Bill Text: NJ SJR86 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Chaptered


Bill Title: Honors American Legion on 100th anniversary of its founding.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-7)

Status: (Passed) 2019-08-05 - Approved P.L.2019, JR-19. [SJR86 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-SJR86-Chaptered.html

T&E

 


P.L. 2019, Joint Resolution No. 19, approved August 5, 2019

Senate Joint Resolution No. 86

 

 


A Joint Resolution honoring the American Legion on the 100th anniversary of its founding.

 

Whereas, The American Legion is a veterans organization formed in Paris in March of 1919 by three officers of the American Expeditionary Forces who fought in World War I, and it was chartered by the United States Congress in September of 1919; and

Whereas, The focus of the American Legion is on securing services and benefits for veterans, the families of service members, and the communities where veterans live and work; and

Whereas, After World War II, the membership of the American Legion rose to over three million members, with the organization's departments in each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines; and

Whereas, Soon after its founding and into the present, the American Legion has sought compensation and medical assistance for soldiers who suffered injury or disability during wartime; and

Whereas, Starting in the later 1930s the American Legion was instrumental in prodding the federal government to create the United States Veterans' Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration, and in 1989 became the Department of Veterans Affairs to give veterans representation at the highest levels of government; and

Whereas, In 1944, the American Legion was the moving force behind the drafting and enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, which became known popularly as the GI Bill; and

Whereas, The legislation provided for low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments to attend high school, college, or vocational/technical school, as well as one year of unemployment compensation; and

Whereas, It is estimated that millions of veterans have taken advantage of these benefits to better themselves and their country, and that for every $1 spent on the program, $7 was returned to the United States' economy; and

Whereas, Since World War II, the American Legion has been in the forefront of supporting additional veterans benefits, contributing funds in 1950 to support mental health treatment, which led to the launching of the National Association of Mental Health, and in the 1980s it sponsored and funded studies assessing the effects of exposure to Agent Orange on Vietnam Veterans; and

Whereas, Also since World War II, the American Legion has been involved in creating and supporting youth organizations and projects designed to help America's children to become involved with sports, such as baseball, and with civics education, and it has provided thousands of dollars in college scholarships to deserving high school students; and

Whereas, It is fitting and proper for the State and the Legislature to commemorate the accomplishments of the American Legion and honor it on the 100th anniversary of its founding, for in doing so, this State is honoring all veterans who live in New Jersey; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    The Governor and the Legislature honor the American Legion on the 100th anniversary of its founding.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the American Legion's Commander of the Department of New Jersey.

 

     3.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     The purpose of this Joint Resolution is to commemorate the accomplishments of the American Legion and honor it on the 100th anniversary of its founding.

 

 

                                

 

     Honors American Legion on 100th anniversary of its founding.

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