SB 511 — An Act amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in veteran recognition, providing for Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.

PRINTER'S NO.   471

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         SENATE BILL
                         No. 511
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, BAKER, BROWN, CULVER, FONTANA, HUGHES,
        HUTCHINSON, MARTIN, PENNYCUICK, PHILLIPS-HILL, STEFANO,
        STREET, TARTAGLIONE AND VOGEL, MARCH 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
        MARCH 25, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in veteran recognition, providing for
 3      Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     Title 38 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 1307.    Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.
 9      (a)    Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
10   Assembly finds and declares as follows:
11             (1)   The Korean War was fought in the Korean Peninsula
12      from 1950 to 1953 and involved North Korea in conflict with
13      South Korea supported by the United States.
14             (2)   The United States became involved in the Korean War
15      on account of Cold War tensions promoting fear of Communism
16      spreading into South Korea and throughout Asia.
17             (3)   On June 25, 1950, the Korean People's Army of North
 1    Korea invaded South Korea, leading to the acquisition of
 2    South Korea's capital, Seoul.
 3        (4)    Following the invasion of South Korea, President
 4    Harry Truman ordered the United States Armed Forces to
 5    support South Korea on June 27, 1950, to serve as a police
 6    action.
 7        (5)    On July 1, 1950, the first ground troops of the
 8    United States Armed Forces arrived in South Korea.
 9        (6)    Prior to the invasion of South Korea, only 510
10    troops were based in South Korea.
11        (7)    By 1953, a peak of approximately 326,863 troops was
12    reached.
13        (8)    On July 27, 1953, the Korean War Armistice was
14    signed, preserving the independence of North Korea and South
15    Korea while maintaining a demilitarized zone between the two
16    nations. A formal peace treaty was never signed.
17        (9)    In December 2021, South Korea, North Korea, China
18    and the United States agreed to declare a formal end to the
19    Korean War.
20        (10)    Approximately 36,000 members of the United States
21    Armed Forces lost their lives in Korea, more than 92,000 were
22    wounded and 8,000 were missing.
23        (11)    The Korean War has been referred to as the
24    Forgotten War from a lack of media attention following World
25    War II.
26        (12)    The insufficient public awareness does not allow
27    the members of the United States Armed Forces who served
28    bravely and faithfully for the United States to be duly
29    recognized.
30        (13)    In 1995, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was

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 1      completed and dedicated in the District of Columbia to
 2      commemorate those members of the United States Armed Forces
 3      who served in Korea.
 4      (b)   Designation.--July 27 of each year shall be designated
 5   as Korean War Veterans Armistice Day in this Commonwealth.
 6      (c)   Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
 7   proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
 8   institutions to observe Korean War Veterans Armistice Day and
 9   conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those
10   involved in the Korean War and remembering the sacrifices they
11   made for their country. The proclamation may not mandate a
12   public school or educational institution to participate in the
13   observance.
14      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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