HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1683

                       As Passed House

                       March 13,  1997

Title:  An act relating to the women in military service for America memorial.

Brief Description:  Contributing to the cost of a memorial honoring the role of women in the nation's military services.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by  Representatives Smith, Bush, Huff, Koster, Wensman, Radcliff, Mulliken, Sterk, Butler, Delvin, Mitchell, Sheahan, Wolfe, Benson, Tokuda, Romero, Fisher, McDonald, Mielke, Alexander, Carrell, Hickel, Johnson, Poulsen, Dunshee, Morris, Murray, Sullivan, L. Thomas, D. Schmidt, Gardner, Scott, Doumit, Reams, Dunn, Quall, Cole, Keiser, Linville, Veloria, Talcott, Sump, Costa, Skinner, Kastama, Mason, Dickerson, Hatfield, Sheldon, Cody, Ogden, O'Brien, Van Luven, Robertson, Conway, Kenney, Anderson, Kessler, Cooke, Schoesler and Blalock).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  2/17/97, 3/7/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/13/97, 96‑0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Dyer; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Regala; D. Schmidt; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Dave Johnson (786-7154).

Background:  The Women in Military Service for America is currently being constructed at Arlington National Cemetery.  The memorial honors the service and sacrifices of female veterans.  Construction of the memorial is being funded through private contributions and contributions from state and national governments.  Approximately 36,000 female veterans of the armed services currently reside in this state. 

Summary of Bill:  The bill appropriates $50,000 to the Washington State Department of Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of contributing to the cost of constructing the monument.

Appropriation:  The sum of $50,000 from the state general fund is appropriated to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Since the Revolutionary War, women in this country have sacrificed and served in the military.  Their contributions have been invaluable.  There are few memorials honoring female veterans.  The monument being built at Arlington National Cemetery will be the first major monument honoring female veterans.  We need to contribute to build the monument as 19 other states, many individuals, private organizations and foreign governments have already done.  The appropriation amounts to a little over $1 for every female veteran residing in Washington State. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Smith, prime sponsor; Beau Bergeron, Director of Department of Veterans' Affairs; Ann Tyler, Women's Army Corp Veterans' Association Chapter #63; Doris Gross, The American Legion Veterans' Coalition; Robert Sauter, VFW #3694; and Donald VanHoozer, Disabled American Veterans (all in favor).