Bill Text: TX SCR59 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Urging the president to designate a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-10 - Signed by the Governor [SCR59 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SCR59-Enrolled.html
S.C.R. No. 59 |
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WHEREAS, World War II lasted from 1939 until 1945, and the | ||
United States entered the war in 1941 following the attack on Pearl | ||
Harbor; and | ||
WHEREAS, Over 16 million Americans served their country and | ||
its allies over the course of the war; and | ||
WHEREAS, The generation of men and women who served our | ||
country in World War II has been called "the greatest generation" | ||
for their selfless sacrifice; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is the highest military | ||
decoration that is awarded by the United States government; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is presented by the president of | ||
the United States, in the name of Congress; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor is only conferred upon members of | ||
the United States armed forces who distinguish themselves through | ||
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and | ||
beyond the call of duty while engaged in action against an enemy of | ||
the United States, while engaged in military operations involving | ||
conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with | ||
friendly forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing | ||
armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, More than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded to | ||
our nation's bravest soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast | ||
guardsmen since the creation of the award in 1861; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Medal of Honor was awarded to 473 Americans | ||
during World War II, and only four of those 473 Americans are alive | ||
today; and | ||
WHEREAS, Charles H. Coolidge of Tennessee, Francis S. Currey | ||
of New York, Robert D. Maxwell of Oregon, and Hershel W. Williams of | ||
West Virginia all served their country with conspicuous gallantry | ||
and intrepidity at the risk of life and therefore deserve the | ||
gratitude of the American people; and | ||
WHEREAS, The president of the United States has the sole | ||
authority to designate a state funeral; and | ||
WHEREAS, Historically, the president of the United States has | ||
designated state funerals for former presidents, generals, and | ||
other extraordinary Americans; and | ||
WHEREAS, Designating a state funeral when the last surviving | ||
World War II Medal of Honor recipient dies would be a wonderful way | ||
for the American people to unite and honor all 16 million soldiers, | ||
sailors, and airmen who served in our armed forces from 1941 to | ||
1945; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas, | ||
hereby respectfully urge the president of the United States to | ||
designate a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor | ||
recipient from World War II; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to | ||
the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of | ||
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the | ||
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that | ||
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a | ||
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 59 was adopted by the Senate | ||
on May 1, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 59 was adopted by the House | ||
on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, | ||
two present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |