PRINTER'S NO. 3942
No. 532 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY THOMAS, PHILLIPS, WAUGH, READSHAW, CALTAGIRONE,
GEORGE, JAMES, RUBLEY, B. SMITH, COY, MASLAND, WALKO,
BOSCOLA, WOJNAROSKI, McCALL, ZUG, MARSICO, MAYERNIK, FICHTER,
PLATTS, OLASZ, ROSS, SEYFERT, TIGUE, BARRAR, GEIST,
SCRIMENTI, TRELLO, LEDERER, HENNESSEY, FEESE, CLYMER, ORIE,
McILHINNEY, ROBERTS, DALEY, BELFANTI, McNAUGHTON, GIGLIOTTI,
DeLUCA, E. Z. TAYLOR, L. I. COHEN, PESCI, MILLER, MELIO,
FLICK, MAHER, TRAVAGLIO, YOUNGBLOOD AND SCHULER,
OCTOBER 6, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 6, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging Congress to pass legislation protecting the area
2 surrounding the Iwo Jima Memorial from future encroachment.
3 WHEREAS, The Marine Corps' Iwo Jima Memorial honors the
4 marines who fought on that island during WW II; and
5 WHEREAS, The memorial depicts six men as they struggle to
6 raise an American flag atop a mountain, signaling defeat to
7 their enemy and hope to their comrades below; and
8 WHEREAS, The battle was the most costly in Marine history.
9 The 36 days of fighting led to 25,851 casualties, over a third
10 of the landing force, including more than 1,000 dead per square
11 mile. Twenty-seven Medals of Honor were awarded on Iwo Jima for
12 bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Admiral Nimitz
13 remarked that among the sailors and marines on Iwo Jima,
14 "uncommon valor was a common virtue"; and
1 WHEREAS, The Iwo Jima Memorial may be obscured by an Air
2 Force Memorial - a sprawling 20,000 square-foot, five-story,
3 high-tech, interactive multimedia complex. Such a structure
4 would be appropriate in front of the heavily trafficked Air and
5 Space Museum, the site first approved for the structure; and
6 WHEREAS, During National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
7 hearings, the location changed abruptly to ground 500 feet in
8 front of the Marines' memorial. Though the NCPC originally voted
9 twice, 7-4 against the site, it reversed its decision in a
10 little-publicized meeting; and
11 WHEREAS, The Marine Corps was only informed after the fact.
12 No public hearings were held. The proposal clearly violates a
13 United States law that says, "A commemorative work shall (not
14 encroach) upon any existing commemorative work."; therefore be
15 it
16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
17 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
18 States to consider and pass S-1284, HR-3188 or HR-2313, each of
19 which would prohibit future memorials in the area desired by the
20 Air Force; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
23 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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