WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) testified before the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts in support of a proposed Area 1 site location for the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial. Rep. Roe was the sponsor of House legislation to create the memorial and of additional House legislation to authorize the site selection process for it.

Below are the Congressman’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Members of the Commission of Fine Arts,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the chance to express my support for the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial, and the proposed site location in Area 1 of the National Mall at the corner of 23rd Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW as the final site for this worthy memorial. The United States currently lacks a national memorial dedicated to the valor and sacrifices made by those members of our Armed Forces who honorably served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. This memorial will serve as a site to honor and remember them. Because of the sheer magnitude of the operation, as well as symbolic changes our society experienced, I feel it is worthy of placement in Area 1 of the National Mall, at a location near our other war memorials, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

This proposed site has received extensive consideration before not only this Commission, but also the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission and the National Capital Planning Commission. When legislation I sponsored authorizing this memorial was considered as a standalone measure in the House, it received unanimous support in a 370 to 0 vote, and the bill was finally passed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. A year ago today, the piece of legislation authorizing the site selection process for this memorial passed the House unanimously, again showing the strong bipartisan support for this initiative. We hope the Commission on Fine Arts will recognize the strong support this memorial has already received and allow construction to move forward within Area 1.

On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and, in less than 24 hours, dominated nearly 30 percent of the world's oil supply, swiftly setting his sights on neighboring Saudi Arabia. Recognizing Saudi Arabia's importance to the region, President George H.W. Bush launched Operation Desert Shield, the deployment of American combat forces to Saudi Arabia, and ordered Saddam Hussein to remove Iraqi troops from Kuwait by January 15, 1991. With Kuwait still occupied after the deadline passed, over half a million United States armed services members led coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait - Operation Desert Storm.

Of the roughly 600,000 American troops who were deployed in both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 294 died in theater, of which 148 were killed in action.

As a veteran, I’ve seen firsthand how our Vietnam veterans were treated on their return home. Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield represented a turning point in our nation’s treatment of veterans. In addition to liberating Kuwait and preventing Saddam Hussein from dominating the region, these actions restored Americans faith in our military. As a result, there is an entire younger generation of Americans that don’t realize there was a time in our history when our veterans didn’t receive the respect they deserve.

By selecting a site near the Vietnam Memorial as the final site for the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial, this commission can ensure the American public is able to reflect on this momentous transition in how the public values our soldiers’ service over the years.

In conclusion, I want to once again convey to you the strong bipartisan support for this initiative. Thank you again for your efforts in honoring veterans, and as you work to finalize the location of this memorial, I believe these veterans deserve a memorial near those of their fellow veterans in Area 1 on the National Mall.