Bill Text: OR SCR22 | 2010 | 1st Special Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Recognizing service of United States Merchant Marine veterans during World War II.

Sponsorship: Broadly Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2010-02-25 - Filed With Secretary of State. [SCR22 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2010-SCR22-Introduced.html

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     75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2010 Special Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
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 LC 215

                 Senate Concurrent Resolution 22

Sponsored by Senator SCHRADER (Presession filed.)

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Recognizes service of United States Merchant Marine veterans
during World War II.

                      CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  Whereas the United States Merchant Marine served as the
nation's first Navy and helped George Washington's Continental
Army defeat the British Navy; and
  Whereas since 1775, United States Merchant Mariners have served
valiantly in times of peace and in every war; and
  Whereas the United States Merchant Marine Academy is the only
one of the five service academies that sends its cadets into war;
and
  Whereas 142 undergraduates of the Academy were lost during
World War II; and
  Whereas during World War II, Merchant Mariners served honorably
in combat but were denied veterans' benefits and recognition at
the end of the war despite sustaining the highest rate of
casualties of any of the armed services; and
  Whereas more than 95 percent of the Allied Forces and materiel
that were transported during World War II were transported by
Merchant Marine ships; and
  Whereas the Merchant Mariners of World War II were denied the
unprecedented benefits of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of
1944 (known as the 'GI Bill of 1944'); and
  Whereas the story of the United States Merchant Mariners of
World War II is one of patriotism, of youthful exuberance, of
dedication to duty, of bravery in the midst of battle and of a
nation that forgot these heroes after the end of the war for more
than 40 years until they were given veteran status in 1988; and
  Whereas by that time, more than 125,000 of those Merchant
Mariners had died and many had lost out on opportunities and
benefits they greatly deserved; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly,
in special session assembled, recognize the tremendous sacrifices
and contributions of the United States Merchant Marine and its
veterans and the entire maritime industry to this state and
nation during and following World War II; and be it further
  Resolved, That we recognize the heroic and invaluable
sacrifices that United States Merchant Marine veterans have made
to help ensure the prosperity and safety of this state and
nation.
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