JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE A COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL

your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Special Session, most respectfully present and petition the United States Congress as follows:

WHEREAS,  the United States Armed Forces confronted and engaged the forces of worldwide Communism continuously from the end of World War II on September 2, 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991; and

WHEREAS,  this period is known as the Cold War, and although not technically a declared war in the traditional sense, it was a war where our citizens were committed to freedom and risked their lives; and

WHEREAS,  the United States, throughout this prolonged period, depended on its citizen volunteers and draftees to perform national military service in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard to defend the nation and its allies from communist aggression; and

WHEREAS,  the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest military success for the United States Armed Forces since the end of World War II; and

WHEREAS,  Americans who honorably served in the armed forces during the Cold War should now be recognized with a service medal; and

WHEREAS,   Senate Bill No. 1097 and Senate Bill No. 1763, as well as the 2008 fiscal year's defense appropriations bill, are viable legislative vehicles to authorize and fund the medal; now, therefore, be it

That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, respectfully urge and request the United States Congress to authorize the awarding of Cold War service medals to recognize foreign service personnel who served admirably during this period of time; and be it further

That a Cold War service medal be authorized to honorably recognize all military personnel who served on active duty during the period September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991 and thereby recognize their military service during the Cold War; and be it further

That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.