Resolution declaring June 22nd Veterans Tribute and Advocacy Day in New York City

Whereas, Their bravery and heroism merits generous and extensive accommodation from government at the local, state, and federal levels, not only to reward current soldiers but also to encourage future citizens to consider joining the military; and

Whereas, The nation’s first Commander-in-Chief, George Washington, articulated this concept eloquently, when he noted that “the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation;” and

Whereas, June 22^nd is a day of special importance for our veterans; and

Whereas, On that day in 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill of Rights, which provided returning soldiers with benefits such as college scholarships and zero down payments for home loans; and

Whereas, More than 2.5 million veterans served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many of them saw multiple deployments; and

Whereas, As these individuals come home and reintegrate into civilian life, it is incumbent upon our elected civilian leaders to honor and pay tribute to these individuals whenever and wherever possible; and

Whereas, As a city that nearly 200,000 veterans call home, and a place of unique cultural, economic, and symbolic importance, New York City strives to acknowledge the contributions of our nation’s veterans; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York declares June 22^nd New York City Veterans Tribute and Advocacy Day

LS#10306

3/10/2017