Bill Text: NY K00473 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Wednesday, June 12, 2019, as Women Veterans Recognition Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 46-28)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-03 - adopted [K00473 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00473-Introduced.html

Assembly Resolution No. 473

BY: M. of A. Hunter

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        Wednesday,   June   12,   2019,  as  Women  Veterans
        Recognition Day in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, Seventy-one years ago, on June 12, 1948, President Harry S.
Truman signed into law the Women's Armed  Services  Act  of  1948  (P.L.
625-80th  Congress);  this law ensured that women would have a permanent
place in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines; and

  WHEREAS, The late Senator Margaret Chase Smith from Maine authorized
the legislation that President Truman signed; the Act remains  the  most
significant  legislation  pertaining  to women's military service and is
the cornerstone for policies and regulations affecting women; and

  WHEREAS, Women have always answered the call to  duty,  serving  the
United States of America with integrity and respect; and

  WHEREAS,  Women  make  up nearly 15% of today's active duty military
and 18% of those who serve in the United States Guard and Reserve Forces
are women; and

  WHEREAS, Women from New York who have served in the Armed Forces  of
the  United  States  have  made  countless  contributions and tremendous
sacrifices; and

  WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the contributions of New  York
women  veterans,  and  to  educate the people of New York concerning the
role of women in our military; and

  WHEREAS, Women serving in the military continue to demonstrate their
professionalism, dedication, leadership, and  skills,  as  well  as  the
patriotism and love for their country as they mobilize in record numbers
to  support Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent  Resolve  and  the
Global War on Terrorism; and

  WHEREAS,  Today, there are more than 2 million women veterans in the
United States, representing 8.4% of the total veterans population; and

  WHEREAS, Among  the  Armed  Forces,  there  are  over  60,000  women
veterans in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  Women  who  have  served  this  country in uniform, during
wartime and peacetime service, have earned our respect and thanks; and

  WHEREAS, In 1998, the State of New York dedicated The New York State
Women Veterans Memorial located in Albany, New York, to  honor  the  1.2
million women in military service over the past 200 years; and

  WHEREAS,  In  January  2013,  an  announcement  was  made by Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta that the military would  be  lifting  the  policy
against women in combat roles; and

  WHEREAS,  The  first  woman  to  serve  aboard  a  Navy  fast-attack
submarine reported to duty on the USS Minnesota in January of 2015; and

  WHEREAS,  The  American  Legion  elected  its  first female national
commander at their 99th National Convention in August of 2017; Commander
Denise Rohn served on active duty as  a  stock  control  and  accounting
specialist  and  repair  parts specialist course instructor at Fort Lee,
Virginia, where she was honorably discharged in 1976; and

  WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of New York elected US  Navy
veteran Rena M. Nessler at the 99th Convention in Syracuse, New York, in
July  of  2017;  Commander  Nessler  served  from  1969 to 1972, and was
honorably discharged as a yeoman third class; she is the first woman  to
hold  the position of Commander of The American Legion Department of New
York; and

  WHEREAS, General Ann Dunwoody, the  first  women  in  U.S.  military
history  to achieve the rank of four-star general, has been named as the
2019 recipient of the Sylvanus Thayer Award; the medal will  be  awarded
at  a  ceremony at West Point on October 10th, where she will be honored
with a parade by the corps of cadets prior to the ceremony; and

  WHEREAS, Women Veterans Recognition Day is a living testament to the
courage of so many; from its broad base of shared concern and responsive
endeavor, there yet emanates the current of valiant  tradition  and  the
irrepressible tide of freedom; and

  WHEREAS,  Through  its avowed commitment to those who have served in
the cause of America's Freedom, Women Veterans Recognition Day  does  so
unselfishly  advance the spirit of the united purpose and shared concern
which is the unalterable manifestation of our American experience;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
pay tribute to the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice made by women, both
those still living and those who did in service of  our  great  country;
and  most proudly to commemorate the 701st Anniversary of the signing of
the Women's Armed Forces Service Act of 1948, which  later  came  to  be
known  as  Women  Veterans  Recognition Day; and to memorialize Governor
Andrew M.  Cuomo to proclaim Wednesday, June 12, 2019, as Women Veterans
Recognition Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York; and Past Department Commander Rene M.  Nessler,  The  American
Legion Department of New York.
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