U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) recently helped introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to honor and recognize the contributions of service animals in America.
Sen. Blackburn and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Jan. 7 unveiled the National Service Animals Memorial Act, S. 3447, while U.S. Reps. Susan Wild (D-PA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Jan. 3 introduced their version, H.R. 6353.
“Service animals are trained to strengthen public safety, bolster national security, and provide medical independence in ways humans cannot. Their unique abilities are more than an additional asset — they are essential,” Sen. Blackburn said. “The National Service Animals Memorial Act formally recognizes their contributions and brings awareness to their invaluable service.”
Specifically, the bill would authorize the National Service Animals Monument Corporation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to commemorate “the heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and handlers of service animals in the United States,” according to the text of the bill.
The mission of the corporation would be to establish a memorial to educate the public about the contributions made by service animals and the human-animal bond between service animals and the handlers of the service animals, regardless of whether the handler is an individual with a disability, a law enforcement officer, military personnel, or any other individual, according to the text.
Federal funds would not be used to pay for establishing the memorial and the corporation would be solely responsible for accepting contributions and paying the expenses for doing so, the text says.
“Homage is long overdue — expressed by this bipartisan bill — to brave service animals and handlers who have put their lives on the line, and sometimes sacrificed them,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “They’ve helped protect our troops from deadly danger, and supported Americans unstintingly. Their life-changing service to disabled Americans, and veterans recovering from wounds of war, is legendary and should be celebrated — as this memorial would eloquently do. I thank colleagues on both sides of the aisle for joining this historic cause.”
The National Service Animals Memorial Act is endorsed by the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the Humane Society of the United States, and the National Service Animals Monument Corporation.