Joyously Celebrating the 107th Anniversary of the American Legion on March 15, 2026

WHEREAS, The American Legion is a nonprofit organization representing the interests and needs of America's war veterans. Formed on March 15, 1919, in Paris, France, and chartered by an Act of Congress on September 16, 1919, today the American Legion is comprised of nearly two million members, with more than 12,000 posts across the United States, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, In the aftermath of World War I, with more than two million Americans serving in the military, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, felt it was time to create a national organization to represent America's many war veterans; and

WHEREAS, Through the years, the American Legion successfully lobbied to attain the passage of many initiatives that made the lives of countless war veterans better and has made the nation stronger militarily, economically and socially. In 1921, the American Legion led the campaign to create the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration. The first Flag Code was drafted during an American Legion conference and was later adopted by the United States Congress in 1942; and

WHEREAS, Perhaps the most famous piece of legislation enacted, thanks to the efforts of the American Legion, was the famous GI Bill, also known as the "Servicemen's Readjustment Act", which was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Six months prior to being enacted, the American Legion wrote the first draft of what would become the "GI Bill of Rights". This landmark legislation was a monumental achievement which benefited our nation immeasurably as it allowed eight million veterans to attend an institution of higher learning, thereby allowing our veterans to attain better jobs, quality housing and raise families; and

WHEREAS, Additional examples of the American Legion's civic support of war veteran's issues included their donation of $1 million to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fund, the largest single contributor to the project, which helped enable the construction of the wall in Washington, and their sponsorship of an independent study to examine the effects of exposure to Agent Orange on Vietnam War Veterans; and

WHEREAS, Thanks to the American Legion, every veteran receives assistance when they file and pursue benefit claims before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since 1919, the American Legion has sponsored more than 2,5 Scouting Units across the nation, and annually honors an Eagle Scout of the year with a $10,000 scholarship. One of the more popular endeavors the American Legion provides to our nation is its famous American Legion baseball program, which was created in 1925, and today registers more than 5,400 teams in all 5 States, Canada and Puerto Rico; and

WHEREAS, Countless great Americans have been members of the American Legion including, Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush, as well as Generals Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Medal of Honor winner Sergeant Alvin York, famous aviator and war veteran, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and actors, Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark Gable, all military veterans; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby joyously celebrates the 107th Anniversary of the American Legion on March 15, 2026, and thanks them for all the great work they do daily on behalf of America's veterans and in maintaining the freedoms and national security of our great nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Dan K. Wiley, National Commander of the American Legion.