[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 70 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5148-S5149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              MEMORIAL DAY

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President and fellow Senators, on Monday May 
26 our Nation observes Memorial Day; a day of remembrance for all the 
members of our Armed Forces who gave their lives so that our Nation 
could be free. Sometimes it seems as if, in our haste to address the 
issues of the day, we forget that the freedom we enjoy--the freedom we 
take for granted--was not free. Countless American soldiers, seamen, 
marines, and pilots paid for our freedom with their lives. On the last 
Monday of May each year we honor our veterans, fly the flag at half-
staff, and pause to remember their sacrifice.
  It is unfortunate that if you look in the newspapers or watch the ads 
on TV, you might think that the only purpose Memorial Day serves is to 
announce the beginning of another summer season or the start of a new 
sales drive. But if you spend some time talking with veterans like 
those who returned from Europe, Korea, or Vietnam; if you talk with 
those who landed at Normandy or those who survived the Bataan Death 
March, you learn the real purpose of Memorial Day--to honor the men and 
women who gave their lives, most at a very young age--in defense of our 
Nation.

[[Page S5149]]

  Today the United States stands alone as the world's only superpower. 
Today, more often than not our foreign policy debates concern trade, 
rather than war; economic issues rather than military issues. It is at 
times like this, times of peace, that we should pay extra attention to 
the true purpose of Memorial Day.
  The good news is that American citizens understand and respect the 
role veterans have played in our Nation's history. If you look at the 
size of the crowds that visit the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam 
War Memorial here in DC you get a sense of how Americans feel about 
their veterans. The same scene is duplicated time and time again at 
veterans' memorials all across the country. Recently I had the honor of 
participating in a ceremony marking the progress of the new Veterans' 
Memorial Park being built in Albuquerque. It is with the creation of 
special places like this park that our Nation continues to honor the 
service and sacrifice of all our veterans.
  Mr. President, we set aside one day each year to officially honor 
those who died for our freedom. For all that our military veterans have 
done for us, it is the least we could do. To all the veterans, thank 
you.

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