“One Step Closer to Making This a Reality:” Ernst, Hassan Bill to Create Global War on Terrorism Memorial Advances in Senate

WASHINGTON – The bipartisan effort led by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to build a memorial on the National Mall honoring the veterans of the Global War on Terrorism cleared a key hurdle today. Ernst, a combat veteran of the Global War on Terrorism, and Hassan, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, passed their bipartisan legislation establishing the memorial through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, a major step in getting the bill through the Senate.

 

“For the heroes who served and successfully protected our nation and kept us safe in the wake of 9/11, we can never forget their sacrifices. Building a memorial on our National Mall would be a longstanding testament to honor their selflessness for generations to come, and today we are one step closer to making this a reality,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “Thank you to my colleagues who worked across the aisle in helping to move this important effort forward.”

 

“It is really critical that we have a Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall. This memorial will give generations of Americans a sacred place to reflect, gather, and honor those who gave so much to keep Americans safe, secure, and free, while also helping our country heal and move forward. I am glad that our bipartisan bill continues to move forward, and I will keep working with Senator Ernst to get this done,” said Senator Hassan.

 

Gold Star Wife Jane Horton said , “I am so incredibly excited and grateful that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act today. Thousands of Gold Star Families, veterans, and the military community as a whole have been advocating for years to honor their service and for a place to heal. We will not rest until the Memorial is built—our fallen deserve honor for their selfless sacrifice—and there needs to be a place for future generations to learn of the Global War on Terrorism for centuries to come.”

 

President and CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, Marina Jackman, said , “The Foundation welcomes the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s passage of S.535, The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, authorizing the construction of a Memorial within the Reserve portion of the National Mall. Americans are now one step closer to securing an appropriate place of honor on the Mall for all who have served in and been affected by the Global War on Terrorism. The next step is for the entirety of the U.S. Senate to approve the bill in full.”

 

The senators’ effort has steadily gained support, particularly in the last few weeks, getting the backing of over 50 Democrats and Republicans in Congress, influential public figures, and the six surviving secretaries of Defense—spanning Democratic and Republican Administrations—who led the Pentagon during the past 20 years of the Global War on Terrorism. Ernst has highlighted the importance of creating a memorial on our National Mall, especially after the disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan that’s left Americans and our allies stranded behind Taliban lines.

 

In 2017, through bipartisan legislation, Ernst helped create the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, a private foundation, to begin the process of pursuing the construction of a memorial. Last Congress and again earlier this year, Ernst and Hassan introduced the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, which proposed three locations for the memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.