[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12320-12323]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM WAR MEMORIAL ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 873) to authorize the Global War on Terror Memorial 
Foundation to establish the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial 
as a commemorative work in the District of Columbia, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 873

       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 ``Global War on Terrorism War 
     Memorial Act''.

     SEC. 2. NATIONAL GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM MEMORIAL.

       (a) Authorization To Establish Commemorative Work.--The 
     Association may establish the National Global War on 
     Terrorism Memorial as a commemorative work on Federal land in 
     the District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate and 
     honor the members of the Armed Forces that served on active 
     duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
       (b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works 
     Act.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph 2, the 
     establishment of the memorial under this section shall be in 
     accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code 
     (commonly known as the ``Commemorative Works Act'').
       (2) Non-applicability.--Subsections (b) and (c) of section 
     8903 of title 40, United States Code, shall not apply to this 
     Act.
       (c) Use of Federal Funds Prohibited.--
       (1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any 
     expense of the establishment of the memorial under this 
     section.
       (2) Responsibility of association.--The Association shall 
     be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, 
     and payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the 
     memorial.
       (d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--If, on payment of all 
     expenses for the establishment of the memorial (including the 
     maintenance and preservation amount required by section 
     8906(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code), or on expiration 
     of the authority for the memorial under section 8903(e) of 
     title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of 
     funds received for the establishment of the memorial, the 
     Association shall transmit the amount of the balance to the 
     Secretary of the Interior for deposit in the account provided 
     for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 40, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Association.--The term ``Association'' means the Global 
     War on Terror Memorial Foundation, a corporation that is--
       (A) organized under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania; 
     and
       (B) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of 
     that Code.
       (2) District of columbia and its environs.--The term 
     ``District of Columbia and its environs'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States 
     Code.
       (3) Global war on terrorism.--The term ``Global War on 
     Terrorism'' means any contingency operation conducted by the 
     Armed Forces in response to the terrorist attacks of 
     September 11, 2001, or other terrorist attack.
       (4) Memorial.--The term ``memorial'' means the National 
     Global War on Terrorism Memorial authorized to be established 
     under section 2.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Gallego) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 873, the Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act, 
authored by Congressman Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, would authorize 
the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation to begin the lengthy 
Commemorative Works Act process to establish a Global War on Terrorism 
Memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia. The memorial will 
recognize and honor the men and women who have served on Active Duty in 
the United States Armed Forces since the attack on our country on 
September 11, 2001.
  The global war on terrorism is the longest conflict ever fought by 
the United States, and there is still no end in sight. We can and 
should debate the policies that have prolonged this war and denied our 
troops the full might and resources of our Nation. But one thing is far 
above and beyond any debate, and that is the heroism, selflessness, 
devotion, and patriotism of the men and women of our Nation who stepped 
forward from the safety, security, and comfort of hearth and home and 
into harm's way when our Nation called.
  The Commemorative Works Act requires that a war be ended for at least 
10 years before planning can commence on a national memorial. There is 
good reason for this requirement: it gives history the insight to place 
the war in an historic context and to begin to fully appreciate its 
full significance to our country and future generations.
  But the war on terrorism has been fought in a decidedly different way 
than our past wars. We are now approaching the 16th anniversary of the 
attack on New York and Washington. The veterans who sacrificed so much 
to keep that war away from our shores deserve some tangible and lasting 
tribute to their patriotism and altruism while they, their families, 
and their fellow countrymen can know it. The Gold Star families of our 
fallen heroes for whom the war will never end deserve some assurance 
that their sons and daughters will never be forgotten by a grateful 
Nation.
  We should remember that many of our Nation's heroes from World War II 
never lived to see the completion of the World War II Memorial, which 
was completed 59 years after the end of that conflict.
  For these reasons, this measure suspends the 10-year period in 
current law. It doesn't repeal it. It merely sets it aside for the 
unique circumstances of the current war on terrorism.
  I am confident that the Memorial Commission will respect and 
appreciate the fact that many may have yet to serve in this war, and 
history has not yet had time to reflect on its significance to our 
Nation and, indeed, to the future of Western civilization. I am sure 
the design they recommend will respect these facts and provide 
significant latitude for the completion of the memorial after this bane 
of Islamic terrorism has been extirpated from our planet and the long-
suffering people of the Middle East have been liberated from it by the 
brave fighting men and women of the United States Armed Forces that 
this memorial will honor and thank.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a July 28, 2017, letter from the 
Congressional Budget Office providing a cost estimate for this bill.


[[Page 12321]]


                                      Congressional Budget Office,


                                                U.S. Congress,

                                    Washington, DC, July 28, 2017.
     Hon. Rob Bishop,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 873, the Global 
     War on Terrorism War Memorial Act.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
     Shankaran.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Mark P. Hadley,
                                       (For Keith Hall, Director).
       Enclosure.

           H.R. 873--Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on July 
                                26, 2017

       H.R. 873 would authorize the Global War on Terror Memorial 
     Foundation, a non-profit organization, to establish a 
     memorial in the District of Columbia and its environs to 
     commemorate members of the armed forces who served on active 
     duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
       Because H.R. 873 would prohibit the use of federal funds to 
     establish the memorial, CBO estimates that implementing the 
     legislation would result in no significant costs to the 
     federal government.
       Enacting H.R. 873 would affect direct spending; therefore, 
     pay-as-you-go procedures apply. The memorial project would be 
     subject to the requirements of the Commemorative Works Act. 
     Under that act, any entity that receives a permit to 
     construct a memorial must donate to the National Park 
     Foundation (a nonprofit organization) an amount equal to 10 
     percent of the memorial's estimated construction cost. That 
     amount, as well as any project funds remaining after 
     construction of the memorial, would be available in future 
     years for maintenance of the memorial.
       Based on the experience of similar commemorative projects, 
     CBO expects that any amounts collected by the federal 
     government for maintenance would not be received for several 
     years and would be offset by an expenditure soon thereafter. 
     On net, CBO estimates that such effects would be 
     insignificant. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.
       CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 873 would not increase net 
     direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
     consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
       H.R. 873 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
     would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
       The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
     Shankaran. The estimate was approved by Theresa A. Gullo, 
     Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak in favor of the Global War on 
Terrorism War Memorial Act. This act will initiate the process for 
constructing a memorial to the brave men and women of the Armed Forces 
who have fought and, too often, died for this country in the wake of 
the September 11 attacks.
  As a veteran of the Iraq war, I am extremely proud to be on the floor 
today as we memorialize the bravest and best of Americans: the ones who 
volunteered to put themselves in harm's way and did not come back.
  I want to commend my fellow Marines, Mr. Moulton and Mr. Gallagher, 
for sponsoring this act. As you know, Mr. Speaker, it takes a lot for 
an enlisted marine like me to speak very highly of any officer, let 
alone Marine Corps officers, but there are always exceptions.
  Mr. Speaker, as we consider this legislation, I hope every Member of 
this body will take a quiet moment today to think about the courageous 
men and women we have lost over the past 16 years. When I cast my vote 
today, I know I will be thinking about my close friends, including 
Corporal Andre Williams and Lance Corporal Christopher Lyons, who died 
12 years ago today in Cykla, Iraq.
  This memorial will honor thousands of our countrymen who have been 
killed and wounded in Iraq and around the world. It will memorialize 
the service of those who have survived the battle only to fall victim 
to the mental and emotional demons of post-traumatic stress. And it 
will represent a token of thanks to the family and friends who have 
served by supporting their loved ones in uniform.

                              {time}  1130

  For as long as this memorial stands, it will continue the proud 
tradition of America honoring its sons and daughters who have given 
their last full measure of devotion.
  I look forward to commencing design and to the day when the memorial 
passes from an idea on a piece of paper to a landmark on the National 
Mall.
  I thank Congressman Moulton and Congressman Gallagher for their 
remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), the author of this 
measure, one of the many thousands of Americans who stepped forward to 
answer their country's call.
  Mr. Gallagher. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership 
on this issue, for working with us, and I ask that he please extend our 
thanks to every member of the Natural Resources Committee for its 
effort in getting this bill to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from Arizona for his words 
and for his service. It is my honor to call him my fellow marine. As an 
officer, I did my best just not to get in the way of my enlisted 
marines, who were doing the real work. Maybe we can bring some of that 
same ethos here to Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill that honors 
our post-9/11 veterans and secures their rightful place in our Nation's 
Capital.
  Earlier this summer, I had the honor of welcoming a group of American 
heroes who journeyed from northeast Wisconsin to Washington, D.C., 
aboard the Old Glory Honor Flight. That is one of the truly incredible 
things we get to do as Members of Congress.
  Just to watch generation after generation of veterans representing 
every major conflict since World War II visiting the very memorials 
that honor their sacrifice, their service, their commitment, their 
courage in those conflicts was one of the most remarkable experiences 
of my life.
  Just as these veterans visited their respective memorials, so, too, 
should the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve in 
the ongoing war on terrorism have a memorial one day to honor their 
courage, their sacrifice, their commitment. But as the chairman laid 
out, current law does not allow for the creation for a memorial for the 
war on terror.
  The 1986 Commemorative Works Act requires that monuments in honor of 
a ``. . . limited military engagement or a unit of an armed force may 
not be authorized . . . until at least 10 years after the officially 
designated end of such war or conflict.''
  But as we know, this is a conflict unlike many others that have 
preceded it. This war will have no clear end date, no V Day or V-J Day. 
Threats continue to rise, so the longest ongoing conflict in our 
Nation's history continues. After 15 years, after over 6,800 American 
lives lost, there is still no end in sight.
  So this memorial is for the men and women who have died fighting, 
those who continue to fight, those who are still joining the fight 
against terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a second to recognize the dedicated 
members of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, many of 
whom are with us here today, especially Andrew Brennan, George 
Chewning, Chad Longell, and Matt Gannon. They have been tireless in 
their commitment to getting this done. Today we are taking an important 
step forward, but we still need to get it across the finish line, so I 
want to recognize their efforts.
  I just want to say, Mr. Speaker, like most, I struggle with how to 
truly honor the men and women whose sacrifices far exceed my own. I was 
lucky. I had great marines that kept me safe, and we all came home 
safe. But my hope is that this memorial will serve as not only a way to 
honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifices, but also as a call to 
action for us, the living.
  I believe that those we will pay tribute to through this memorial 
didn't

[[Page 12322]]

risk everything just so we would sit back and praise them for keeping 
us safe. I would submit to you that the fallen don't want our praise. 
They want our participation in this incredible experiment in self-
government.
  If we are going to continue passing the torch of democracy from one 
generation to the next, then we need to build this memorial so that 
future generations never forget their duty to do the same, so that 
future generations never forget the cost of liberty.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to support this legislation to 
memorialize the service of the brave men and women who have fought in 
the global war on terrorism.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Wisconsin and 
Arizona. It is an honor to stand here as fellow marines in support of 
this bill today.
  Today is a big day. It is a milestone in a journey that we started 
over a year ago. We are taking a major legislative step in the 
direction of creating a memorial honoring those who have served on 
Active Duty during the global war on terrorism.
  For many, like my colleagues, this bill is personal. None of us will 
forget where we were on September 11, 2001, and we all continue to live 
with the aftermath of that tragic day in American history.
  It is important to note that the tragic events of 9/11 and the war on 
terror to follow did not leave us isolated and afraid as a nation. 
Rather, in true American fashion, they inspired an entire generation to 
come together and serve.
  So many young men and women selflessly answered the call to serve 
their country in the wake of that tragedy, and I would like to share 
just one story with you about someone from my district who would be on 
this memorial.
  Captain Jennifer Harris lived in the town of Swampscott. She was a 
graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and, sadly, became the 
first Massachusetts woman killed in the Iraq war.
  Jennifer was the epitome of leadership and sacrifice. On flying 
missions, she had the call sign ``The Dove.'' She would often be called 
to evacuate our wounded soldiers and marines from the battlefield.
  Captain Harris' final mission was to transport blood supplies. She 
willingly volunteered for it even though she was only just days away 
from returning home. In fact, she was initially told:

       No. You are too close to leaving. Don't go.

  But she said:

       I want to fly one more time.

  Her superiors reluctantly agreed. Captain Harris died on February 7, 
along with six other crew members after insurgents shot down her 
helicopter.
  In her twenties, with a bright future ahead of her, Captain Harris 
was on her third tour of duty in Iraq.
  I can't help but think today of my grandfather, a World War II 
veteran. He never got to see the WWII Memorial in his lifetime. He was 
never afforded the opportunity to have some place to take his family to 
reflect on his time in the service or remember his colleagues who did 
not have the opportunity to come home.
  Let's not let that history repeat itself. The men and women who have 
given their all in the war on terror should be afforded a place on the 
National Mall where their loved ones can pay respects and honor their 
sacrifice.
  Passage of this bill is an important first step in seeing this 
memorial built in our lifetime.
  Let's get this done for Captain Jennifer Harris and the thousands of 
others like her who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the strongest support possible for this bill 
to begin the process of establishing a memorial to honor the 
servicemembers of our longest war.
  5,799 days ago, on a crystal blue September morning, we came face to 
face with an evil as old as time. Within days, our military was 
engaged, and within weeks, we sustained our first casualties. Our 
latest loss happened this very month.
  They came from every walk of American life, from the North, the 
South, the East, the West, every race, color, and creed, men and women.
  The memorial authorized in this bill will allow the Nation to 
remember not only those who did not come home, but also those with 
life-changing injuries, visible and invisible, the incomprehensible and 
too often unnoticed stress on the spouses and children of those 
deployed, and the sacrifices of those who put their stateside lives on 
hold to serve.
  Mr. Speaker, amidst the divisions in our country today, we need this 
memorial now more than ever, yes, to remember our fallen, but also to 
bind us together as we reflect upon their sacrifice for the 
transcendent ideals upon which this country was founded.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin, the gentleman from 
Arizona, and the gentleman from Massachusetts for their work on this 
legislation and for their service to our country.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Panetta). To show our bipartisan nature, we are going 
to allow somebody from the Army to speak also on this bill.
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, but 
like a typical marine, he actually got it wrong. I was actually in the 
Navy.
  Mr. GALLEGO. That is worse.
  Mr. PANETTA. I was a Navy officer. I am sure that was on purpose.
  So standing here actually as a Navy officer, being asked to address 
this bill, H.R. 873, and to support this bill, being asked by a bunch 
of marines is a true honor, and it is very humbling at the same time.
  Mr. Speaker, I do rise in support of H.R. 873, the Global War on 
Terrorism War Memorial Act, to create the foundation, which will then 
provide for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial right here on the 
National Mall.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Gallego from Arizona; Mr. Moulton from 
Massachusetts; and, of course, Mr. Gallagher from Wisconsin, my 
classmate here in the 115th Congress, a fellow freshman. Again, it is 
quite a privilege to stand here with these fellow veterans as peers, 
but also as a true sign of bipartisanship in the House of 
Representatives.
  Now, I had remarks prepared yesterday to address the House about this 
topic, but last night I went to Arlington National Cemetery. I took my 
two daughters, who are here in town. We saw what people normally see, 
the changing of the guard, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the tomb of 
President Kennedy. But I made it a point to go to area 60, the area 
where there are many recent interments from the people, from our 
veterans, from our brethren, who have served in the global war on 
terrorism.
  On that hallowed ground, I made it a point to seek out someone I 
served with, a gentleman by the name of Brendan Looney. I served with 
Mr. Looney in Korea. He was an intelligence officer back then. Both of 
us made sure that we wanted to do more. I went forward, but Brendan 
Looney wanted to do more than just that: he wanted to become a SEAL, 
and he did. He served in Iraq and he served in Afghanistan. It was in 
2010 when the Blackhawk he was riding in went down and crashed, killing 
everybody onboard.
  Now, Brendan is interred in area 60 at Arlington National Cemetery 
right along with his brethren, with his brother in arms, Travis Manion. 
I looked at Travis Manion's tombstone, and on that tombstone is a quote 
that I would like to share. On that tombstone, it says:

       If not me, then who?

  And right next to Mr. Manion's tombstone was another 19-year-old who 
was interred there, a veteran of the global war on terrorism. And on 
his

[[Page 12323]]

tombstone was a quote that I would like to share. It said:

       I just want to do my part.

  Mr. Speaker, it is this attitude that was inscribed on those 
tombstones which is the attitude of this generation of veterans who 
served in the global war on terrorism, my generation, our generation, 
men and women who didn't step back; instead, they stepped forward. They 
didn't just step forward; they ran forward, they ran to the fight.
  Now, also at Arlington National Cemetery was another quote that I 
would like to share, and it was from John F. Kennedy. The quote that 
they had up there by his tomb was from one of his speeches, in which he 
stated:

       In the long history of the world, only a few generations 
     have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour 
     of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility. 
     I welcome it.

                              {time}  1145

  The men and women who served in the global war on terrorism did not 
shrink from that responsibility. They did not run away. They ran 
forward.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is important to have this memorial 
because the families, the friends, the men and women of this country 
should not just have to go to cemeteries to honor those who served and 
paid the ultimate sacrifice. That is why I stand here, Mr. Speaker, in 
full support of the memorial here on the National Mall to not just 
honor, but to celebrate the service and the sacrifice of the veterans 
of the global war on terrorism.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he 
may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), who has 
brought this legislation before us today.
  Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to quickly add my thanks to 
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), who started this effort 
in the last Congress with another colleague of ours, and I was 
fortunate enough to join that team when I arrived here. Without his 
dedication from the start, we would not be at this moment today.
  I would also thank him for his example of leadership in the Marine 
Corps and in Congress, which has inspired a generation of marines like 
myself. And while we don't agree on everything, we always look for ways 
to work together.
  It is my belief in just listening to these speeches, particularly 
from the veterans who serve in Congress, that there is so much that we 
can work together on; and there are forces that are trying to divide 
us, but there is still so much that we can agree upon.
  So while this may seem like a small step, I would submit that this is 
big. And I hope this is the beginning of more work that we can do on 
behalf of the country, and that is what it should be about at the end 
of the day.
  So I just thank all of my colleagues. I thank the chairman for his 
help. I couldn't be more proud that, in a divided time, we came 
together to do something good on behalf of past generations of veterans 
and on behalf of the next generation.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Again, I thank Congressman Gallagher, Congressman Moulton, and all of 
the veterans who have sponsored this bill in remembrance of our 
brothers and sisters from the global war on terrorism.
  I would like to speak a couple more minutes just because I rarely 
have the opportunity to speak about the guys that I served with. It was 
a group called Lima 325 out of Ohio. It was one of the best groups of 
men who I probably have ever met. We were nice young men from New 
Mexico that were suddenly added to these country boys and city boys 
from Ohio and sent to the middle of nowhere, Iraq. And from there, we 
saw a lot of combat. We lost a lot of friends.
  In section 60, many of us veterans have this tradition where we go 
and we put our quarters on the headstones of the men we served with. 
And I, unfortunately, have to put down a lot of quarters.
  But one of the things that I will always remember is that this unit, 
Lima 325, really brought people from all walks of life in America. You 
had African Americans, you had country boys from Ohio, you had Navajo 
from the Navajo Nation and other parts of our Tribal Nations, you had 
Latinos.
  We even taught some of the Ohio boys how to cook since they don't 
really have good taste. We introduced them to the idea of green chili, 
which I have heard has now taken off in Oliver, Ohio. And we lived 
together for 7 months, going from house to house, from hole to hole. 
And even today, though many of us cannot see each other, we still live 
with each other in our spirits and in our souls.
  These types of memorials matter. For many of us, this generation is 
not the generation that served together on a base. Many of us actually 
served from different parts of the world. We dropped our jobs and what 
we were doing, our school sometimes, to join in, leave our families, 
leave the comfort and safety of the United States to go and defend what 
we believed was important to this country and to honor our commitment.
  Sometimes it is these types of memorials that are the only thing that 
actually bring us together. I recently was lucky enough to have my 10-
year reunion with the guys from Lima Company, and that is the first 
time I had seen many men that I had lived with for so long. It was a 
very inspiring as well as moving, and really consoling thing for me.
  I believe that having a memorial of this nature would be extremely 
important for many men and women to be able to see, to be able to come 
and maybe not necessarily physically meet with their partners, with 
their comrades, but to at least be able to spiritually have a place to 
meet with their comrades, with the people that they served with in 
arms.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  With this vote, we will begin proceeding on this memorial and begin a 
process of planning a great work to honor the bravery, sacrifice, and 
patriotism to those who have defended Western civilization from the 
medieval barbarism that has reappeared in our time.
  But even more importantly, we begin work on a tangible promise for 
future generations, a promise animated by the heroic deeds of these 
veterans, the promise of a coming age of liberty and justice, of peace 
and tolerance that will surely come. I ask for adoption of this 
measure.
  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 California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 873.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________