A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the War Memorial Foundation.
Whereas, the War Memorial Foundation has successfully developed the Carolina Field of Honor at Triad Park to preserve the history of veterans that have served this nation; and
Whereas, Army Specialist Lawrence Joel is credited for saving the lives of 13 members of his battalion while being wounded twice by Viet Cong machine gun fire on November 8, 1965; and
Whereas, the Medal of Honor was bestowed upon Army Specialist Lawrence Joel for his acts of gallantry on March 9, 1967, by President Lyndon B. Johnson; and
Whereas, Army Specialist Lawrence Joel was the first living African‑American to be recognized for the Medal of Honor since the Spanish‑American War; and
Whereas, Army Specialist Lawrence Joel was born in Forsyth County, North Carolina; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the War Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year and the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year in nonrecurring funds for the organization's War Memorial Fund to support memorials recognizing the historic and cultural importance of Army Specialist Lawrence Joel, the Medal of Honor recipients from North Carolina, and all branches of the United States Armed Forces.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.