“Congress makes the following findings:“(1) From 2014 through 2018, the United States and nations around the world will mark the centennial of World War I, including the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917.
“(2) America’s support of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and its other allies in World War I marked the first time in United States history that American soldiers went abroad in defense of liberty against foreign aggression, and it marked the true beginning of the ‘American century’.
“(3) Although World War I was at the time called ‘the war to end all wars’, in fact the United States would commit its troops to the defense of foreign lands 3 more times in the 20th century.
“(4) More than 4,000,000 men and women from the United States served in uniform during World War I, among them 2 future presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Two million individuals from the United States served overseas during World War I, including 200,000 naval personnel who served on the seas. The United States suffered 375,000 casualties during World War I, including 116,516 deaths.
“(5) The events of 1914 through 1918 shaped the world, the United States, and the lives of millions of people.
“(6) The centennial of World War I offers an opportunity for people in the United States to learn about and commemorate the sacrifices of their predecessors.
“(7) Commemorative programs, activities, and sites allow people in the United States to learn about the history of World War I, the United States involvement in that war, and the war’s effects on the remainder of the 20th century, and to commemorate and honor the participation of the United States and its citizens in the war effort.