WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to reverse his administration’s decision to reject a permit request filed by American Veterans (AMVETS) to use the Pentagon’s parking lot as the staging area for their Rolling To Remember Memorial Day event.  Memorial Day traditions like Rolling to Remember have been granted permits by every administration, Democrat and Republican, for the past 30 years.   

"I would have hoped that President Biden would have more respect for a Memorial Day tradition, which raises awareness to the 82,000 service members who are still missing in actions and that 22 veterans die by suicide each day," Rep. Mast said. "That is why today, I am urging President Biden to reverse his administration's decision and grant Rolling to Remember their permit request to use the Pentagon's parking lot."

In March, the Pentagon's Special Event Team initially sent AMVETS approval to use the Pentagon parking lot for their annual Rolling To Remember Memorial Day event only to revoke that approval a week later, citing a "routing error.”  Following this decision, Rep. Mast wrote to the Pentagon urging them to approve the permit.

Last Friday, however, the Department of Defense informed AMVETS that their permit request had been officially denied. The Biden Administration is the only thing stopping this event from happening as nine-state, local, and federal agencies had already approved the permit for this year's event. 

BACKGROUND

• AMVETS is a Congressionally-chartered veterans service organization, representing the interests of 20 million veterans.
• The Pentagon parking lot has been used for the last three decades to host Memorial Day events like Rolling To Remember.
• The Rolling To Remember event raises awareness to the 82,000 service members who are still missing in actions and that 22 veterans die by suicide each day.

A copy of the letter that Rep. Mast sent to President Biden can be found below.

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