S-3901               _______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 136

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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.