The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act
Floor Speech
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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 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.
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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.
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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.
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