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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Between the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, |
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and the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 25-26, 1991, the |
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world witnessed a period of military, economic, and ideological |
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confrontation known as the Cold War; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the Cold War never erupted into a |
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full-scale armed conflict between the world's superpowers, it gave |
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impetus to a number of localized hot wars, as well as to a massive |
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military buildup on the part of both the United States and the |
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Soviet Union; the consequent demands on U.S. military personnel |
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were often arduous and dangerous; and |
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WHEREAS, In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal |
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Year 2002, Congress authorized the U.S. Department of Defense to |
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issue a Cold War Service Medal, to be given to each member of the |
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U.S. military who served satisfactorily on active duty during the |
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Cold War era; the DOD has refused, however, to create such an award; |
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instead, since 1999, the department has made available a Cold War |
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Recognition Certificate, to be given to those who served during the |
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Cold War either as a member of the armed forces or as a federal |
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employee; and |
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WHEREAS, Cold War veterans believe that this certificate |
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scarcely suffices to recognize the sacrifices they bore or the |
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service they rendered; since the certificate was first offered, the |
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American Legion, VFW, Reserve Officers Association, Combat |
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Infantrymen's Association, Cold War Veterans Association, and |
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AMVETS have all expressed the desire that service in the Cold War be |
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honored with an official medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A medal that honors service similar to that of Cold |
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War veterans already exists and, if made available to those |
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veterans, would both pay them the tribute they are owed and resolve |
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the Pentagon's concern about the cost of issuing a new award; the |
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American Defense Service Medal, created by Executive Order 8808, is |
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given to service personnel who served between September 8, 1939, |
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following the outbreak of war in Europe, and December 7, 1941, when |
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Japan bombed Pearl Harbor; as during the Cold War, the U.S. military |
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spent this period bracing for armed hostilities; and |
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WHEREAS, A precedent for expanding the dates of eligibility |
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for the American Defense Service Medal exists with the National |
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Defense Service Medal; initially awarded for service during the |
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period of the Korean War, the NDSM was subsequently awarded for |
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service during the period of the Vietnam War, Desert Shield/Desert |
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Storm, and the Global War on Terror; and |
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WHEREAS, The heraldry, order of precedence, and related |
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issues pertaining to the American Defense Service Medal have |
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already been settled; the only change in the medal that would be |
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required would be the removal of the original dates of eligibility, |
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which are presently engraved on the reverse; removing these dates |
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will also facilitate the reopening of this award for service during |
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a similar period of emergency in the future; and |
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WHEREAS, There is little doubt that Cold War veterans will |
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prefer to purchase the American Defense Service Medal as opposed to |
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unofficial commemorative medals, which are not authorized to be |
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worn on uniforms, thus significantly reducing the cost to the |
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defense department for providing this award; and |
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WHEREAS, Those who served in the United States Army, Navy, |
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Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard during the years of the Cold War |
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made an immeasurable contribution to the safety of this country and |
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its allies, and they are indeed deserving of appropriate |
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recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby respectfully urge the president of the United |
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States to modify Executive Order 8808 so as to award the American |
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Defense Service Medal to United States armed forces personnel who |
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served on active duty in the period after September 1, 1945, and |
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before December 27, 1991; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the house forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the president of the United |
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States. |
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Vaught |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1591 was adopted by the House on May |
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30, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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