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Public hearing: bill would let Veterans Affairs update WWII Memorial and fund an online educational tool; critics press for civilian recognitions
Summary
House Bill 23 44 would authorize the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs to update the World War II Memorial on the Capitol Mall and develop an accessible educational tool; ODVA estimated $115,000 for initial website and structural updates, and public witnesses urged adding missing veteran names and Wake Island civilian contractors to the memorial’s educational resources.
House Bill 23 44, before the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans on April 1, would authorize the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs to keep the World War II Memorial on the State Capitol grounds up to date and to develop and maintain an educational tool tied to the memorial.
Dr. Nikia Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, told the committee that current statute limits ODVA’s authority to update the memorial and that the memorial’s QR‑code based educational resources no longer function. "Current language in the statute does not allow ODVA to make updates or adjustments to the memorial," Daniels said. ODVA’s fiscal estimate for initial work to expand names and create an outsourced website is $115,000.
Representative Lewis offered a dash‑2 amendment to add civilian contractors from Wake Island to the proposed educational tool, pointing to a House resolution passed on the floor that honored civilian contractors. "This bill has some really good things in it," Lewis said, and the amendment would allow the Wake Island civilian contractors to be represented in the educational tool if adopted.
Testimony from public witnesses highlighted missing and misspelled names on the memorial and urged broader criteria. Jeff Tobias, who has submitted letters to ODVA seeking additions of roughly 60 names, recommended language changes to the amendments so that recognition could be tied to federal determinations by agencies such as the Department of Defense, the National Archives, the American Battle Monuments Commission, the VA, or the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Tobias also recommended removing an "alternative honors" clause from the amendment and expanding criteria to include some deaths by accident to ensure consistent recognition.
Representative Watanabe flagged at‑least one misspelling on the memorial and asked that corrections be made; Daniels said the department would bring that issue back for review. Daniels also cautioned that adding civilians to the physical monument would increase the memorial’s structural cost, whereas updates to the website would be significantly less expensive.
Committee members and witnesses discussed whether ODVA could work with the Oregon Historical Society and other organizations to curate or supplement educational materials. Daniels said ODVA would accept contributions and collaborate on content if outside groups wished to provide resources, but that the department’s statutory focus is the memorial and veterans’ recognition.
No committee motion or vote occurred during the public hearing; the chair closed the hearing and directed further work between the sponsor and witnesses on amendment language.
