FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Jerry Newberry
telephone: 816/968/1168
email: jnewberry@vfw.org

House Votes to Keep Veteran's Day Nov. 11

Recent legislation by the House of Representatives lets stand November 11 as the national day of remembrance for all veterans. House Resolution 298 passed the House on December 5 by a vote of 415-0 in favor of not moving Veterans Day to coincide with a national election day. The idea was originally proposed by the Carter-Ford commission on election reform to increase voter turnout. The commission recommended moving Veteran's Day, which is November 11, to Election Day, which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

The idea to move Veteran's Day was not only outrageous," said Veterans of the Foreign Wars Commander-in-Chief Jim N. Goldsmith, "but also an insult to our World War I veterans for whom Veterans Day originated."

Veteran's Day is a day to honor our veterans, and it most certainly should not be equated to being 'just' a holiday," Goldsmith said. "I agree that something should be done to encourage our citizens to vote, but don't put politics into our day. It's both demoralizing and demeaning to the nation's 26 million veterans."

Veteran's Day, which originated in 1920, was first named Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. In 1968, Congress moved the day to a Monday so federal employees could have a three-day weekend. The move caused such an uproar that President Ford signed a law in 1975 to return Veteran's Day to November 11.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, which was founded in 1899, assists all veterans and their families obtain veterans’ entitlements and other services. In addition, the organization works for the well being of those serving on active duty, in the National Guard and the Reserves. There are 2.7 million members of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary located in approximately 9,500 Posts worldwide.

House Resolution 298

"Whereas the veterans of the Armed Forces are owed a tremendous debt of gratitude for their service and bravery;

Whereas veterans play important roles in communities throughout the United States;

Whereas maintaining Veteran's Day as a legal public holiday separate from all other federal holidays and days for elections or national observances is the least that a grateful nation should do in recognition of its veterans; and

Whereas November 11 is a solemn commemoration of the contributions of those who have served and defended the nation, especially those who gave their lives securing the freedoms enjoyed by all citizens of the United States:

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that Veteran's Day should continue to be observed on November 11 and separate from any other federal holiday or day for federal elections or national observances.