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PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor
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H.B. 237
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commemorates that event.) Finally, memorials have been erected to commemorate
the remembrance of Marylanders who gave their lives to protect this country in World
War I and the Civil War.
The General Assembly has been asked in recent years to create additional memorials
in the State House or on its grounds. Wisely, these efforts have been resisted, despite
the worthiness of the events and people who sought to be honored. Last year, the
General Assembly failed to pass House Bill 24, which would have required that the
POW/MIA flag be flown from the State House several times a year. In 2000,
legislation to require the placement of a One Maryland Monument in or around the
State House was defeated. In 1994, a joint resolution that would have studied the
feasibility of moving the statue of Roger B. Taney from the grounds of the State House
and replacing it with a statue of Thurgood Marshall was defeated. Instead, funds
were provided to develop a memorial to Justice Marshall on Lawyer's Mall, a
memorial that today is a fitting tribute to the man and a complement to the historic
complex.
It is virtually certain that all Marylanders would agree that the fate of our POW/MIA
soldiers is a tragic episode in our history. Equally certain is the fact that the Bataan
Death March was an extremely dark event that had an impact on many Marylanders
and their families. If House Bill 237 were signed into law, it is likely plaques would be
sought to memorialize many other events and battles. While there is likely an
appropriate site and manner to recognize the victims and survivors of this event, I do
not believe that the location chosen in House Bill 237, the State House, is the
appropriate venue.
For the above reasons, I have vetoed House Bill 237.
Sincerely,
Parris N. Glendening
Governor
House Bill No. 237
AN ACT concerning
State Government - Plaque Commemorating the Bataan Death March
FOR the purpose of requiring that a plaque be placed in a certain location to honor
the soldiers who were forced to participate in what has become known as the
Bataan Death March during World War II; requiring the Governor to appoint
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to oversee the design, construction, and
placement of the plaque; requiring the Governor to appropriate certain funds for
the design, construction, and placement of the plaque; and generally relating to
commemorating the soldiers forced to participate in the Bataan Death March.
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That:
(a) A plaque shall be placed in the State House or on the grounds of the State
House to honor the sacrifices of the American and Filipino soldiers who, in April 1942,
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- 5031 -
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