HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 34

(By Delegate Longstreth, Evans, Fleischauer, Butler, Pethtel, Diserio, Angelucci, Campbell, Cooper, Toney and Pushkin)

[Introduced January 24, 2020 ]

Requesting the Division of Highways to place at least 10 additional signs along highways entering West Virginia honoring fallen veterans and Gold Star Families.

Whereas, More than 10,000 men and women from West Virginia have died during 20th and 21st century military actions, either in combat or during the official period of conflict and prior to discharge from the military. The ultimate sacrifices made by these men and women for their country and West Virginia represent the highest levels of honor and courage and should not go unnoticed; and

Whereas, Gold Star Families are those families who have family members who died or were killed serving in the armed forces. They are the families of fallen military heroes, whether they gave their lives in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, WWII or another conflict; and

Whereas, Rather than attempt to acknowledge individually each of these fallen warriors and patriots by finding a bridge or stretch of road or highway to be named for the individual veterans, it would be a more worthy form of recognition, homage and honor to these heroes and heroines and the Gold Star Families if signage were erected at the highways that enter West Virginia; and

Whereas, Since 2014 at least 10 signs have been placed along West Virginia highways honoring these heroes and heroines and the Gold Star Families; and

Whereas, It would be appropriate to further honor these heroes and heroines and the Gold Star Families by placing at least 10 additional signs at visible and highly traveled highways entering West Virginia; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to place at least 10 additional signs along highways entering West Virginia honoring fallen veterans and Gold Star Families; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to create and erect signs upon an additional heavily traveled highways entering the State of West Virginia on which a “Welcome to West Virginia” sign is posted near a border crossing. To the extent permissible by signage rules and regulations, each sign should read “West Virginia is proud to honor its fallen Veterans and Gold Star Families” and have affixed to it a gold star symbol similar to the design of the lapel pin approved under 10 U.S.C. §1126; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.