Congressman Cleaver Pushes for Creation of a World War I Commemorative Stamp Series

Press Release

Today, Congressman Cleaver sent a letter to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee calling for the creation of a series of commemorative stamps to be issued in 2017, 2018, and 2019 in memory of World War I.

"These stamps will allow us to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of World War I," stated Congressman Cleaver. "July 28th of this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I and the day Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917 and the year 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice with Germany, ending World War I battlefield hostilities. The Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war, was signed by Germany and the Allied Nations on June 28, 1919. It has taken far too long for us to adequately honor the more than four million men and women from the United States who served during World War I. Now is the time to pay our tribute."

Congressman Cleaver has worked to honor the memory of World War I veterans in numerous ways, even during his tenure as Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Most recently, Rep. Cleaver fought for the passage of the American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, which directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of this centennial. Additionally, Congressman Cleaver secured passage of an amendment to designate the Liberty Memorial at America's National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the "National World War I Museum and Memorial." The amendment re-designated Pershing Park in Washington, DC as the "National World War I Memorial."

The text of the letter is available below. Led by Congressman Cleaver, the 112th Congress established the WWI Centennial Commission to plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The Commission has not been authorized any federal taxpayer dollars and is funded through donations and potential coin sales.

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