2025 -- H 6082
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LC001829
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
JOYOUSLY CELEBRATING THE 106TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
ON MARCH 15, 2025
Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Fellela,
Shallcross Smith, Casimiro, Ackerman, Abney, and Donovan
Date Introduced: March 13, 2025
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, The American Legion is a nonprofit organization representing the interests 1
and needs of America's war veterans. Formed on March 15, 1919, in Paris, France, and chartered 2
by an Act of Congress on September 16, 1919, today the American Legion is comprised of nearly 3
two million members, with more than 12,000 posts across the United States, France, Mexico, 4
Puerto Rico and the Philippines; and 5
WHEREAS, In the aftermath of World War I, with more than two million Americans 6
serving in the military, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, felt it was 7
time to create a national organization to represent America's many war veterans; and 8
WHEREAS, Through the years, the American Legion successfully lobbied to attain the 9
passage of many initiatives that made the lives of countless war veterans better and has made the 10
nation stronger militarily, economically and socially. In 1921, the American Legion led the 11
campaign to create the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration. 12
The first Flag Code was drafted during an American Legion conference and was later adopted by 13
the United States Congress in 1942; and 14
WHEREAS, Perhaps the most famous piece of legislation enacted, thanks to the efforts 15
of the American Legion, was the famous GI Bill, also known as the "Servicemen's Readjustment 16
Act", which was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Six months prior to being 17
enacted, the American Legion wrote the first draft of what would become the "GI Bill of Rights". 18
This landmark legislation was a monumental achievement which benefited our nation 19
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immeasurably as it allowed eight million veterans to attend an institution of higher learning, 1
thereby allowing our veterans to attain better jobs, quality housing and raise families; and 2
WHEREAS, Additional examples of the American Legion's civic support of war 3
veteran's issues included their donation of $1 million to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fund, the 4
largest single contributor to the project, which helped enable the construction of the wall in 5
Washington, and their sponsorship of an independent study to examine the effects of exposure to 6
Agent Orange on Vietnam War Veterans; and 7
WHEREAS, Thanks to the American Legion, every veteran receives assistance when 8
they file and pursue benefit claims before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since 1919, the 9
American Legion has sponsored more than 2,500 Scouting Units across the nation, and annually 10
honors an Eagle Scout of the year with a $10,000 scholarship. One of the more popular endeavors 11
the American Legion provides to our nation is its famous American Legion baseball program, 12
which was created in 1925, and today registers more than 5,400 teams in all 50 States, Canada 13
and Puerto Rico; and 14
WHEREAS, Countless great Americans have been members of the American Legion 15
including, Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, 16
Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and 17
George W. Bush, as well as Generals Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, Theodore Roosevelt, 18
Jr., Medal of Honor winner Sergeant Alvin York, famous aviator and war veteran, Captain Eddie 19
Rickenbacker, and actors, Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark Gable, all military 20
veterans; now, therefore be it 21
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 22
joyously celebrates the 106th Anniversary of the American Legion on March 15, 2025, and 23
thanks them for all the great work they do daily on behalf of America's veterans and in 24
maintaining the freedoms and national security of our great nation; and be it further 25
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 26
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to James A. LaCoursiere Jr., National 27
Commander of the American Legion. 28
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