III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 104 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should posthumously 

award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2006 

Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. ROBERTS) submitted the following 

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should 

posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom 

to Harry W. Colmery. 

Whereas the life of Harry W. Colmery of Topeka, Kansas, 

was marked by service to his country and its citizens; 

Whereas Harry Colmery earned a degree in law in 1916 from 

the University of Pittsburgh and, through his practice of 

law, contributed to the Nation, notably by successfully 

arguing 2 significant cases before the United States Supreme Court, 1 criminal, the other an environmental 

legal dispute; 

Whereas during World War I, Harry Colmery joined the 

Army Air Service, serving as a first lieutenant at a time 

when military aviation was in its infancy; 


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•SCON 104 IS 

Whereas after World War I, Harry Colmery actively contributed to the growth of the newly formed American Legion 

and went on to hold several offices in the Legion and was 

elected National Commander in 1936; 

Whereas in 1943, the United States faced the return from 

World War II of what was to become an active duty force 

of 15,000,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines; 

Whereas Harry Colmery, recognizing the potential effect of 

the return of such a large number of veterans to civilian 

life, spearheaded the efforts of the American Legion to 

develop legislation seeking to ensure that those Americans who had fought for the democratic ideals of the Nation and to preserve freedom would be able to fully participate in all of the opportunities the Nation provided; 

Whereas in December 1943, during an emergency meeting of 

the American Legion leadership, Harry Colmery crafted 

the initial draft of the legislation that became the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the 

GI Bill of Rights; 

Whereas the GI Bill of Rights is credited by veterans’ service 

organizations, economists, and historians as the engine 

that transformed postwar America into a more egalitarian, prosperous, and enlightened Nation poised to lead 

the world into the 21st century; 

Whereas since its enactment, the GI Bill of Rights has provided education or training for approximately 21,000,000 

men and women; 

Whereas as a result of the benefits available to veterans 

through the initial GI Bill of Rights, the Nation gained 

over 800,000 professionals as the GI Bill of Rights transformed these veterans into 450,000 engineers, 238,000 


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teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, and 22,000 

dentists; 

Whereas President Truman established the Presidential 

Medal of Freedom in 1945 to recognize notable service 

during war and in 1963, President Kennedy reinstated 

the medal to honor the achievement of civilians during 

peacetime; 

Whereas pursuant to Executive Order No. 11085, the Presidential Medal of Freedom may be awarded to any person 

who has made an especially meritorious contribution to 

‘‘(1) the security or national interest of the United 

States, or (2) world peace, or (3) other significant public 

or private endeavors’’; and 

Whereas Harry Colmery, noted for his service in the military, 

in the legal sector, and on behalf of the Nation’s veterans, clearly meets the criteria established for the Presidential Medal of Freedom: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the 

3 President should posthumously award the Presidential 

4 Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery of Topeka, Kan5 sas. 

Æ 


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