National Medal of Honor monument bill passes House

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, which now awaits presidential approval. The legislation aims to establish a permanent monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., near the Lincoln Memorial, to honor all recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The bill is named after Hershel “Woody” Williams, a West Virginia native and Marine Corps veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Williams, who passed away in 2022, was the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from World War II. He was recognized for using a flamethrower to neutralize seven Japanese gun emplacements under heavy fire.

Introduced by Senator Jim Justice, the bill has received support from West Virginia representatives, including Congressman Riley M. Moore. Supporters noted that the monument will provide a prominent place of honor for the nation’s highest military decoration recipients alongside other major national landmarks.