Date: 2000-05-09
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 3293 is the most recent in a series of legislative proposals to add memorials to the National Mall. This particular measure would authorize a plaque to be placed within sight of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial intended to honor soldiers who died as a result of their service in Vietnam. but who were ineligible for inclusion in the Wall because their deaths occurred after the war ended. While I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3293. it has been my hope all along that one particular aspect of this legislation might be improved upon. The legislation identifies a governmental agency. the American Battle Monuments Commission. as the organization which will oversee the placement of the plaque. Selection of the Battle Monuments Commission for this task is inappropriate for several important reasons. First. this project is inconsistent with the Battle Monument Commissions mission. The Battle Monument Commission is an independent. executive branch agency which operates 24 cemeteries and 27 monuments. the vast majority of which are located on foreign soil. The ABMC has had no involvement in the creation and administration of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. as most of its responsibilities lie overseas. The major exception of this overseas focus. responsibility for the proposed World War II Memorial. is likely to occupy most of their domestic efforts. What is more. the ABMC does not want the job. In testimony before the National Capitol Monument Commission. the Battle Monuments Commission stated that the responsibility for the design. procurement and installation of the plaque should rest with either the proponent or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. In addition. the Commission has had no mechanism to pay for this proposed plaque. The legislation specifies that no Federal funds are to be used to design. procure. and install the plaque. Since the Battle Monuments Commission is a federallyfunded agency. the bill had to be amended to exempt salaries. expenses and other benefits for ABMC personnel. Now the bill is being amended further to create a fundraising program for the monument. While we realize that we are talking about a fairly small amount of money. it is troubling to think that any amount of time or attention might be diverted from the ABMCs efforts on behalf of the World War II Memorial. All of these complications could have been avoided by replacing the Battle Monument Commission with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund as the organization responsible for placing this plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This organization conceived the idea for the Memorial. raised more than $8 million needed for its construction. conducted the design contest. oversaw the construction. organized the dedicated ceremonies and continues to raise funds for educational programs and maintenance. No memorial in Washington is more closely associated with one organization. We continue to believe that they should be involved. As it stands. we support the intent of H.R. 3293. but continue to feel that it has an obvious flaw. Fortunately. an obvious solution exists. and we hope that working with the bills sponsor. our colleagues in the other body. the administration. this change will be adopted. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.