[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8411-8412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, in the early part of the Eisenhower 
years, I joined that administration and later came to Washington and 
then met a whole series of World War II veterans. We talked and dreamed 
then of a memorial to a war in which we had just been. Fourteen years 
ago, the World War II memorial was conceived and the process started, 
to have it built here in Washington, DC. Eight years ago, the Congress 
authorized this memorial; 6 years ago the first of 22 public hearings 
on the site and design of the memorial commenced.
  Construction was scheduled to start last month, but the memorial is 
now bogged down in legal and procedural issues.

[[Page 8412]]

  Of the 16 million men and women who served in World War II, only 5 
million are alive today. We are now losing veterans of the greatest 
generation at the rate of 1,100 veterans a day. I questioned that, but 
we checked it; 1,100 veterans of World War II are passing away each 
day. By the year 2004, there will be less than 4 million of us.
  In my home State of Alaska, in the last 10 years, we lost one-third 
of the veterans whom I had known and worked with so long.
  The site design of our memorial has been endorsed by the Historic 
Preservation Officer of the District of Columbia, it has received four 
endorsements of the District of Columbia's Preservation Review Board, 
and five approvals each from the Committee on Fine Arts and the 
National Capital Planning Commission.
  The memorial is governed by the Commemorative Works Act of 1986. That 
act gave the final site and design approval to the Commission on Fine 
Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission and the Secretary of 
the Interior.
  Eight sites were considered for the memorial. In 1998, the design was 
approved by the Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital 
Planning Commission and the site selection was reaffirmed. In 1998, the 
National Park Service, in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act, completed an environmental assessment and issued a finding 
of no significant impact. In the year 2000, the final design was 
approved by the Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital 
Planning Commission, and on November 11 of last year, the year 2000, a 
ceremonial groundbreaking took place for this memorial.
  More than 500,000 Americans have sent donations to the fundraising 
campaign, 48 State legislatures have done the same thing, 1,100 schools 
and more than 450 veterans groups, who represent 11 million veterans.
  Even though all the procedural steps have been taken, the memorial 
has now been delayed because of a procedural issue involving the 
National Capital Planning Commission. The National Capital Planning 
Commission decision of 2 years ago of including a World War II memorial 
has been placed in question because the former National Capital 
Planning Commission chairman continued to serve after the expiration of 
his term. The legislation that would originally establish this 
commission permitted members to serve until replaced, but when that law 
was amended, inadvertently the language allowing continuous service 
fell out with no explanation. That created a technicality that has 
forced a review now, again, by the National Capital Planning 
Commission.
  This memorial has been through 22 public hearings, it has complied 
with every applicable law, and this technicality regarding the National 
Capital Planning Commission Board should not penalize the millions of 
veterans who served our country honorably when asked to do so. They 
want to see this memorial.
  I congratulate the House of Representatives, particularly Congressman 
Stump, for sending this legislation to the Senate. I thank all who have 
been very considerate in trying to work out the problems relating to 
it. I believe I am joined by all the veterans of World War II who serve 
in this body in urging that the House bill be enacted and sent to the 
President for his signature immediately.
  For many of us, this year marks the 55th year since we left the 
military service. We were in World War II and returned home.
  We want to see this memorial finished while a significant number of 
our comrades are still alive. We want to be there when this memorial is 
opened.
  Memorial Day for 2001 is just 1 week from next Monday. The veterans 
of this Nation intended to celebrate the initiation of this memorial on 
that day. They will not be able to do so unless the bill gets to the 
President in time to sign it. This is more than a dream of our 
veterans; it is a demand on our country. I urge no Senator stand in the 
way of the prompt enactment of this bill.

                          ____________________