Senator Justice’s Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act Passes Senate Unanimously

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Jim Justice celebrated National Medal of Honor Day with the passage of his Bill, the Hershel "Woody" Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, by unanimous consent in the Senate:

"I look up in the gallery and see some incredible Medal of Honor recipients. I think about what they've given to this country, and it truly takes my breath away. Then my mind goes back home to West Virginia and to the namesake of this bill, Woody Williams. I had the real honor of getting to know Woody, hearing his stories, and learning from a true American hero. That's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. It makes this moment even more meaningful that the first bill I've passed in the Senate honors Woody. Today, this win is for Woody, West Virginia, and for every Medal of Honor recipient who has given more to this country than we could ever repay," said Senator Jim Justice.

Watch Senator Justice's remarks:

BACKGROUND:

• This was the first piece of legislation Senator Justice introduced as a Senator.

• This bill's name honors Hershel "Woody" Williams, a proud West Virginian and the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
• The bill directs the National Park Service to designate and construct a monument in honor of Medal of Honor recipients on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
  • This monument will come at no cost to the taxpayer.
  • The Medal of Honor Foundation has been crucial in leading the way for funding this monument and assisting in moving this bill across the finish line.
• During Governor Justice's 2020 State of the State address, he recognized Woody Williams.
• Williams requested funding for his Medal of Honor Foundation to construct a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, which Senator Justice committed to supporting.
• In 2022, Senator Justice named Woody Williams the first-ever inductee into the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame.

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