The Roanoke Times | File June

The president of the National D-Day Foundation said last month the money-strapped Bedford monument was on the brink of closing.

Efforts continue to add Bedford's National D-Day Memorial to the list of monuments and historic sites owned and operated by the U.S. National Park Service.

The United States Senate voted 87-7 Thursday to pass a defense spending bill that includes language instructing the Department of the Interior to study the feasibility of adding the memorial to the National Park Service's list of sites. The amendment was added by Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb, who have also introduced a stand-alone version of the legislation.

Webb spokeswoman Kimberly Hunter said the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 is now scheduled to go to a conference committee, but she expects the final version of the bill will include the language regarding the D-Day Memorial.

The memorial opened in 2001 to recognize the largest land, air and sea operation in military history -- the Allied landing at Normandy, France, in World War II. Since opening, the memorial has attracted more than 1 million visitors.

Last month, however, National D-Day Foundation President William McIntosh said the memorial was running out of cash and on the brink of closing.

The foundation operates on a $2.2 million annual budget. About $600,000 -- or about 27 percent -- is generated by the guests who visit the memorial through ticket sales, tours and gift shop proceeds. The rest comes from contributions.

"As one who grew up in the military, was privileged to serve, and who remains proud of the service of my son and my son-in-law, I share the commitment of stewardship felt by so many in Bedford for the sacrifices made on D-Day," Webb said in a news release. "I am pleased that a study will now be conducted to put the National D-Day Memorial -- an important part of both Virginia and our nation's cultural history--on track to be a part of the U.S. National Park System."

Said Warner: "I believe it is appropriate that our efforts to preserve the Bedford D-Day Memorial are part of significant bipartisan legislation that also ensures that today's military men and women -- and their families -- get the additional support that they need and deserve."