Macomb Daily: Bill to commemorate end of WWII 75th anniversary passes senate

The parades for Memorial and Veterans Day were great this year but imagine what they'll be like in 2020, being the 75th anniversary of the ending of World War II?

It's a very big deal.

And just to be sure they are befitting of the occasion legislation has been introduced to establish a commemorative program ahead of the iconic anniversary.

"When the forces of tyranny threatened the annihilation of our values and our way of life, an entire generation of Americans answered the call to defeat evil in its worst forms," said U.S. senator Gary Peters (D-MI), who introduced the bill along with senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dean Heller (R-NV).

"I am pleased the Senate has passed this bipartisan effort to honor the servicemen and women of World War II as we approach the 75th anniversary of the end of the war," added Peters, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Peters is also a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and the son of a World War II veteran. "Michigan built the Arsenal of Democracy that overwhelmed the Axis Powers on battlefields across the globe, and this legislation will ensure the war and its impact on history will always be remembered."

The program's goals are to honor veterans, educate the public about the history of World War II, highlight the service of the men and women who served our nation on the home front during the war, recognize the contributions of our allies and remember the horrors of the Holocaust.

The legislation, 75th Anniversary of World War II Commemoration Act, would authorize the Secretary of Defense to conduct a program that supports federal, state and local governments as well as non-profit organizations and groups organizing commemorative events and direct the Department of Defense to consult with United States Holocaust Memorial Museum regarding commemorative activities.

Federal funding for the program would be matched with private donations and in-kind contributions to support federal, state and local governments as well as non-profit organizations and groups conducting 75th Anniversary of World War II, commemorative activities.