1999

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-1014

BY REPRESENTATIVES Stengel, Dean, George, Fairbank, Gagliardi, Gotlieb, Hagedorn, Kester, Lee, May, McKay, Miller, Nunez, Pfiffner, Sinclair, Spence, Swenson, Taylor, Tochtrop, Webster, T. Williams, Young, Alexander, Allen, Bacon, Berry, Chavez, Clapp, Clarke, Coleman, Decker, Gordon, Grossman, Hefley, Hoppe, Johnson, Kaufman, Keller, King, Larson, Lawrence, Leyba, Mace, McElhany, McPherson, Mitchell, Morrison, Paschall, Plant, Ragsdale, Saliman, Scott, Smith, Spradley, Takis, Tapia, Tate, Tool, Tupa, Veiga, Vigil, S. Williams, Windels, Witwer and Zimmerman;

also SENATORS Blickensderfer, Anderson, Andrews, Arnold, Chlouber, Congrove, Dennis, Dyer, Epps, Evans, Feeley, Hernandez, Hillman, Lacy, Lamborn, Linkhart, Martinez, Matsunaka, Musgrave, Nichol, Owen, Pascoe, Perlmutter, Phillips, Powers, Reeves, Rupert, Sullivant, Tanner, Tebedo, Teck, Thiebaut, Wattenberg, Weddig, and Wham.

CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS.

WHEREAS, This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars ("VFW") of the United States; and

WHEREAS, The John S. Stewart Post No. 1 in Denver is the oldest continuous unit in the VFW; and

WHEREAS, The John S. Stewart Post No. 1 is the only VFW post in the entire world designated as "No. 1"; and

WHEREAS, A plaque in the Colorado state capitol building commemorates the founding of a predecessor of the VFW; and

WHEREAS, Such plaque reads in part: "In this building, December 1, 1899, was held the first meeting of the Army of the Philippines from which emanated August 13, 1913, the Veterans of Foreign Wars"; and

WHEREAS, It is anticipated that Colorado's biggest VFW celebration this summer will be the centennial celebration of the Colorado Department of the VFW; and

WHEREAS, Of the 9,773 VFW posts in existence in the entire nation, 150 of such posts are located in the state of Colorado; and

WHEREAS, There are currently more than 25,000 men and women living in Colorado who are members of the VFW living in Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The membership ranks of the VFW include eight presidents of the United States as well as leaders from every spectrum of American society; and

WHEREAS, From the veterans of the Spanish­American war in 1899 to the veterans returning from Bosnia in 1999, the membership of the VFW spans five generations of veterans who have helped preserve our freedom and shaped the destiny of America and the world; and

WHEREAS, The VFW, by virtue of its magnificent wartime service, has played a front­line role in defending American freedom and security; and

WHEREAS, Members of the VFW have played a critical role in such national accomplishments as the enactment of the World War I bonus bill and the G.I. bill, the creation of the Buddy Poppy and the Voice of Democracy scholarship program, and the establishment of a national home for veterans, Loyalty Day as a national holiday, and the "Star­Spangled Banner" as the national anthem of the United States; and

WHEREAS, The objectives of the VFW are to "ensure the national security through maximum military strength, to speed the rehabilitation of the nation's disabled and needy veterans, to assist the widows and orphans and the dependents of disabled and needy veterans, to promote Americanism through education in patriotism, and constructive service to the communities in which we live"; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

That we, the members of the General Assembly, recognize and congratulate the men and women members of the VFW, in Colorado and the nation, for the contributions and sacrifices they have made to ensure peace and prosperity for freedom­loving people across the globe.

Be it Further Resolved, That 1999 be declared the Year of the VFW in the State of Colorado.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to Veterans of Foreign Wars John S. Stewart Post No. 1, 955 Bannock St., Denver, Colorado; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Colorado, 5783 Sheridan Blvd., Arvada, Colorado; and the national headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Kansas City, Missouri.

_________________________ _________________________

Russell George Ray Powers

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF THE

OF REPRESENTATIVES SENATE

_________________________ _________________________

Judith M. Rodrigue Patricia K. Dicks

CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF

OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE