The U.S. Senate on Dec. 18 unanimously approved the bipartisan National Medal of Honor Monument Act cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) and the bill now heads to the president to be signed into law.
“I am grateful to have been part of this historic effort to commemorate our Medal of Honor recipients with a monument in Washington, D.C.,” Rep. Moore said. “This bipartisan legislation is off to the president’s desk, and we are one step closer to immortalizing the sacrifices of our nation’s greatest heroes.”
The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration and is awarded to U.S. service members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor. It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty, according to information provided by Rep. Moore’s staff.
H.R. 1664, which Rep. Moore introduced in March with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), is identical to S. 172, introduced in February by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).
The bill authorizes a new monument that honors the values represented by the Medal of Honor — courage, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, commitment, and sacrifice — and the roughly 4,000 brave individuals who earned the medal in service to their country. H.R. 1664 unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives in July.
“I am so proud that my bipartisan Medal of Honor legislation will be signed into law by President Biden,” said Rep. Veasey. “This legislation honors the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women who risked their lives to protect our country.”
Chris Cassidy, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation president and CEO, noted that just 67 Medal of Honor recipients are alive today, so the clock is ticking to get this monument built.
“By passing the National Medal of Honor Monument Act, we are one step closer to doing just that,” said Cassidy. “I want to thank Sens. Cornyn and Kaine and Reps. Veasey and Moore for their tremendous leadership. Together, we will pay tribute to the fewer than 4,000 brave Americans who have received the Medal.”