WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At their recent annual convention, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) passed a resolution in support of the National Eisenhower Memorial, which will be constructed adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, DC.
The resolution calls on Congress to provide funding for the memorial. Furthermore, the resolution encourages VFW members lend their individual support to the memorial. The resolution states:
“Be it resolved, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to reinstate funding and build the National Eisenhower Memorial as a lasting tribute to the General and President, and to those who served with him; and be it further resolved, that the VFW also encourages its members, friends and family to contribute to the memorial on an individual basis.”
Following the VFW’s vote to support the Eisenhower Memorial, Senator Bob Dole, a highly decorated World War II veteran, a lifelong member of the VFW, and a committed supporter of the National Eisenhower Memorial, expressed his appreciation, “As a young officer in World War II, I served under Ike. He was our commanding General, our President, and our lifelong hero. I proudly served in the United States Congress for 36 years, and it is hard for me to understand why a body I hold with such high respect is hesitant to fund this memorial, which Congress established by law in 1999.”
After the vote, VFW Commander-In-Chief, John Stroud, commented, “In both his roles as General and President, Ike was a friend and supporter of the soldier, and therefore, of the VFW. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 3279, located in his home town of Abilene, Kansas. In his honor, in 1970, the VFW created its highest national award, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, which is given annually to an individual who champions the cause of American security, unity and world peace. This memorial is well-deserved and way overdue. The VFW has almost 2 million members who live in every Congressional District across America. We call upon our representatives in Congress to hear our call and support the National Eisenhower Memorial.”
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, commented, "I want to thank the VFW for this strong stand in support of the Eisenhower Memorial. President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower's leadership in a time of war and in a time of peace is unparalleled in modern history," Roberts said. "It means so much to have veterans joining in this effort to honor a man who ensured the freedoms we enjoy today."
EISENHOWER MEMORIAL COMMISSION Created by Congress, the bipartisan commission includes eight members of Congress and four Presidential appointees. http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/#/commission/mission