Bill Text: IL HR0950 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Encourages Congress to authorize the President to present Congressional Gold Medals to Korean War Veterans in recognition of their service and sacrifice.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HR0950 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR0950-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and raged
for three bloody years; 1.5 million United States soldiers,
including thousands from the State of Illinois, answered the
call to arms during the war; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United States may present
Congressional Gold Medals to Korean War veterans in recognition
of their contributions while serving under the United Nations;
and
WHEREAS, The purpose of the medals are to express
recognition of the exemplary contributions made by Korean War
veterans, both U.S. and Allied Forces, who demonstrated
selfless acts during the conflict; and
WHEREAS, The Empire of Japan occupied the entire country of
Korea from 1910 until the end of World War II; prior to the
official Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945, the U.S. and
its allies prepared an arrangement to divide Korea horizontally
into two regions, North and South; and
WHEREAS, On June 25, 1950, the North Korea Peoples' Army
and their allies invaded South Korea; the U.N. Security Council
adopted a resolution to send U.N. Forces into Korea; on June

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27, 1950, President Truman sent U.S. troops as aid under the
aegis of the United Nations; in October 1950, the Peoples
Volunteer Army of China entered the conflict by encroaching
into North Korea; in response, China's ruling party ordered the
immediate destruction of the entire 1st Marine Division, the
Republic of Korea Army Divisions, and the U.S. Army's 7th
Infantry Division, which led to the struggle to defend the
Pusan Perimeter; and
WHEREAS, A series of battles against the Chinese forces
took place throughout autumn 1950, including the Battle of
Inchon, the Battle of Naktong breakout, the Battle of
Seoul-Second, and the Battle of Changjin Reservoir, which
tested the capacity of U.S. forces against both the enemy and
the elements; and
WHEREAS, On November 25, 1950, Chinese communist forces
launched an all-out assault, swiftly overtaking the U.N. forces
and forcing U.S. and U.N. troops to withdraw south; battles
against the communist forces continued throughout 1951,
including the Battle of Seoul-Fourth, by far the largest
artillery operation of the Korean conflict; during this time,
U.N. allied forces from countries such as Australia, the U.K.,
and the Philippines assisted in combatting the Chinese
communist forces; and

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WHEREAS, By 1953, at least another dozen battles took place
in an attempt to retake South Korea; the ground action was led
by U.S. and U.N. forces; and
WHEREAS, On July 27, 1953, the United States, North Korea,
and China signed an armistice agreement that ended the conflict
and created the demilitarized zone (DMZ), again dividing Korea
but failing to bring about peace; to date, the Republic of
Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic Peoples' Republic of
Korea (North Korea) have not signed a peace treaty that would
officially end the war; and
WHEREAS, One of two principle objectives was to not lose
the war to the aggressors and the other was to keep Seoul,
South Korea from occupation by the Democratic Peoples' Republic
of Korea to the north; American combat troops and allied forces
from 16 nations helped secure this mission; today, Seoul's
vibrancy is possible because of those who served and
sacrificed; and
WHEREAS, It is the appropriate time for America to honor
the troops, including all United Nations allied forces during
the Korean conflict, and to award them the Congressional Gold
Medal; it is appropriate that these medals stand as evidence
that The Forgotten War is no longer forgotten, but forever
remembered; therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
encourage Congress to authorize the President to present
Congressional Gold Medals to Korean War Veterans in recognition
of their service and sacrifice; and be it further
RESOLVED, That following the awarding of the medals, we
urge that one Congressional Gold Medal be given to the
Smithsonian Institution and one Congressional Silver Medal be
given to the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul, where it shall be
available for display as appropriate and made available for
research; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we recognize and honor the service and
sacrifice of Korean War veterans, the brave men and women who
served honorably and those who paid the ultimate price
defending our freedom; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck
Schumer, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, U.S. House of
Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and all members
of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.