Andrea Joy Campbell: “Today, 4 days before Veterans Day, I introduce legislation that would recognize and protect the sanctity of veterans'…”

“Today, 4 days before Veterans Day, I introduce legislation that would recognize and protect the sanctity of veterans' memorials. Currently, there is no comprehensive Federal law to protect veterans' memorials, which is why I am introducing the Veterans' Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2001. My bill would prohibit the desecration of veterans' memorials, provide for repairs of veterans memorials and permit guide signs to veterans' cemeteries on Federal-aid highways. Under this legislation, someone who willfully desecrates any type of monument commemorating those in the Armed Forces on public property would be fined or put in jail. The violator would be subject to a civil penalty in addition to the fine, equal to the cost of repairing the damage. The funds generated by these penalties would then go into a Veterans' Memorial Restoration Fund, established by the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, to make those monies available for the repair of the damaged memorials.”