Expressing support for the designation of November 9, 2019, as "Gold Star Father's Day".

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 706 Expressing support for the designation of November 9, 2019, as ‘‘Gold Star Father’s Day’’. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 15, 2019 Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia (for himself, Mr. WOODALL, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. COSTA, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Ms. WILSON of Flor- ida, Ms. NORTON, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. MOORE, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. RUSH, Mr. LEWIS, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. FUDGE, Mrs. BEATTY, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. COX of California, Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. ALLEN, and Mr. CISNEROS) sub- mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of November 9, 2019, as ‘‘Gold Star Father’s Day’’. Whereas thousands of men and women have laid down their lives to defend the liberty and soul of our Nation, and families of fallen members of the Armed Forces have lost their loved ones in service to our country; Whereas families of members of the Armed Forces dem- onstrate a different kind of heroism, supporting children and family members while loved ones are deployed, sacri- ficing holidays with members who are serving overseas, VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Nov 15, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR706.IH HR706 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HRES 706 IH and facing each day knowing their loved one might be in danger and could never return home; Whereas, before the Iraq war, the United States had lost over 1,300,000 members of the Armed Forces during wartime, and since October 2001, over 4,400 members of the Armed Forces have lost their lives serving this country, leaving thousands of family members behind; Whereas, in 2015, the Gold Star Fathers Act was signed into law to ensure Gold Star Fathers were eligible for the same benefits guaranteed to mothers of fallen or perma- nently disabled members of the Armed Forces, honoring their sacrifice and loss, but this legislation did not des- ignate a Gold Star Father’s Day; Whereas the last Sunday in September was designated by Congress as Gold Star Mother’s Day in 1936; Whereas President Donald Trump designated September 24, 2017, as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, and in 2016 President Barack Obama proclaimed September 25, 2016, as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day; Whereas the Georgia House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 723 on March 24, 2017, recognizing November 9 as Georgia Gold Star Father Day; Whereas Father’s Day honors and celebrates fatherhood and the unique paternal bonds between a father and his chil- dren; and Whereas the goals of ‘‘Gold Star Father’s Day’’ on November 9 are to— (1) honor and celebrate fathers who have lost chil- dren in service to the United States of America; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Nov 15, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR706.IH HR706 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HRES 706 IH (2) honor fathers of fallen members of the Armed Forces and recognize that they as parents have experi- enced extraordinary and unimaginable loss; (3) recognize the need to support families of mem- bers of the Armed Forces throughout the United States; and (4) honor the courage of fathers who understand the true price of freedom and now face Father’s Day without their child[ren]: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 1 the designation of ‘‘Gold Star Father’s Day’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Nov 15, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR706.IH HR706 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS