2014 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 14-016 BY SENATOR(S) Grantham and Nicholson, Aguilar, Balmer, Baumgardner, Brophy, Cadman, Crowder, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Herpin, Hill, Hodge, Jahn, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, King, Lambert, Lundberg, Marble, Newell, Rivera, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop, Todd, Ulibarri, Zenzinger, Carroll; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Becker and Wright, Buck, Buckner, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Foote, Garcia, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Labuda, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, May, McLachlan, McNulty, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Murray, Navarro, Nordberg, Pabon, Peniston, Pettersen, Primavera, Priola, Rankin, Rosenthal, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Scott, Singer, Sonnenberg, Swalm, Szabo, Tyler, Vigil, Waller, Williams, Wilson, Young, Ferrandino. CONCERNING THE RENAMING OF THE TUNNELS LOCATED WITHIN CLEAR CREEK COUNTY AND COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE TWIN TUNNELS AS THE "VETERANS MEMORIAL TUNNELS". WHEREAS, Colorado has a proud and distinguished history of dedicated military service by men and women of this state whose courage, heroism, and sacrifice preserve the liberties and democratic way of life set forth in our state and federal constitutions; and WHEREAS, Colorado benefits significantly from the presence and military service of the more than 60,000 men and women in our state who serve in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard; the branch Reserves; the Colorado National Guard; and the Civil Air Patrol; and WHEREAS, In addition to active members of the Armed Services, Colorado is the proud home of more than 426,000 military veterans who have served their country long and well and who bring great honor and distinction to the state; and WHEREAS, Colorado is home not only to active duty service personnel and veterans but also to the countless family members of these men and women who display the same dedication, courage, and sacrifice; and WHEREAS, Clear Creek County, one of the original territorial counties in Colorado, has a long history of involvement with active duty service personnel and veterans; and WHEREAS, The roads and highways that run through Clear Creek County have seen the footsteps of militia soldiers going to serve in the Civil War and the vehicles of soldiers going to serve in World War I and World War II; and WHEREAS, The Clear Creek County roads have seen the return of these soldiers, who would build the state's mining industry in the 19th century and the ski industry in the 20th century due to the skill and knowledge of the 10th Mountain Division troops; and WHEREAS, The portion of Interstate 70 that runs through Clear Creek County, and that includes the tunnels commonly known as the Twin Tunnels, was part of the original Victory Highway established in 1921 in honor of the American forces who lost their lives in World War I; and WHEREAS, This section of Interstate 70 was also designated as a Blue Star Highway in the 1940s in honor of those who served during World War II; and WHEREAS, Colorado should also never forget the sacrifices made by its 94 men declared missing in action or prisoners of war while defending the principles of liberty and justice during the Cold War and the conflicts in Korea, Laos, and Vietnam; and WHEREAS, Between 1950 and 2006, 641 Coloradans were killed in action and 101 Coloradans were wounded in action, and the state should never forget the sacrifices of those 742 soldiers; and WHEREAS, In times of conflict around the globe, it is particularly appropriate to recognize the Coloradans in all branches and components of the Armed Services who serve around the world to protect the security and peace of our nation and other nations; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: (1) That the tunnels located within Clear Creek County, on Interstate 70, commonly referred to as the Twin Tunnels, be designated at the east and west entrances as the "Veterans Memorial Tunnels"; (2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of the initial placement of signs to mark the Twin Tunnels as the "Veterans Memorial Tunnels"; (3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a cooperative agreement with the Board of County Commissioners for Clear Creek County for the maintenance of the markings for the "Veterans Memorial Tunnels"; and (4) That such signage be installed and erected at the conclusion of the planned construction and widening of the so-named "Veterans Memorial Tunnels". Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to President Barack Obama; Governor John Hickenlooper; Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Don Hunt; United States Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx; Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson, Superintendent, United States Air Force Academy; Major General H. Michael Edwards, Adjutant General of Colorado; Major General Paul LeCamera, Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson; Colonel Daniel Wright III, Commander of the 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base; Colonel William Liquori Jr., Commander, 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base; Colonel John Shaw, Commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson Air Force Base; the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs; the United Veterans Committee of Colorado; Mountain States Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America; the American Legion Department of Colorado; Department of Colorado Veterans of Foreign Wars; Clear Creek County Veterans Coalition; the Clear Creek County Commissioners; the Idaho Springs City Council Members; the Mayor of Idaho Springs, Mike Hillman; and each member of Colorado's congressional delegation. ____________________________ ____________________________ Morgan Carroll Mark Ferrandino PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Cindi Markwell Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES