Today, the House passed H.R. 4300, the “Admiral Lloyd R. ‘Joe’ Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Display Establishment Act.” Introduced by Subcommittee on Federal Lands Ranking Member Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) and Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), the bipartisan legislation establishes a memorial at Pearl Harbor to honor the U.S. service members who served in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

“The U.S. suffered more than 150,000 casualties in the Pacific during World War II, yet there is no memorial honoring their sacrifice. With the passage of H.R.- 4300, the Admiral Lloyd R. “Joe” Vasey Pacific War Commemorative Act, we move closer to realizing the Admiral’s vision.  Admiral Vasey served on the USS Gunnel during the Pacific War and has dedicated his life to the pursuit of Peace in the Asia Pacific. This memorial will help tell his story and the stories of the members of the greatest generation who gave their lives to defend our country. Their experiences cannot be forgotten and we must educate future generations about this pivotal moment in American history. We must also provide a place where families and friends can mourn the loss of their loved ones. I would like to thank my colleagues for their support and I urge the Senate to quickly consider and pass this measure,” Rep. Hanabusa stated.

“Rep. Hanabusa has worked to build bipartisan support on this important bill to honor America’s veterans of the Pacific Theatre.  Today’s vote demonstrates broad support for this legislation, and I look forward to working with Rep. Hanabusa and our Senate colleagues to move this bill to the President’s desk,” Chairman Bishop said.