WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), alongside Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), today introduced the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, which would authorize the establishment of a memorial for service members of the Global War on Terrorism in the Reserve section of the National Mall. The proposed locations outlined in the bill include: Constitution Gardens, West Potomac Park and the JFK Hockey Fields. Both Gallagher and Crow are veterans of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) serving in Marines and the Army, respectively. Click here for bill text.
A map of the proposed locations can be viewed below.
“I served alongside many brave men and women in the Marine Corps, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation,” said Gallagher. “Honoring their service, as well as the sacrifices of all those who have served in the Global War on Terrorism, is overdue. The National Mall is a fitting place to memorialize these heroes, and I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Crow to ensure the legacies of these great Americans will be remembered for generations to come.”
“The Global War on Terrorism changed the course of American history and the lives of the millions of servicemembers, first responders, and civil servants who stepped up to serve our country. The sacrifices of this generation are all too often forgotten amidst the political debates of our time.” said Crow. “It is our hope that by honoring the service and sacrifices of this generation in our nation’s capital, we give our service men and women the honor they are due.”
Gallagher, a sophomore member of Congress, served in the United States Marine Corps for seven years as a Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence Officer and Regional Affairs Officer for the Middle East/North Africa, where he earned the rank of Captain. He deployed twice to Al Anbar Province, Iraq as a commander of intelligence teams, and served on General Petraeus’s Central Command Assessment Team in the Middle East.
Crow, a freshman member of Congress, served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq where he received a Bronze Star for his leadership during the Battle of As Samawah and later two combat tours in Afghanistan with the 75th Ranger Regiment where he was tasked with fighting the Haqqani Network, an insurgent group on the Afghanistan – Pakistan border.
The For Country Caucus, a bipartisan caucus of veterans of which Gallagher and Crow are a part of, also unanimously endorsed the bill, “As a veteran of the Global War on Terrorism, I am honored to commemorate my brothers and sisters in arms who have served in this conflict. This bipartisan legislation demonstrates our nation’s veneration for those who defend our democracy, and the sacrifice endured by their loved ones,” said Congressman Panetta, founder and chair of the For Country Caucus and veteran of the U.S. Navy.
Background:
Last Congress, the President signed into law legislation introduced by Rep. Gallagher and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) to exempt the Global War on Terrorism Memorial from restrictive language in the Commemorative Works Act of 1986, which prohibits commemorations from being authorized on federal land until at least ten years after the officially designated end of a conflict. This is the next necessary legislative step to ensure this memorial can be built alongside other major war memorials on the National Mall.
