President Barack Obama signed a bill on June 30, approving Franklin Roosevelt’s D-Day Prayer to be added to the World War II Memorial in Washington DC. The House passed the bill earlier in the month and now, the prayer that was broadcast on June 6, 1944 after Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France to fight Nazi troops, will be added to the monument.
The prayer reads in part, “Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment, let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.”
Senator Rob Portman co-sponsored the bill along with Republican Bill Johnson and a private fundraising will be organized to have the prayer inscribed onto the existing memorial. In a statement, Portman said that he was attempting to forever remember the brave hearts who fought in World War II, especially those who fought on D-Day.
“Every day, countless Americans volunteer to serve our country. Many more before them have made the greatest sacrifice of all, giving their lives to defend our freedoms. On D-Day, our nation mourned our men overseas who fell while combating tyranny. President Roosevelt asked us to come together to pray for these courageous heroes, and his words provided strength and comfort to a grieving nation. At no cost to the taxpayer, my bill will immortalize this extraordinary prayer on the World War II Memorial so it becomes a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of not just those who fought in World War II, but also of the men and women who fight for us today and all those who lay down their lives for the cause of liberty,” he said.
Several groups have denounced the bill calling it an unnecessary religious expression in a public place that welcomes visitors of all faiths or no faith whatsoever. Some have also gone on to say that the bill is supported by Christian Coalition of American and Ohio Christian Alliance while bodies like Americans United for Separation of Church and State oppose it.