_______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 136

                        _______________________________________________

                                                               Passed Legislature - 1986 Reg.

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Conner, Peterson, Goltz, Hansen, Garrett and Rasmussen

Read first time 1/22/86 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

TO THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The great State of Washington has more than six hundred thousand veterans, the third largest veteran population per capita in the nation; and

          WHEREAS, The United States government has assured its war veterans that they are entitled to burial in a national cemetery; and

          WHEREAS, These honorably discharged veterans should be buried in a national cemetery near enough to their homes that families can attend burial services and conveniently visit the gravesite thereafter as often as they desire; and

          WHEREAS, At the present time, the veterans throughout the Pacific Northwest are currently served by the Willamette National Cemetery near Portland, Oregon; and

          WHEREAS, The Willamette National Cemetery is not only a great distance from the majority of Washington State veterans, but will be filled in the very near future; and

          WHEREAS, The Department of Washington of the American Legion, assembled in Spokane, Washington, July 19 through 20, 1985, passed a resolution stating:

"The Washington State Senate and the House of Representatives memorialize the Congress of the United States to support the establishment of a national cemetery in the State of Washington in order to provide the opportunity for burial in a national cemetery to the veterans residing in the State of Washington."

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Washington State Legislators give their personal assistance to obtaining a suitable site for a national veterans' cemetery within the State of Washington.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

                                                                                                                      Passed the Senate February 18, 1986.

                                                                                                                                       President of the Senate.

                                                                                                                           Passed the House March 5, 1986.

                                                                                                                                         Speaker of the House.