[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 171 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6812-S6813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 535

  Ms. ERNST. Madam President, the time is now. We need a memorial to 
the fallen heroes of the Global War on Terror, and the memorial should 
be in its rightful place on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
  On Tuesday, I spoke with a group of nearly 30 Gold Star families who 
lost their loved ones during our Nation's longest war. Their stories of 
heartache and sacrifice inspire me to continue fighting for this 
important memorial.
  The overwhelming theme on that call was this: the time is now to get 
the Global War on Terrorism Memorial built on our National Mall.
  And it is with that in mind that I come to the floor again to ask the 
Senate to join me in honoring our veterans, our Gold Star families, and 
fallen heroes by supporting my bipartisan legislation, the Global War 
on Terrorism Memorial Location Act.
  I believe our Nation has a responsibility to properly honor and pay 
tribute to our veterans, including those who have served in the longest 
conflict in the history of the United States. The Global War on 
Terrorism Memorial belongs on our National Mall, in the same place as 
the memorials that honor the heroes of earlier conflicts, like Korea 
and Vietnam.
  This memorial, which has bipartisan support, will serve as a 
permanent reminder of the eternal gratitude of all of America.
  As a fellow veteran of the Global War on Terrorism and a friend and 
advocate for our Gold Star families, I firmly believe that placing this 
memorial anywhere but the National Mall is absolutely unacceptable.
  We have an opportunity for bipartisanship right here with this bill. 
So let's join together and show the country that the U.S. Senate will 
honor the sacrifice and properly memorialize the service of the brave 
men and women who fought and died to protect and defend the Nation 
since the beginning of the Global War on Terror. It is the least we can 
do for those who have given so much.
  I ask you today to support my mission, to build a memorial to empower 
those who answered the call to serve in the Global War on Terror, who, 
for so long, protected us and allowed us to enjoy the freedoms that we 
have to this very day.
  This memorial is ready to go, so let's get it built on our National 
Mall in Washington, DC, where it belongs.
  Madam President, as if 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?
  The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. MANCHIN. Madam President, reserving the right to object, last 
week, Senator Ernst asked unanimous consent to bypass the committee 
process and pass her bill. At the time, I committed to work with her 
and that we would schedule this bill for a vote at the next Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee legislative markup.
  That commitment remains. In fact, we are fulfilling it. In fact, just 
this morning, both of our staffs were on the National Mall walking 
through potential sites with the National Park Service and 
representatives from the Foundation to get a better understanding of 
the issues associated with the locations proposed in Senator Ernst's 
bill.
  My goal is to get this memorial built as quickly as possible. I was 
the proud lead Democratic sponsor of this legislation to authorize 
construction of the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial 4 years 
ago and remain just as

[[Page S6813]]

supportive and committed to seeing the memorial built today as I was 
then.
  It is important that we commemorate and honor the members of the 
Armed Forces who served on Active Duty and supported the Global War on 
Terrorism. The original legislation authorizing construction of the 
Global War on Terrorism Memorial required that the memorial be located 
and designed in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act.
  The Senator's bill is now proposing to waive a key provision in that 
law. I am concerned that trying to legislatively force a memorial into 
the Reserve area of the National Mall will result in a more contentious 
approval process that will take longer to get the memorial built than 
staying with the process that applies to all of our memorials.
  I restate my commitment to keep working with Senator Ernst and to 
schedule a vote on this bill at the Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee's next legislative business meeting so that committee members 
can weigh in, which is the process, on with what the appropriate policy 
should be.
  Again, I remain a very strong supporter of the Global War on 
Terrorism Memorial, and I believe that all of our colleagues on the 
Republican and Democratic side feel the same. The National Park Service 
should give it the highest priority, and they will, in finding an 
appropriate site.
  But the memorial should be built following the same process--the same 
process--that applies to all of our memorials and commemorative works. 
I will continue to work with my friend and colleague from Iowa, but I 
must respectfully object to the unanimous consent request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Iowa.
  Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I just want to come forward and thank the 
Senator for the progress that is being made on the location for the 
Global War on Terrorism Memorial, and I will continue to pursue this. I 
think it is important to do that. I remain committed to the families of 
those who have fallen, as well as the many servicemembers who have 
served across the spectrum in the Global War on Terror.
  I understand that many decades ago an act was put in place by 
Congress which limited activity on the National Mall, but 
understanding, since that time, we have seen many memorials and many 
monuments that have been placed on the Reserve on the National Mall.
  And so I am asking that, as Congress, we move forward quickly on this 
act. We have been working on this for a number of years. We need to 
move quickly and provide a time of healing for our Nation after we are 
closing the Global War on Terror.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. MANCHIN. First of all, I want to thank the total commitment and 
dedication that my friend from my Iowa has; the same as, I think, all 
of us have. But on that, since 2003, when Congress acted about 
basically putting a moratorium on the Mall so the Mall would be 
preserved for all of us to enjoy, there were some that were still 
pending but were allowed to complete. There has not been any new 
approved since 2003.
  But we have a process, and I respect that, and I am going to work as 
hard as I can to make sure that that process is going to be honored and 
we go through it in our markup and everyone have input on it. And I 
think that is the proper way for us to proceed.
  And I appreciate the Senator working and understanding and working 
with us. Right now, we just have to continue to do what we are doing 
and let this process basically go forth as quickly as possible. That is 
my commitment, and I will honor that.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.