World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013

World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013
Great Seal of the United States
Full title To direct the Secretary of the Interior to install in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the United States on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Introduced in 113th United States Congress
Introduced on May 23, 2013
Sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman (R, OH)
Number of co-sponsors 0
Citations
Public Law Pub.L. 113–123
Effects and codifications
Act(s) affected Commemorative Works Act
U.S.C. section(s) affected 40 U.S.C. ch. 89
Agencies affected United States Department of the Interior
Legislative history

The World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013 (S. 1044; Pub.L. 113–123) is a U.S. public law that directs the United States Secretary of the Interior to install at the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the United States on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day.[1] As of July 2017, the memorial plaque remained under development.[2]

Background

Aerial view of National World War II Memorial

The National World War II Memorial is a national memorial opened in 2004[3] that is dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. Consisting of 56 pillars and a pair of small triumphal arches surrounding a plaza and fountain, it is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Text of Act

The act reads as follows:

SEC. 2. PLACEMENT OF PLAQUE OR INSCRIPTION AT WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

The Secretary of the Interior--

(1) shall install in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the United States on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day;

(2) shall design, procure, prepare, and install the plaque or inscription referred to in paragraph (1); and

(3) may not use Federal funds to prepare or install the plaque or inscription referred to in paragraph (1), but may accept and expend private contributions for this purpose.

SEC. 3. COMMEMORATIVE WORKS ACT.

Chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as the "Commemorative Works Act," shall apply to the design and placement of the plaque within the area of the World War II Memorial.[1]

Procedural history

A similar version of this bill, H.R. 2175, was introduced into the United States House of Representatives and previous versions of the bill passed in earlier Congresses, but never became law.[4]

The World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013 was introduced into the United States Senate on May 23, 2013 by Sen. Rob Portman (R, OH).[5] The bill was referred to the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the United States Senate Energy Subcommittee on National Parks.[5] The bill passed in the Senate on June 5, 2014 by unanimous consent.[5] The House voted in Roll Call Vote 339 on June 23, 2014 to pass the bill 370-12. On June 30, 2014, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.[5]

Debate and discussion

The bill was opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Jewish Committee, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Hindu American Foundation, and the Interfaith Alliance.[6] Together the organizations argued that the bill "endorses the false notion that all veterans will be honored by a war memorial that includes a prayer proponents characterize as reflecting our country's 'Judeo-Christian heritage and values.'"[6] The organizations argued that "the memorial, as it currently stands, appropriately honors those who served and encompasses the entirety of the war" and was carefully created, so no additional elements, such as FDR's prayer, need to be added.[6] According to the organizations, "the effect of this bill, however, is to co-opt religion for political purposes, which harms the beliefs of everyone."[6] Simon Brown, of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said that "American veterans - like those currently in the armed forces - come from many different religious traditions and some follow no spiritual path at all. Slapping a prayer onto a memorial that honors all those veterans would be an insult to both their service and their sacrifice."[4]

Senator Portman, who introduced the bill, argued that Roosevelt's "word brought strength and comfort to many during one of the most challenging times for our nation... We should not underestimate the power of prayer through difficult times."[7] The bill was also supported by the Christian Coalition of America.[7]

Construction of memorial

As of July 2017, the memorial plaque remained under development.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "S. 1044 - Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Project Synopsis July 2017" (PDF). National Capital Planning Commission. July 13, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ National World War II Memorial
  4. 1 2 Gryboski, Michael (22 May 2014). "Congress Considers Adding FDR Prayer to World War II Memorial". The Christian Post. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "S. 1044 - All Actions". United States Congress. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Letter to Chairman Udall and Ranking Member Portman" (PDF). American Civil Liberties Union. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Portman Renews Effort To Commemorate FDR's D-Day Prayer with the Nation at the WWII Memorial". Senate Office of Senator Portman. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.

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