CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT REGARDING RENAMING OF FORT MOORE

WASHINGTON – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., (GA-02), a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and co-chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, released the following statement regarding the announcement today by the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to rename Fort Moore:

“This has always been an emotional issue, particularly for people who have lived, trained, and worked around the post. While good people may have different thoughts about the post’s name, a commission was established by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to address this matter and remove the names of enemies of the United States from U.S. military installations. The bill had overwhelming bipartisan support and became law.

[The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act was passed by the U.S. House (335-78) and U.S. Senate (84-13) and sent to President Trump for his signature. President Trump vetoed the bill in December 2020, but his veto was overridden by the U.S. House (322-87) and the U.S. Senate (80-12) to become law.]

“Pursuant to that law, and after considerable deliberation and widespread community and veteran input, the post was named after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia.

“Hal Moore was a hero of the Vietnam War, and together with his wife, Julia, they were instrumental in establishing how the military notifies and cares for spouses of fallen servicemembers. Moore had extensive ties to the post while on active duty, in retirement, and is buried there. The Moores embodied the Army’s values of loyalty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage, and duty. To have the Moores’ name adorn this post, through which an overwhelming number of Soldiers pass during their Army careers, was well-deserved and symbolized our country’s commitment to the servicemembers and their families who are the backbone of our national defense.

“To have the new Secretary of Defense unilaterally reject the Moores’ combined service to the Army, our military families, and our nation, after being recommended by the naming commission and implemented by the Defense Department, is disrespectful, at best, and spiteful, at worst. It is a rejection of the values and symbolism that Hal and Julia Moore embodied.”

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