Assembly Resolution No. 597

BY: M. of A. Barrett

COMMEMORATING the 103rd Anniversary of The
American Legion

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize
veterans' organizations which have positively impacted and substantially
contributed to the vitality of their communities; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 103rd Anniversary of The American Legion; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion is a veteran's organization founded in
Paris on March 15, 1919, by three officers of the American Expeditionary
Forces, who fought in World War I; and

WHEREAS, On May 8, 1919, the St. Louis Caucus was held to organize
the soldiers and sailors in every state to become members of this new
organization known as The American Legion; about 97 delegates from New
York State organized the Department of New York while at the St. Louis
Caucus; and

WHEREAS, On May 24, 1919, the national organization issued the
Department of New York American Legion its charter, recognizing New
York's founding roots to both Paris and St. Louis Caucus; and

WHEREAS, The Department of New York issued its first Post charter on
June 2, 1919, and exactly two months later, issued a charter for its
200th post; and

WHEREAS, On September 16, 1919, the United States Congress charted
The American Legion; and

WHEREAS, Nine New Yorkers were among some 20 founders at the
organizational meeting in Paris on February 15-16, 1919, which set the
stage for the Paris Caucus (March 15-17) and the St. Louis Caucus (May
8-19); they included Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of the 26th United
States President; and

WHEREAS, The focus of The American Legion is on securing services
and benefits for veterans, the families of service members, and the
communities where the veterans live and work; and

WHEREAS, Among the programs The American Legion sponsor include
baseball teams, Boys State, Legion Riders, Operation Comfort Warriors,
National Emergency Fund, and Oratorical Contest for students under the
age of 20; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion has departments in all 50 states, as
well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the
Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Starting in the late 1930s, The American Legion was
instrumental in prodding the federal government to create the United

States Veterans' Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration,
and in 1989, the Department of Veterans Affairs, a cabinet level
department to give veterans representation at the highest level of
government; and

WHEREAS, In 1944, The American Legion was the moving force behind
the drafting and enacting of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, which is
commonly known as the GI Bill; and

WHEREAS, This landmark legislation provided for low-cost mortgages,
low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments to attend high
school, college or vocational/technical school and one year of
unemployment compensation; and

WHEREAS, Since World War II, The American Legion has been in the
fore-front of supporting additional veterans benefits including in the
1950s mental health treatment which led to the National Association of
Mental Health, and in the 1980s the Legion sponsored and funded studies
assessing the effects of Agent Orange; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion created the American Legion Scholarship
Fund for children of military members killed in active duty on or after
September 11, 2001 and in 2016, the scholarship criteria were amended to
include the children of veterans with 50 percent or greater disability
ratings granted from the Department of Veterans Affairs; and

WHEREAS, In August 2018, The American Legion began its centennial
recognition at the 100th National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
the site of the first American Legion National Convention; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of New York State celebrated
its 100th Annual Department Convention July 19-21, 2018, in Rochester,
New York; and

WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body
acknowledges this important milestone in the history of The American
Legion; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 103rd Anniversary of The American Legion; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The American Legion Department of New York Commander
Francis A. LaMarsh and Department of New York Adjutant James W. Casey.