You may have seen movie previews for “The Monuments Men” which opens in theaters nationwide today. I’m excited to see this movie based on the true story about those who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section of the Western Allied military effort. The movie tells the story of the men and women initially charged with protecting structures, such as churches, museums, and monuments, from destruction during World War II. Their responsibilities later shifted to recovering art and artifacts stolen by Nazis across Europe. Today we are able to enjoy numerous works of art created by the some of the world’s most renowned artists including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso thanks to the mission of the Monuments Men. 

I’m proud to support legislation that awards the Congressional Gold Medal to this group of approximately 350 men and women from 13 countries who worked to preserve, protect and restore millions of pieces of artwork, sculptures, and other cultural artifacts in Europe during WWII. This is a deserving honor that highlights the remarkable sacrifices they endured to protect pieces of history for future generations. Through this effort and the story being brought to life by Hollywood, we can encourage continued learning about the heroics of the Monuments Men.