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AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1664) to authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1664
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.
(a) In General.--The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation may establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice displayed by Medal of Honor recipients.
(b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The establishment of the commemorative work under this section shall be in accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Commemorative Works Act'').
(c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
(1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under this section.
(2) Responsibility of the national medal of honor museum foundation.--The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation shall be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work under this section.
(d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
(1) In general.--If, on payment of all expenses for the establishment of the commemorative work under this section
(including the maintenance and preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code), there remains a balance of funds received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation 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 that title.
(2) On expiration of authority.--If, on expiration of the authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of funds received for the establishment of the commemorative work under this section, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation shall transmit the amount of the balance to a separate account with the National Park Foundation for memorials, to be available to the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services, as appropriate, in accordance with the process provided in paragraph (4) of section 8906(b) of that title for accounts established under paragraph (2) or (3) of that section.
SEC. 2. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1664, introduced by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey), would authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a monument in the District of Columbia commemorating the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice displayed by the Medal of Honor recipients.
The Medal of Honor is our country's highest military decoration, and since its creation during the Civil War, the medal has been awarded to more than 3,500 members of the armed services.
This bill would honor the unparalleled bravery and sacrifices of Medal of Honor recipients and ensure that the medal's values of courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment are shared for generations to come.
I would like to thank Representative Veasey for his leadership on this important legislation and urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1664, offered by Congressman Veasey, would authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the D.C. area to recognize Medal of Honor recipients.
The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest medal for valor in combat awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The medal was first authorized in 1861 for U.S. Navy sailors and marines, and the following year for Army soldiers. Since then more than 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded to members of all Department of Defense services and the Coast Guard. Medals of Honor are awarded sparingly and only bestowed on the bravest of the brave whose courage and valor in combat is well documented.
According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, at least 10 Arkansans have been awarded the Medal of Honor since its inception. This includes John Henry Pruitt, an Arkansan who is one of only 19 soldiers to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor twice. Our State Capitol in Little Rock also boasts its own Medal of Honor Memorial, which depicts a bronze eagle surrounded by plaques honoring each individual Medal of Honor recipient from Arkansas.
I would like to thank Congressman Veasey and Congressman Blake Moore of Utah, a freshman on our committee, for their leadership on this important bipartisan bill. I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey).
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge my colleagues to pass the National Medal of Honor Monument Act. This is bipartisan legislation, as was mentioned, that I introduced with Representative Moore of Utah.
This bill honors our Nation's brave servicemembers by paving the way for the creation of a monument in our Nation's Capital recognizing the Medal of Honor and its more than 3,500 recipients.
Our Nation's Medal of Honor recipients are patriots. They have put their lives on the line to ensure we can live freely and prosperously in the greatest nation on Earth. That is why I am happy to have spearheaded this from the beginning and pay homage to the values the Medal of Honor represents--courage, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, commitment, and sacrifice--and the brave individuals who earned it in service to our country.
The National Medal of Honor Museum will actually open in my district in Arlington, Texas, in the next few years, and it will also serve as a beacon for these values.
My hope is that we are able to pass this legislation to honor these individuals because this is a very, very prestigious award for our Nation's veterans and for those that have sacrificed. We want to make sure that we do everything we can to rally around this and honor the bravest individuals who serve in our country by having a monument here in Washington, D.C.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill and strongly support creating this memorial, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, my colleague said it well. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1664, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion are postponed.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 130
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