U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) announced a new bill designating the only National Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Museum and Memorial in the U.S., located in Jacksonville, Fla., as a National Landmark.
U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), the House sponsor and original proponent of the legislation, joined Sen. Moody at the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field (NAS Cecil Field) to unveil the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Act.
The former military base is now home to the National Museum and Memorial.
Coincidentally, Congressmembers Moody and Bean’s announcement took place on National Former POW Recognition Day.
“Prisoners of wars and soldiers missing in action deserve our prayers, support and recognition of their immense sacrifice. There is no better place to honor their service than Florida, because of our long tradition of supporting veterans,” Sen. Moody declared.
“That is why I am leading the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Act in the Senate to ensure Florida is the leader in preserving the memory of those who endured captivity and those who never came home,” She added. “This effort is about keeping our promise to remember their sacrifice, stand with their families, and ensure future generations never forget the cost of freedom.”
“Throughout our nation’s history, more than 223,000 American service members have been listed as POW/MIA. We owe it to those service members and their families to ensure that our nation never forgets,” Rep. Bean affirmed.
“This memorial will give Americans a unique opportunity to honor the immense sacrifice made by our POWs and serve as a powerful reminder of the service members whose fates are still unknown. I want to thank Senator Moody for joining me in this critical effort and spearheading this legislation in the Senate,” Rep. Bean remarked.
Since becoming a U.S. Senator, Moody has shown relentless support for U.S. servicemembers and veterans, co-sponsoring, introducing, and backing several bills helping them. Most recently, Sen. Moody was also selected to serve on the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
