ICYMI: Miller's Op-Ed Urges Senate to Support the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act

November 13, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) published an Op-Ed in The Charleston Gazette - Mail, highlighting the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act and its passage in the House of Representatives.

Earlier this week, Congresswoman Miller spoke in favor of the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act on the House floor.

Senate Should Support Bill to Honor Veterans
It’s imperative for every American to remember and honor the heroes who sacrificed in service to our country. West Virginia’s own Hershel “Woody” Williams is one such hero worth remembering. As a Marine Corps veteran of World War II and a Medal of Honor recipient, he distinguished himself by risking his life to defend America and its values. When his time in the Marine Corps ended, he dedicated the rest of his life to serving America here at home by uplifting and supporting America’s veterans and their families. Woody was the best of us; he loved his country with zeal and did everything he could to defend it.

As we pay tribute this week to the more than 40 million Americans who served our country in uniform, there’s something we can learn from Woody’s story and from the stories of other Medal of Honor recipients. It’s not just that they lived for America; it’s that they were willing to give everything for America. In both their living and their dying, they exemplified the very best of what Americans can do, and we owe it to them and to the next generation to ensure that the memory of their heroism lives on.

It’s for this reason that I was honored to speak on the floor of the House of Representatives in unwavering support of the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act. It will locate the new National Medal of Honor Monument near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The legislation, which was introduced earlier this year, has passed unanimously in the House of Representatives and now goes to our colleagues in the U.S. Senate for final consideration.

Not only will this monument pay tribute to the recipients of America’s highest military honor for valor in combat, but it will also remind future generations of the values that shaped and preserved this nation. West Virginians, after all, have a long and storied history of serving in America’s armed forces. The sons and daughters of our state have never hesitated to defend America from any foe. In addition to Woody Williams, West Virginia has been home to other Medal of Honor recipients, including Chester West, Thomas Bennett and Herbert Joseph Thomas Jr. Their stories of bravery and selfless devotion should be remembered and celebrated by all Americans. The National Medal of Honor Monument will provide an enduring testament to their service and the service of all Americans to whom the Medal has been awarded. Equally important, it will instill a unique sense of pride in West Virginians, who are keenly aware of our state’s contributions to the cause of American freedom.

More importantly, the National Medal of Honor Monument will serve as a lesson to future Americans.

From this monument, the coming generations will learn about the pivotal events that shaped their futures. Even though there are only 65 of the fewer than 4,000 Medal of Honor recipients alive today, the monument will stand as a physical memorial of their sacrifice to our country. It will serve as a tangible and vivid reminder of their courage and unfaltering dedication to duty. Through this monument, their legacies will be forever preserved, and their valor forever ingrained in our national recollections.

It’s so important that the future leaders of the United States learn the stories of these heroes. They will gain insight into the deeply rooted values that motivated us to create the monument in the first place. By passing this legislation and building the Monument, we showcase our unwavering commitment to honoring our veterans as heroes.

It’s fitting that we reflect on the 160th anniversary of the Medal of Honor’s inception, and even more important that we should move past mere reflection. By supporting the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, we can cement this already historic moment with an even more singular significance.

This could be the best chance we have to prove our gratitude to the servicemen and women whose sacrifices helped to secure our freedoms. Let’s not waste this historic opportunity. Let’s stand together as patriotic Americans and embrace our duty to support these heroes who gave so much to our country. I urge the U.S. Senate — including our two West Virginia senators – to join the House in unanimously approving this historic legislation.

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