SB 532 — An Act amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for holidays and observances.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

572 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.

1187 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.

WARD, AUMENT, TARTAGLIONE,TARTAGLIONE AND J.

WARD, BROWNE AND MASTRIANO, APRIL 8, 2019 SENATORREFERRED PHILLIPS-HILL,TO STATE GOVERNMENT, ASAPRIL AMENDED,8, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 AN ACT AmendingAmeConsolidated Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for holidays andandPennsylvania observances.

First PERSIAN Gulf War Veterans Day.

<-- 1303.

Afghanistan War GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM Veterans Day.

<-- 1304.

<-- § 1301.

First PERSIAN Gulf War Veterans Day.

<-- (a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(6) On March 6, after negotiating a cease-fire, 20190SB0532PN1187 - 2 - President Bush announced the end of combat operations.

20190SB0532PN0572 - 2 - (7) By the end of the conflict, 200 United States Armed Forces members were killed, including 29 from this Commonwealth.

(b) Designation.--March 6 of each year is designated as "First PERSIAN Gulf War Veterans Day." <-- (c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational institutions to observe "First PERSIAN Gulf War Veterans Day" <-- and to conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those involved in the first PERSIAN Gulf War and remembering the <-- sacrifices they made for their country.

Afghanistan War GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM Veterans Day.

<-- (a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1) The war CAMPAIGN in Afghanistan, which is America's <-- longest conflict, began in 2001 and continues to this day.

Bush ordered United States Armed Forces to begin "Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF) to combat <-- terrorism in Afghanistan and confront Al Qaeda.

20190SB0532PN1187 - 3 - (4) United States Armed Forces first entered Afghanistan 20190SB0532PN0572 - 3 - and began combat operations on October 7, 2001.

(6) On December 28, 2014, DECEMBER 31, 2014, the United <-- States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combat operations in Afghanistan officially ended.

(9) More than 19,000 members of the United States Armed Forces were wounded in service to their country in <-- Afghanistan.

20190SB0532PN1187 - 4 - (1) The second Gulf War was fought from 2003 to 2008.

DURING20190SB0532PN0572 OPERATION- ENDURING4 FREEDOM.- (2) On March 19, 2003, President George W.

<--Bush (10)announced WHENthe OPERATIONbeginning ENDURINGof FREEDOMcombat ENDED,operations THEin UNITEDIraq STATESafter BEGANSaddam AHussein NEWfailed PHASEto OFmeet THEthe CAMPAIGN,deadline NAMEDfor OPERATIONleaving FREEDOM'SIraq. SENTINEL (OFS).

(11)(3) UNITEDOn STATESDecember ARMED18, FORCES2011, REMAINthe INlast THEmember COUNTRYof TOthe PARTICIPATEUnited INStates AArmed COALITIONForces MISSIONleft TOIraq. TRAIN, ADVISE AND ASSIST AFGHAN NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY FORCES AND TO CONDUCT COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATIONS AGAINST THE REMNANTS OF AL QAEDA.

(12) DURING OPERATION FREEDOM'S SENTINEL MORE THAN 70 AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AND ANOTHER 453 HAVE BEEN WOUNDED IN ACTION.

(2) (13) On March 19, 2003, President George W.

Bush <-- announced the beginning of combat operations in Iraq after Saddam Hussein failed to meet the deadline for leaving Iraq.

<-- (3) On December 18, 2011, the last member of the United States Armed Forces left Iraq.

THE(5) DEMANDSMore OFthan THE4,000 <--members UNITEDof STATES.the United States Armed Forces lost their lives during the second Gulf War, including 197 from this Commonwealth, and more than 32,000 were wounded.

(14)(b) "OPERATIONDesignation.--December IRAQI18 FREEDOM"of LASTEDeach FORyear MOREis THANdesignated SEVENas YEARS,"Second REDUCINGGulf THEWar INFLUENCEVeterans OFDay." INSURGENTS,(c) STOPPINGProclamation.--The SECTARIANGovernor VIOLENCE,shall ASSISTINGissue INannually TRAININGa THEproclamation IRAQencouraging SECURITYall FORCESpublic ANDschools PROMOTINGand THEeducational DEVELOPMENTinstitutions OFto IRAQ'Sobserve CONSTITUTION"Second ANDGulf ELECTIONS.War Veterans Day" and to conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those involved in the second Gulf War and remembering the sacrifices they made for their country.

(15) MAJOR UNITED STATES COMBAT OPERATIONS ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2010.

AMERICAN TROOPS REMAINED IN THE COUNTRY TO ADVISE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AS PART OF "OPERATION NEW DAWN" UNTIL THE WITHDRAWAL ON DECEMBER 15, 2011.

20190SB0532PN1187 - 5 - (5) (16) More than 4,000 members of the United States <-- Armed Forces lost their lives during the second Gulf War, <-- "OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM" AND "OPERATION NEW DAWN," including <-- 197 from this Commonwealth, and more than 32,000 were wounded.

(17) WITH THE RISE OF THE TERRORIST GROUP KNOWN AS THE <-- ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA (ISIS), THE UNITED STATES CREATED A NEW COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE IN 2014, DUBBED "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE." (18) MARCH 23, 2019, MARKED THE END OF ISIS CONTROLLING ANY PHYSICAL TERRITORY.

(19) UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES UNDER "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE" CONTINUE TO WORK BY, WITH AND THROUGH LOCAL PARTNERS TO DEFEAT THE FINAL ISIS FORCE AND STABILIZE THE REGION.

(20) THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS UNDER "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE" HAS CLAIMED MORE THAN 80 AMERICAN LIVES, WITH ANOTHER 80 WOUNDED IN ACTION.

(21) UNITED STATES MILITARY PERSONNEL HAVE SERVED DOMESTICALLY SECURING KEY INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT OVERSEAS OPERATION.

(22) SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HAVE SERVED ON NEARLY EVERY CONTINENT FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.