[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1407 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1407

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current 
design concept for the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial fails 
  to adequately honor the profound sacrifice of members of the United 
 States Armed Forces, and demanding a redesigned monument that clearly 
    and unmistakably honors the valor, combat reality, and distinct 
                    sacrifice of post-9/11 veterans.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 30, 2026

Mr. Mills submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

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                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current 
design concept for the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial fails 
  to adequately honor the profound sacrifice of members of the United 
 States Armed Forces, and demanding a redesigned monument that clearly 
    and unmistakably honors the valor, combat reality, and distinct 
                    sacrifice of post-9/11 veterans.

Whereas, on September 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked by 
        radical Islamic terrorists, triggering the longest continuous military 
        conflict in the history of the Nation;
Whereas, for over 20 years, more than 2,700,000 brave American men and women 
        voluntarily deployed into harm's way across the globe, including Iraq, 
        Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, and the Horn of Africa, to protect the 
        homeland and eliminate terrorist threats;
Whereas this multigenerational conflict resulted in the tragic loss of over 
        7,000 members of the United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate 
        sacrifice, left tens of thousands more with permanent visible and 
        invisible wounds of war, and profoundly impacted Gold Star families who 
        carry the heavy burden of that sacrifice every single day;
Whereas a national military memorial on the National Mall in the District of 
        Columbia must serve as an enduring, sacred testament to the raw courage, 
        unmatched lethality, and deep physical sacrifice of the warrior class;
Whereas military monuments of past generations, such as the Marine Corps War 
        Memorial (Iwo Jima), the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam 
        Veterans Memorial, are revered precisely because they explicitly portray 
        the service, faces, names, and concrete realities of the men and women 
        who fought;
Whereas the initial design concept unveiled by the Global War on Terrorism 
        Memorial Foundation on June 10, 2026, relies heavily on abstract 
        architectural features, natural landscaping, and interpretive water 
        elements; and
Whereas an abstract, landscape-centric concept falls short of the enduring 
        tribute that the post-9/11 generation of veterans earned through blood, 
        sweat, and tears, and fails to adequately communicate the stark, 
        unyielding reality of their 20-year fight against global terrorism to 
        future generations of Americans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the current abstract design concept for the National 
        Global War on Terrorism Memorial fails to deliver the proper 
        honor that Global War on Terrorism veterans and Gold Star 
        families rightfully deserve;
            (2) a national war memorial must not prioritize passive 
        artistic reflection over the explicit, unmistakable depiction 
        of military service, valor, and combat sacrifice;
            (3) the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, the 
        Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning 
        Commission should reject or substantially modify any design 
        proposal that obscures the warrior ethos in favor of 
        contemporary landscape architecture; and
            (4) the final design of the Global War on Terrorism 
        Memorial must clearly, powerfully, and visibly showcase the 
        tremendous physical sacrifice, combat gear, and collective 
        efforts of the brave men and women who fought the Global War on 
        Terrorism, ensuring their legacy is preserved with the dignity 
        and historical clarity it commands.
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