Radio Report: Abell bill would create Global War on Terror Memorial at state Capitol

January 22, 2026

A new proposal at the state Capitol would create a permanent memorial honoring Washington service members who fought the Global War on Terror. John Sattgast reports from Olympia.

SATTGAST: House Bill 2514 would establish a new memorial on the Capitol Campus honoring service members in the Global War on Terror.

The bill is sponsored by Representative Hunter Abell of Inchelium. The Capitol already includes memorials for World War One and Two, Korea, and Vietnam — but Abell says those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan are not yet formally recognized.

ABELL: “So I introduced House Bill 2514 that says we will build a global war on terrorism memorial to honor those service members from Washington who lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And it creates a process to do that and creates a roughly five-year timeline to get it done.”

SATTGAST: Abell, who has a military background, says the memorial would recognize Washingtonians who died in those conflicts, including many who deployed through Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

ABELL: “It honors those who gave the last full measure of devotion in service to our country. And I think this is part of what state government should do.”

SATTGAST: The bill would establish a work group to oversee design, location, and fundraising, with most of the memorial expected to be privately funded.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.