Honoring Korean War Veterans

It is also fitting that we pay tribute to the tremendous courage and sacrifice demonstrated by the men and women who served in the Korean War. Our servicemen and women sacrificed so much in order to promote the principles of democracy and freedom on the Korean Peninsula and I have been supportive of efforts by our government to officially recognize their service and honor their bravery. I am proud to have been designated a Commemoration Partner of the Department of Defense’s 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee. As a commemoration partner, I joined with the Department of Defense to honor Korean War veterans during a special 50th anniversary commemoration period that ran through 2003. As part of that effort, in October 2003, I co-hosted in Syracuse, New York a Korean War Veterans 50th Anniversary ceremony with the Department of Defense, which was attended by veterans from across the state.

I have co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would grant a Federal Charter to the Korean War Veterans Association and have introduced legislation to include National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27) among the days when Americans should make a special effort to display the American flag. I also co-sponsored the Korea Defense Service Medal Act, to create a Korea Defense Service Medal to recognize qualifying military personnel who served in the Republic of Korea after July 27, 1954. The provisions of that legislation were included in the Fiscal Year 2003 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law. 

I will continue my efforts on behalf of Korean War veterans in the 110 th congress, including by re-introducing my legislation to include National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27) among the days when the American should make a special effort to display the American flag.