Issa Requests Records of Biden Administration’s Cancelation of Permit for Veterans’ Memorial Day Event
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin requesting documents that would reveal the Pentagon’s denial of the AMVETS annual Memorial Day Rolling to Remember motorcycle ride that has occurred for more than three decades in the nation’s capital.
The Issa oversight letter requests all emails, records, communications and documents regarding the Administration’s approval, rescindment, and, ultimately, denial of the veterans’ plan to honor America’s warriors who have fallen in battle.
Issa said: “No one believes that a group politically aligned with this Administration would be getting denied like this. The plain fact is that this is one of the most anti-veteran acts by a White House in recent memory, and we intend to get to the bottom of it.”
In part, the letter reads:
It is troubling that the Department would approve and then deny a long-standing request without conversation or explanation.[1] This rescindment suggests interference in the standard consideration process.
The rejection letter issued on April 30, cited the high COVID transmission rate in the event area of Arlington, Virginia. The concern regarding COVID, however, is belied by the Administration’s very actions.
First, Pentagon parking lots are currently used daily for parking by hundreds of DOD employees and contractors. Second, the President staged his own drive-in rally on April 30 in Duluth, Georgia, where the COVID positivity rate was significantly higher than Arlington. In fact, the cases per 100,000 people were 2,530 greater and total COVID cases were 71,312 greater. Third, CDC guidance on large gatherings recommends attending drive-in events as an alternative to indoor events.[2]
On April 23, before the final Pentagon denial, Issa and Congressman Ken Calvert sent a joint letter to the Department of Defense urging their consideration of the permit request.
On May 6, Issa urged President Biden to overturn the Pentagon denial and announced that he would author legislation to authorize the permit for a year, as well as to protect this sacred Memorial Day tradition for years to come.
On May 13, Issa introduced the Let Veterans Remember the Fallen Act to permit Pentagon parking lot access for the event moving forward.
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[1] Organizers say Pentagon is jeopardizing Memorial Day motorcycle ride - Veterans - Stripes