(Idaho State) U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) applaud the U.S. House of Representatives passage of their bipartisan legislation, S.1478, designating U.S. Highway 20, which runs from Oregon to Massachusetts, the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” The bill unanimously passed the U.S. Senate in December 2023, and now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature to become law.
“Idaho’s veterans enrich our communities through service past and present. Medal of Honor recipients have acted well beyond the call of duty, and many continue to do so long after they leave military service,” said Crapo. “This 3,000-mile recognition ensures all Medal of Honor recipients are honored across 12 states for many years to come.”
“Our veterans in Oregon and throughout America deserve every honor we can bestow on them for their brave service to our nation,” said Wyden. “I’m gratified our country’s longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, will be designated as the ‘National Medal of Honor Highway,’ standing as a timeless tribute to the heroes of Oregon and America who helped make this grassroots movement a reality.”
The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress’s name. U.S. servicemembers who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” can receive the medal.
Redesignating U.S. Highway 20–the longest continuous highway in the United States–as the “National Medal of Honor Highway” would honor each state’s current and future Medal of Honor recipients and recipients from any state who travel on it.
In March 2019, Idaho designated its 400-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 20 to be the Idaho Medal of Honor Highway. Legislatures and governors in the other 11 states along U.S. Highway 20 have also designated their state Medal of Honor Highways, thus covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 accounts for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the “National Medal of Honor Highway” would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored.
The legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
