IV 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1188 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 1, 2024 Mr. Bishop of North Carolina (for himself, Mrs. Luna , Mr. Ogles , and Mr. Armstrong ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services , and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Expressing support for the month of May as Fallen Heroes Memorial Month .

Whereas, since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States, more than 1,300,000 members of the Armed Forces have given their lives for the cause of liberty, both in the United States and around the world; Whereas the people of the United States owe a profound debt to those who served the Nation in uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice so that their countrymen could live freely; Whereas the American people have an obligation to honor the memories of the fallen and to commemorate those brave men and women who gave their lives to the cause of freedom; Whereas Abraham Lincoln said, [A]ll that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country’s cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier. ; Whereas in an address to the Armed Forces in 1945, President Harry S. Truman said, Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. ; Whereas the history of Memorial Day began 3 years after the American Civil War, with the Grand Army of the Republic establishing Decoration Day as a day for honoring the Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers, with New York being the first to adopt it as a State holiday in 1873, and with all the Union States having adopted it by 1890; Whereas in the aftermath of World War I and World War II, Memorial Day became a day to remember and honor all members of the United States Armed Forces who fought and died on behalf of their country; Whereas Congress made the observance of Memorial Day, at the time still often called Decoration Day, a Federal holiday in 1971; and Whereas the over 1,300,000 members of the United States Armed Forces who over the centuries gave their lives in service to the American people have earned the enduring respect and gratitude of the Nation: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) honors the more than 1,300,000 veterans who gave their lives in service to the United States; (2) recognizes the families and loved ones of the Nation’s fallen heroes and lifts them up in prayer; (3) urges the people of the United States to reflect on the contributions of America’s heroes and to honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in securing the blessings of liberty for our country; and (4) requests that the President issue an annual proclamation— (A) designating Fallen Heroes Memorial Month ; (B) affirming the Nation’s everlasting gratitude for members of the Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice; and (C) calling on Americans to remember and honor our Nation’s fallen heroes and to pay tribute to them through volunteering and supporting veteran service organizations.