Marine Corps Identity Bill Picks Up 39 Senate Co-sponsors
Washington D.C. – May 19, 2010 – The Marine Corps Identity Bill has received 39 co-sponsors in the Senate.
The bill, S. 504, proposes to change the name of the Department of the Navy to the “Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.” The House version of the bill on May 4 unanimously passed after receiving more co-sponsors than any legislation introduced in the history of Congress—426. In order to become law, though, it must pass the Senate.
Nearly half of the senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee—where S. 504 will likely have to pass through—have co-sponsored the bill.
“Our quest to give the Marine Corps equal recognition with the Navy is finally in the homestretch,” said Mike Blum, executive director of the Marine Corps League. “Ninety-eight percent of the House agrees that our Marines fighting overseas deserve this. Now, it’s time for the Senate to come onboard.”
For over two centuries, the Marine Corps has fought side by side with the Navy. However, the Marine Corps name is not mentioned at the department level or even in the letterhead of condolence letters sent to the families of fallen Marines.
Driven largely by this fact, Marine Corps Identity Cause has attracted powerful supporters including actor R. Lee Ermey, Gens. Alfred Gray and Anthony Zinni and former Secretary of the Navy Lawrence Garrett.
S. 504 was introduced by Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts. North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones, who introduced the House bill, has been trying to get Congress to give the Marine Corps equal recognition with the Navy for nearly 10 years.
A list of Senate co-sponsors can be found at http://www.marinecause.com/senate-supporters/.
Tags: Alfred Gray, Anthony Zinni, Lawrence Garrett, Marine Corps League, Mike Blum, Pat Roberts, Politics, R. Lee Ermey, Senate, United States Marine Corps, Walter Jones
