Bill Text: PA HR331 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishing a select committee to conduct a study for the future of Soldiers' Grove and the continued use of the Medal of Honor Memorial Garden, known as the "Tides of War," located within Soldiers' Grove, and to provide for the necessary enhancements to this hallowed ground.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 43-18)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-21 - Adopted (200-0) [HR331 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR331-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2094
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 331 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, SAINATO, AUMENT, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, DAVIS, DeWEESE, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRELL, HEFFLEY, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KNOWLES, KOTIK, KULA, MAJOR, MARSHALL, MARSICO, MICCARELLI, MILLARD, MILNE, MURT, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, SANTONI, SAYLOR, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TAYLOR, THOMAS, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, HESS, BEAR AND DENLINGER, JUNE 14, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 14, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Establishing a select committee to conduct a study for the
future of Soldiers' Grove and the continued use of the Medal
of Honor Memorial Garden, known as the "Tides of War,"
located within Soldiers' Grove, and to provide for the
necessary enhancements to this hallowed ground.
WHEREAS, The area lying between the Forum Building and the
Finance Building on the grounds of the State Capitol in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was designated as "Soldiers' Grove"
through act 75 of 1987; and
WHEREAS, Soldiers' Grove is a hallowed location where armed
forces personnel from the Commonwealth who are awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor are recognized by placing a
memorial stone in their honor within Soldiers' Grove and it also
is a location where past wars and conflicts in which the United
States has engaged are recognized; and
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WHEREAS, Two large plaques mounted on waist-high posts along
the western edge of Soldiers' Grove read: "This Grove is
dedicated by a grateful Commonwealth in recognition of the
Soldiers and Sailors who served in any of this country's wars
and in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice"; and
WHEREAS, Act 75 of 1987 requires the Department of General
Services to provide ten memorial bronze plaques on granite
plinths commemorating: Pennsylvania's Unknown Veterans, the
Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War,
the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I,
World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict; and
WHEREAS, In 1994, the Medal of Honor Memorial Garden, known
as the "Tides of War," was installed in Soldiers' Grove and was
designed by artists Winifred Lutz and Stacy Levi. There are 13
arcs within the Tides of War representing conflicts from the
Civil War through the Somalia Conflict, and within each arc are
contained memorial stones honoring each of Pennsylvania's 378
Medal of Honor recipients. Following these arcs is an area
identified as the "Shores of Peace"; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, six flagpoles were installed in a
semicircle pattern at the entrance of Soldiers' Grove nearest
the Capitol to honor each of the United States' military
branches and also to honor our Prisoners of War and our Missing
in Action soldiers; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, a Historical Highway Marker was placed in
the southeast corner of Soldiers' Grove to commemorate the
"United States Colored Troops Grand Review" that took place on
the site in November of 1865; and
WHEREAS, Commencing on the western end of Soldiers' Grove and
moving east, every two feet within the Tides of War represents
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one year in history, ending at the beginning of the Shores of
Peace; and
WHEREAS, The last memorial stone placed within the Tides of
War, in terms of chronological order, recognizes Army Private
First Class Ross A. McGinnis for his heroic actions on December
4, 2006, in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq; and
WHEREAS, There is limited space for the Tides of War to
continue within Soldiers' Grove as there are currently fewer
than 20 feet of open grass now available between the memorial
stone honoring Private First Class McGinnis and the Shores of
Peace; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth, due to this limited space, will
not be able to memorialize and honor Pennsylvania's Medal of
Honor recipients with the placement of a memorial stone beyond a
projected date of 2016; and
WHEREAS, It will be difficult to maintain symmetry and
chronological order if plaques are placed within Soldiers' Grove
to recognize other conflicts beyond those currently recognized
through the ten existing bronze plaques on granite plinths; and
WHEREAS, Soldiers' Grove is a landmark on the grounds of the
State Capitol and, as such, deserves to be preserved and
continued for our posterity; and
WHEREAS, It is fitting to assemble a select committee to
investigate the current issues facing Soldiers' Grove and to
devise a plan for its future use as a place to honor our Medal
of Honor recipients; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives form a select
committee to conduct a study for the future of Soldiers' Grove
and the continued use of the Medal of Honor Memorial Garden,
known as the "Tides of War," located within Soldiers' Grove, and
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to provide for the necessary enhancements to allow for the
continued use of this hallowed ground; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee be composed of 11 members
which shall include the chairman and minority chairman of the
Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the
House of Representatives, three members designated by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, two members designated
by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, two
members designated by the chairman of the Veterans Affairs and
Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of
Representatives, two members designated by the minority chairman
of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of
the House of Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That each select committee member may appoint a
designee to represent the member if the member is unable to
participate in or attend a committee function; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the chairman of the Veterans Affairs and
Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives
serve as chairman of the select committee and the minority
Chairman of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee of the House of Representatives serve as the vice
chairman of the select committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the chairman of the select committee use
staff of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee of the House of Representatives for administration
purposes for the select committee; be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee meet on the grounds of
the State Capitol Complex, at times that best fit the needs and
conveniences of the committee members; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee hold hearings, take
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testimony and seek out additional resources to complete the work
of the committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee make a report of its
findings and any recommendations for remedial legislation or
other appropriate action to the House of Representatives on or
before November 30, 2012.
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