[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S3027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                               D-DAY 2018

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today we are proceeding to consideration 
of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, which 
is fitting: On this day 74 years ago, thousands of American troops, 
alongside our allies, executed a bold assault on the beaches of 
Normandy. The bravery of those troops on D-Day in their stand against 
Nazi tyranny and oppression has been admired by a grateful world ever 
since. The Nazi regime upended democratic freedoms and espoused a 
system of persistent human rights violations bent on trampling the 
existence of minority groups which culminated in the concentration 
camps and genocide. The accomplishments of allied forces on D-Day and 
thereafter during Operation Overlord led to the defeat of the Adolph 
Hitler's Nazi government and its heinous authoritarian, nationalist 
ideology.
  D-Day remains a sterling example of how international partnerships 
and a spirit of collaborative defiance can overcome seemingly 
insurmountable odds. It is also a stark reminder of what is required in 
the presence of iniquitous leaders. The leaders of the D-Day alliance 
and the troops who fought mightily that day on the beaches and in the 
French countryside and towns deserve our most sincere thanks and 
admiration. It is because of their bravery and hardship that the 
western world remains free.
  As we remember the courageous actions of those present that ``longest 
day,'' I ask that we express our gratitude by carrying on their 
example. We must resist the present-day reemergence of nationalist and 
racist influences in the Western world and beyond. Concurrently, we 
must hold authoritarian regimes accountable for their acts against 
humanity. We must expand our diplomatic reach by strengthening our 
alliances against authoritarianism. By working together like the daring 
souls who fought on D-Day, we can secure a future free from cruelty, 
oppression, and persecution.

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