Measure places unoccupied chair on Capitol campus at no cost to taxpayers
(NASHVILLE) — Tuesday morning, House members unanimously passed an initiative sponsored by Representative Timothy Hill (R-Blountville) that honors America’s Prisoners of War (POW) and those Missing in Action (MIA).
House Bill 2138 — which passed by a 97-0 vote and is strongly supported by statewide members of Rolling Thunder — expands the POW-MIA Chair of Honor Program to include placement of an unoccupied chair containing the POW/MIA insignia at the Capitol campus in Nashville at no cost to taxpayers.
The POW/MIA Chair of Honor program is designed to serve as a solemn reminder of our soldiers who are still waiting to be brought home. According to data from the Defense Department’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 80,000 service members are still listed as Missing in Action decades after they served in conflicts like World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
As the grandson of a United States veteran, House Bill 2138 is the latest in a series of initiatives supported by Representative Hill in order to call attention to the selfless sacrifices of American service members and their families.
“These brave servicemen and women have made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom, and many have still not returned home decades after serving our great nation,” said Representative Hill. “This is a small way that I can thank them for their service and we can honor their memory. It is humbling to see the support this measure has received from members of Rolling Thunder, and my colleagues in the House and Senate chambers. We must continue to honor America’s heroes, and I will continue to fight for them and their families throughout my time serving the citizens of our community, our region, and our state.”
A chair containing the POW/MIA insignia is already displayed at various government buildings, including the Capitol in Washington, and other public locations in cities and towns across the country.
House Bill 2138 now heads to Governor Haslam’s desk where it will be signed into law. For additional information about this initiative, please click here.
Timothy Hill serves as House Majority Whip. He is also a member of the House Calendar & Rules, House Transportation and House Insurance & Banking Committees, as well as the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee. Hill lives in Blountville and represents House District 3, which includes Johnson and part of Carter and Sullivan Counties. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by calling (615) 741-2050.