There is some positive news to report concerning the Trust’s efforts to convince public officials to preserve, not replace, the Tomb of the Unknowns. This week—in response to public uproar—the Senate adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 1585) that would delay any hasty action regarding the Tomb of the Unknowns. Even though the Senate will not finalize the measure before the Army’s September 30th deadline, the outcry over the Cemetery’s plan and the resulting interest in Congress has forced the Army to delay action.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Akaka (D-HI) and cosponsored by Senator Webb (D-VA), also requires the Secretaries of the Army and Veterans Affairs to determine the feasibility of repairing, rather than replacing, the monument and to report the findings to Congress.

Click here for more information on this issue—and to find out how to lend your support to the cause to save the original, authentic Tomb, one of our most important war memorials and our only national monument to those who fought in World War I.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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