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PRINTER'S NO. 572
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
532
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, DINNIMAN, MARTIN, FOLMER, VOGEL,
SCHWANK, YAW, COSTA, KILLION, K. WARD, AUMENT, TARTAGLIONE
AND J. WARD, APRIL 8, 2019
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 8, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for holidays and
observances.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 38 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding parts to read:
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
(Reserved)
PART II
SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Chapter
11. Preliminary Provisions (Reserved)
13. Veteran Recognition
CHAPTER 11
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
(Reserved)
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CHAPTER 13
VETERAN RECOGNITION
Sec.
1301. Scope of chapter.
1302. First Gulf War Veterans Day.
1303. Afghanistan War Veterans Day.
1304. Second Gulf War Veterans Day.
ยง 1301. Scope of chapter.
This chapter recognizes the contributions of veterans of the
United States Armed Forces from this Commonwealth in major
conflicts since the Vietnam War.
ยง 1302. First Gulf War Veterans Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi
troops to invade and occupy the sovereign nation of Kuwait.
(2) The United States led an international coalition
demanding Saddam Hussein to withdraw Iraqi forces from Kuwait
by January 15, 1991.
(3) After Iraq failed to meet the deadline, passed by
the United Nations Security Council, President George H. W.
Bush on January 16, 1991, ordered United States Armed Forces
to begin "Operation Desert Storm."
(4) On January 17, 750,000 coalition forces from 36
nations, including 540,000 United States Armed Forces, began
the battle to liberate Kuwait from occupation.
(5) After an intensive air campaign, coalition forces
liberated Kuwait City on February 28, 1991.
(6) On March 6, after negotiating a cease-fire,
President Bush announced the end of combat operations.
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(7) By the end of the conflict, 200 United States Armed
Forces members were killed, including 29 from this
Commonwealth.
(8) The bravery of United States Armed Forces and their
allies should be recognized for the liberation of Kuwait and
restoration of Kuwait's sovereignty as an independent nation.
(b) Designation.--March 6 of each year is designated as
"First Gulf War Veterans Day."
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
institutions to observe "First Gulf War Veterans Day" and to
conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those
involved in the first Gulf War and remembering the sacrifices
they made for their country. The proclamation may not mandate a
public school or educational institution to participate in the
observance.
ยง 1303. Afghanistan War Veterans Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The war in Afghanistan, which is America's longest
conflict, began in 2001 and continues to this day.
(2) Following the terrorist attacks on September 11,
2001, the United States demanded that the Taliban regime stop
harboring Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible
for the 9/11 attacks, and hand over the Al Qaeda leader Osama
bin Laden.
(3) President George W. Bush ordered United States Armed
Forces to begin "Operation Enduring Freedom" to combat
terrorism in Afghanistan and confront Al Qaeda.
(4) United States Armed Forces first entered Afghanistan
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and began combat operations on October 7, 2001.
(5) On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed during
the fighting after President Barack Obama ordered Navy SEALs
to raid Osama bin Laden's compound.
(6) On December 28, 2014, the United States and the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combat operations
in Afghanistan officially ended.
(7) Since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom,
over 830,000 Americans, including 18,000 from this
Commonwealth, have served in Afghanistan.
(8) More than 2,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces, including 98 from this Commonwealth, were killed in
action in Afghanistan since combat began.
(9) More than 19,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces were wounded in service to their country in
Afghanistan.
(b) Designation.--October 7 of each year is designated as
"Afghanistan War Veterans Day."
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
institutions to observe "Afghanistan War Veterans Day" and to
conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those
involved in the war in Afghanistan and remembering the
sacrifices they made for their country. The proclamation may not
mandate a public school or educational institution to
participate in the observance.
ยง 1304. Second Gulf War Veterans Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The second Gulf War was fought from 2003 to 2008.
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(2) On March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush
announced the beginning of combat operations in Iraq after
Saddam Hussein failed to meet the deadline for leaving Iraq.
(3) On December 18, 2011, the last member of the United
States Armed Forces left Iraq.
(4) Since the beginning of "Operation Iraqi Freedom,"
2.5 million Americans have served in Iraq.
(5) More than 4,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces lost their lives during the second Gulf War, including
197 from this Commonwealth, and more than 32,000 were
wounded.
(b) Designation.--December 18 of each year is designated
as "Second Gulf War Veterans Day."
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
institutions to observe "Second Gulf War Veterans Day" and to
conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those
involved in the second Gulf War and remembering the sacrifices
they made for their country. The proclamation may not mandate a
public school or educational institution to participate in the
observance.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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