Cleaver-Poe-McCaskill-Blunt Bill Would Designate Liberty Memorial as National WWI Museum and Memorial

Washington DC -- Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Ted Poe along with Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt jointly introduced legislation today that will make Kansas City the only city in the nation with the distinction of having the National World War I Museum and Memorial.

The bill will designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum -- as the "National World War I Museum and Memorial."

"This legislation is meant to ensure Kansas City is known as the one and only home in this great country to the National World War I Museum and Memorial," said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II. "And it gives us the opportunity to lead the nation in marking the centennial anniversary. I am hopeful this legislation will assist in honoring the great sacrifices made, and lessons learned, during World War I."

"This is great news for Kansas City and for the Liberty Memorial, where folks have worked tirelessly to commemorate the lives of our men and women who sacrificed so much during the ‘Great War,'" said McCaskill, the daughter of a World War II veteran and senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Dedicating this site is an important way to ensure that our kids and grandkids, and all future generations can appreciate the impact this war had on our nation and the freedoms we enjoy today."

"Missourians are deeply proud of our World War I heroes, and last year, I worked with my colleagues to help create an important Centennial Commission based at America's National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo.," said Blunt. "This bill will designate the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City as the ‘National World War I Museum and Memorial' and allow the Commission to continue Kansas City's tradition as a focal point in the study of World War I while also redesignating a national World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C."

Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Poe, along with Senators McCaskill and Blunt also successfully passed legislation last year that established Liberty Memorial as the host of a new World War I Centennial Commission. That Commission is in the process of planning, developing, and executing programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. Kansas City will have the honor of hosting the inaugural event in the nation, to mark this solemn day.

Pershing Park, located along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC, would be redesignated as the National World War I Memorial.

On July 28th of this year, our country will mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. This is the day Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. On April 6th, 1917, the United States entered the war by declaring against Germany. Almost five million U.S. service members served during the war. Frank Buckles was the last American veteran from the war, but died in February of 2011. He was the last direct American link to the "war to end all wars."