Mark Our Place Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3126, the Mark Our Place Act. I thank Senator Mike Braun for introducing this bill and Representative Morgan Luttrell for introducing the House companion.

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish a headstone, marker, or medallion signifying the status of a deceased member of the Armed Forces as a Medal of Honor recipient regardless of when the member served.

In spite of what the President-elect may think, the Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Since 1976, VA has provided distinctive government- furnished headstones and markers for Medal of Honor recipients to recognize this prestigious honor.

Under current law, only Medal of Honor recipients who served after 1917 are eligible for such markers, meaning many recipients, principally from the Civil War era, have not been able to receive the full array of honors from VA. This will remedy that situation and allow descendants of those recipients who served prior to 1917 to request appropriate markers to honor their loved ones.

Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I support S. 3126, the Mark Our Place Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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