Hudson Praises Passage of Legislation to Honor Military Heroes and Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08), Fort Bragg's Congressman, praised passage of two bills in the U.S. House of Representatives today to honor military service members and families. H.R. 1664, the National Medal of Honor Monument Act of 2021, passed by a vote of 416-0. The bill, which Rep. Hudson co-sponsored, establishes a monument on federal land in Washington, D.C. honoring Medal of Honor recipients. The monument would honor the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice displayed by Medal of Honor recipients, and no federal funds would be used to pay for it.

"There is no greater fighter than an American soldier. As Fort Bragg's Congressman, I'm glad we are finally recognizing the selfless servicemembers who have earned the Medal of Honor – like Army Master Sgt. Matthew Williams – and the 38 others who have walked and trained on the grounds of Fort Bragg or Camp Mackall," said Rep. Hudson.

The bill authorizes the creation of a monument that will pay homage to the values the Medal of Honor represents – courage, patriotism citizenship, integrity, commitment and sacrifice – and the brave individuals who earned it in service to the country. The introduction of this bill comes on the heels of the introduction of the bipartisan National Medal of Honor Monument Act in the Senate just three weeks ago. Rep. Hudson previously introduced this legislation in Congress.

The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest military decoration and is awarded to U.S. service members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor. It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty. The mission of the National Medal of Honor Museum, which is currently being built in Arlington, TX, is to commemorate the stories of our Medal of Honor recipients, unite Americans around the common ideals embodied by the medal, and inspire every citizen to look for ways to serve and create a lasting impact in their own communities.

Also approved was H.R. 2365, the Gold Star Mothers Family Monument Extension Act of 2021. This bill extends the authorization for the establishment of a commemorative work in honor of Gold Star families, which expired in January 2020 and is now on hold.

"As Fort Bragg's Congressman, I've had the humbling honor of meeting with Gold Star families from North Carolina and across our country. Their stories and their sacrifice should never be forgotten," said Rep. Hudson.

For over a century, the Gold Star tradition has reminded our nation of the sacrifices made by servicemembers and their families. The tradition goes back to World War I, where flags were displayed bearing a Blue Star representing a family member serving abroad, and a Gold Star for a family member who had been lost in combat.

The monument will be entirely sponsored by the Gold Star Mothers National Monument Foundation and will be built at no cost to the taxpayer. Once completed, it will be located in Washington, D.C.

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