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Senate Resolution

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A resolution recognizing the important purpose and goals

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of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.

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     WHEREAS, the mission of the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial

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Foundation, Inc., is to raise the funds necessary to design and

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construct a memorial dedicated to American servicemen and

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servicewomen who have returned from war with life-altering

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disabilities, and

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     WHEREAS, the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation,

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Inc., was established in 1998 through the combined efforts of

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philanthropist Lois Pope, Foundation Chairman; Mr. Arthur Wilson,

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National Adjutant of the Disabled American Veterans organization

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and Foundation President; and the late Jesse Brown, former

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Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Foundation's first

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Executive Director, and

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     WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress approved this national memorial

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to be built in Washington D.C. with the passage of Public Law

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106-348, an act sponsored by Senators John McCain and Max Cleland

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and by Representatives Sam Johnson and Jack Murtha, and

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     WHEREAS, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial

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will command an impressive 2-acre site within full view of the

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U.S. Capitol and will be constructed of marble and glass,

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conveying an interplay of strength and vulnerability, loss and

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renewal, and

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     WHEREAS, at this sacred spot, all of us - parents, sons and

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daughters, wives, husbands, friends, and citizens - can bear

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witness to the courage, sacrifice, tenacity, loyalty, and honor

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demonstrated by our soldiers permanently injured in battle, and

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     WHEREAS, the Memorial will hold a special place in the

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hearts of all Americans, and will serve as a never-ending

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reminder to all of the cost of human conflict, and will be

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dedicated to both living and deceased veterans who have been

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disabled for life in military service, and

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     WHEREAS, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial

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will express America's lasting gratitude to the men and women

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whose lives have been forever changed in service to our country

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and to their families and friends, transcending individual wars

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and conflicts, service branches, and generations, and share in

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their struggles to face lives harshly compromised by war, NOW,

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THEREFORE,

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Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

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     That the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, Inc.,

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is commended for its vision in seeking to build this important

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memorial - the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial - and

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encourage and support efforts to raise funds for its

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construction.

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     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with

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the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the Disabled

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Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, Inc., as a tangible token of

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the sentiments of the Florida Senate.