Davis, Meijer join colleagues in requesting vehicle escorts for Honor Flight Network veterans

U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Peter Meijer (R-MI) joined 75 of their congressional colleagues in requesting that the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) provide vehicle escort services to the Honor Flight Network, a national network of independent hubs working together to honor America’s military veterans with an all-expenses paid trip to the memorials in Washington, D.C.

“Honor Flight is an incredible organization that serves our veterans and helps them experience inspiring and humbling monuments along the National Mall in-person,” Rep. Davis said in an April 12 statement. “The Biden administration and Department of the Interior should do anything they can to help them facilitate the return of these trips to Washington. Our veterans — our heroes — deserve it.”

Since its founding, the Honor Flight Network has taken more than 245,000 World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, terminally ill, and injured veterans on these trips. Previously, the DOI has provided the veterans with vehicular escorts from the National Park Service’s United States Park Police (USPP).

“In order to accomplish this worthy vision, it is imperative that DOI provide USPP vehicular escort services to Honor Flight Hubs slated to arrive this spring,” wrote the lawmakers in an April 11 letter sent to DOI Secretary Deb Haaland. “The escort services play a critical logistical role in ensuring these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities run smoothly and safely as Hubs navigate the busy National Mall.”

Rep. Meijer, Rep. Davis, and their colleagues also noted that it’s particularly important that veterans with physical disabilities have the necessary parking access to ensure ease of entry to each war memorial, according to their letter.

“As a country, we have asked much of our men and women in uniform. Time and again, they answered the call,” the members wrote. “We request that you grant Honor Flight Hubs the necessary vehicular escorts our veterans have clearly earned.”