[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 122 (Thursday, July 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S7275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ``PLANET'S'' WORK AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, this week marked the 11th anniversary of the 
Professional Landcare Network's ``Renewal and Remembrance'' event. Each 
year for more than a decade, hundreds of lawn care, landscape and tree 
care specialists from the Professional Landcare Network, PLANET, donate 
their time and expertise to refurbish the grounds of Arlington National 
Cemetery.
  Arlington National Cemetery is one of the most hallowed places in all 
of America. President Lincoln established the grounds at Arlington as a 
military cemetery in 1864. By the end of the Civil War, Arlington 
housed 16,000 graves. It now serves as the final resting place for over 
300,000 of our Nation's most distinguished service personnel and public 
officials, including hundreds of distinguished North Carolinians. 
Veterans from all of the Nation's wars are interred at Arlington, from 
the American Revolution through the present wars in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. The gravesites of these men and women span an area of 624 
acres.
  The beauty and simple elegance of Arlington's grounds is renowned 
throughout the world, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, 
mourners, and tourists every year. The work that goes into maintaining 
Arlington is a reflection of the honor and reverence that America has 
for our veterans and leaders. The members of PLANET share in this 
reverence. Through their work at Arlington each year, they have 
demonstrated a special level of commitment to the memory of our 
countrymen who have made some of the greatest sacrifices.
  Many PLANET members who volunteered their time and expertise this 
past week have a personal connection to Arlington, either through 
relatives or friends who are buried there or through their own military 
service. But whether or not they have a family or service connection to 
the cemetery, all of the volunteers care deeply about maintaining 
Arlington as a place of dignity and respect in recognition of those who 
have served the public good and those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice.
  Their work does not go unnoticed by the family members of those who 
are buried at Arlington, nor does it go unnoticed by the membership of 
the U.S. Senate. I applaud the generosity of the PLANET members who 
devoted their work to honor our Nation's servicemembers.

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