Awarded to the mon mucuments meo worked to preserve arts and cultural artifacts in world war ii saving them from theft and destruction by nazi germany. This u. S. Capitol Visitors Center ceremony is about half an hour. Mr. Speaker, members of congress, ambassadors and other honored guests, we are gathered to celebrate the achievements of some 350 men and women from 14 nations who served in the monuments fine arts and archive section. We now know these men and scholar, men and women, as the Monuments Men. Only six are still living. Ann olivier bell and reuben sammy were unable to travel, however, bernard taper, richard beransik, and harry etlinger are with us today. So, too, are 175 family members of Monuments Men since passed. Our Founding Fathers committed to us the cause of freedom. The Monuments Men did no less for the respect and preservation of our shared Cultural Treasures. As early as 1942, george stout who would become the leader of the Monuments Men in europe and establish the