.
Mr. MANCHIN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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