Implement the VIP Act
Each Memorial Day, Americans look forward to a weekend filled with friends and family, good food, and maybe a few sales from our favorite stores to kick- off the summer. The day off work should be enjoyed, and the time with loved ones should be cherished, but as a country, we must not forget the true reason for the holiday.
Memorial Day was first proclaimed in 1868 to honor deceased Union and Confederate soldiers and was expanded after
World War I to honor those who died in all wars. It became an official federal holiday in 1971, known as Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day. Today, Memorial
Day honors over 1 million men and women who have died in military service since the Civil War began in 1861.
American soldiers have given their lives time and again since the founding of our young country to defend freedom at home and abroad. The liberties that we enjoy daily are thanks to their sacrifices. Too many soldiers never came home from war and those who did return often do so with physical or mental wounds that color the rest of their lives.
It is our duty to assist and honor these heroes any way we can. That is why I co- sponsored the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks ( VIP) Act to grant veterans, active- duty servicemen, and Gold Star Families free access to our National Parks. Thankfully, the VIP Act was included in the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA) for FY2022 and was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December 2021.
Despite NDAA becoming law in December, the VIP Act has not yet been implemented, and no date has been announced for doing so. This is unacceptable. In response, I sent a bipartisan and bicameral letter to Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack urging them to implement the VIP Act by Memorial Day.
Our veterans, Gold Star Families, and active servicemembers deserve the best our nation has to offer, including unfettered access to our beautiful national parks. Time spent outdoors is proven to help bring healing to trauma victims, something which veterans and Gold Star Families are sadly too familiar.
We owe it to these individuals and families to provide them every opportunity to enjoy the land they sacrificed to protect. I hope to see the VIP Act implemented quickly so that they can receive the lifetime passes they have been promised. Join me in taking time to pray for and remember our veterans and Gold Star Families this Memorial Day and all of those who gave their lives for our exceptional Republic.