[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 20, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2528-S2531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Memorial Day

  Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, on Monday we honor the fallen on Memorial 
Day. While we traditionally spend this day of remembrance with our 
family and friends, things will look a little bit different this year. 
Even though we will not have the same services and ceremonies that we 
typically take part in, it does not make this day any less important. 
Just like every year, on this Memorial Day, let's commemorate the 
servicemembers and families who have sacrificed in defense of our 
freedom.
  The freedoms we cherish, which are so often taken for granted, did 
not come without a price. For generations, American patriots have 
secured our blessings of liberty by willingly laying down their lives 
in defense of our great Nation.
  Every fallen soldier leaves behind a grieving parent, child, sibling, 
spouse, or friend. These family members and friends never forget that 
knock at the door, the sound of Taps, the loud thunder of the 21-gun 
salute, or the touch of a folded flag once laid on a casket.
  As a combat veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, I know 
that the men and women in uniform who served bravely alongside the 
fallen never forget either. I think of Iowans, like Iraq War veteran 
Richard Miles, whose picture I proudly display on my desk; Iowa Army 
National Guardsman Brent Maher.
  Iowa National Guardsman James Carney, whose family are dear friends, 
just 22 years old, was killed in Afghanistan. Army SGT James ``Jamie'' 
Skalberg, Jr, died in combat in Afghanistan at just 25 years old, 
leaving behind his beautiful son, who was not even a year old when he 
lost his father.
  SGT Joseph Milledge was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his 
unit, as it searched for weapons in Baghdad, and he was just 23. It was 
the knock that I gave on his mother's door to tell her that her son 
would never be coming back home.
  Command SMA Marilyn Gabbard, the first woman in the Iowa Army 
National Guard to be promoted to the rank of Command Sergeant Major, 
was killed in Iraq in a Blackhawk helicopter crash.
  These stories and many, many more of these men and women of Iowa are 
heartbreaking and heroic and the very reason for Memorial Day.
  For 23 years, I served alongside the best of our Nation, women and 
men who risked absolutely everything to preserve our great freedoms. 
One of the many ways I pay tribute is through a ruck march. Every 
couple of months--that is, until COVID-19--I would gather a group of 
people to go on a ruck march. I grab my rucksack, filled with nearly 35 
pounds of weight, and march down around the Washington Monument and 
back. These marches offer time for us to remember and reflect on the 
service and sacrifice of those in our armed services.
  A couple of years ago, I went on the Bataan Memorial Death March in 
White Sands, NM. This is 26 miles. It is a marathon in the desert, with 
a 46-pound rucksack--not my typical 35 pounds. Folks, let me tell you, 
it was exhausting. My feet were blistered. My legs were swollen and 
sore, and my back ached for days after. There were times during that 
march when I thought I couldn't keep walking and I was probably 
dehydrated, and I just simply wanted to quit. But every minute and 
every mile was worth it because we were honoring the lives of the 
fallen, those who were on that Bataan death march and others who had 
sacrificed family, comfort, health, and, in so many cases, their lives. 
The Bataan march really put the meaning behind Memorial Day into focus.
  While this weekend is a time to reflect on the sacrifice and lives 
lost, this entire month is Military Appreciation Month. So I want to 
take just a minute to commend our servicemembers. During this pandemic, 
our men and women in uniform have fought tirelessly against this 
invisible enemy, and they have been doing an outstanding job.
  For instance, our troops have stepped up to care for patients in 
hospitals and created deployable medical units, such as the Air Force 
expeditionary medical system, Army combat support hospitals and field 
hospitals, and Navy expeditionary medical facilities. Members of our 
U.S. Air Force have transported critical supplies around our Nation.
  And the heroes who are near and dear to my heart, our National 
Guardsmen, have been working around the clock to disinfect public 
spaces, to hand out food, and to provide transportation and logistic 
support.
  To all of our servicemembers at home and abroad, thank you. And to 
their families and loved ones who also make tremendous sacrifices, we 
appreciate you and we support you. Because of the ongoing service of 
our military men and women, we will defeat this virus. Folks, on this 
Memorial Day and during Military Appreciation Month, I pray we take 
time out of our lives, we pause, and we remember all of those who have 
made the ultimate sacrifice, and the families and the friends and loved 
ones whom they left behind.
  To all of our soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors who never 
returned home, today we honor you.
  May God bless our troops and their families.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, let me join my other colleagues in 
appreciation for Senator Ernst and her service in Iraqi Freedom, her 
two decades of service, being ready and able to go whenever she was 
called to go, and her continued service here, and her appreciation for 
those who serve, which she feels in such a unique way.
  She pointed out that this is a different Memorial Day. Communities 
across Missouri and across the country have traditional events that 
were long planned on Memorial Day. Every year, Memorial Day looks the 
same. It will not look the same in very many places this year. If you 
did have a parade or an event planned, it was probably canceled weeks 
ago. Even with the best of efforts, it was probably not put together 
for Monday.
  But it doesn't mean that we still don't have an opportunity and an 
obligation, in fact, to remember those who served. Also, Memorial Day 
has long become a time, at least where I live, in the middle of the 
country--and it may be more southern and in southern Missouri than in 
other places. Memorial Day really became a day to remember all of those 
who have gone before us, those who passed along values to us, those who 
have done things that made life possible today.
  When I was growing up, sometimes we called Memorial Day ``Decoration 
Day,'' because it was the beginning of the tradition of Memorial Day, 
and people would go and decorate the graves of soldiers after the Civil 
War. That has continued. Memorial Day became a time when families would 
go to cemeteries, and you sort of had the genealogical lesson right 
there, as you walked from gravestone to gravestone, and it was 
explained to you how those people were related to you.
  Many family members who were here last year aren't here today and 
will not be here on Monday. Clearly, the coronavirus pandemic has had a 
devastating impact on families. It has had a devastating impact on 
communities. It has had a devastating impact on lives.
  As we support this Memorial Day, as we think about this Memorial Day, 
we will be remembering a unique Memorial Day, where so many have given

[[Page S2529]]

their lives in a war that was different than other wars, to an enemy 
that was not easily seen, to an enemy that turned out to be deadlier 
around the world than any would have predicted. And that is part of 
Memorial Day this year.
  Part of Memorial Day is remembering the sacrifices that people have 
made, and we also on this day want to remember the sacrifices that 
people made to try to keep people alive with this virus--the sacrifices 
people have made to try to give care, to bring people out of the 
emergency room, to bring people off the ventilators, and to do those 
things.
  It is, in fact, a unique Memorial Day. It is a Memorial Day where, 75 
years ago, we were just finishing the incredibly devastating war of 
World War II. V-E Day ended the war in Europe on May 8. Seventy-five 
years ago right now, American soldiers were fighting the Battle of 
Okinawa. Just 2 weeks before that, our country and our allies fought 
the fierce Battle of Iwo Jima. These were really the two last major 
battles.
  One of the people who died on Iwo Jima was an 18-year-old marine from 
Bates County, MO, named George Phillips. On the night of March 14, an 
enemy hand grenade was tossed into the area where his squad had sought 
shelter. Private Phillips shouted a warning and threw his body on top 
of the grenade, saving the lives of every other person there, but gave 
his life to save theirs.
  For his actions that day, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. The 
citation was signed by another former soldier from Missouri--President 
Truman--honoring that bravery.
  That kind of unhesitating bravery is a characteristic of American 
soldiers over centuries of understanding what it meant to defend your 
family, to defend your friends, to defend those serving with you, and, 
in the case of our country, to be willing to defend freedom, to be 
willing to jump on the grenade, to be willing to do what is necessary 
to protect others.
  We have seen many examples of that in the last year. Some of those 
examples were in the military. Others were in those who protect us and 
in first responders and police and fire, and then many examples of 
people who risked their lives to save others with the virus that has 
attacked our country.
  We have a lot to think about this Memorial Day, a lot to dedicate 
ourselves toward as we look to a future where people continue to help 
others, where people continue to give selflessly, and for those who 
have served in the military, to be willing to pay whatever price, and 
we stand in appreciation of that on this Memorial Day, as we approach 
this weekend.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, it is an honor for me to be here with my 
fellow Senators. I was very moved by Senator Ernst's recounting not 
only of her service but of the service of so many Iowans, and Senator 
Blunt, as well, from Missouri, reminding me of what Memorial Day is for 
and how it is commemorated around the country for those brave soldiers 
from Missouri.
  So we are getting ready to commemorate Memorial Day, and we will be 
doing it differently than we have in the past years. But it is still 
just as important for us to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. 
armed services. They have selflessly served our country by standing up 
to protect the freedoms that we hold so dear and going into the line of 
fire in many ways.
  This Memorial Day is particularly momentous because 2020 marks the 
75th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II. Earlier this month, 
on May 8, as Senator Blunt mentioned, we recognized V-E Day, or Victory 
in Europe Day, marking the anniversary of the Nazi surrender and the 
end of the Allies' European campaign.
  In a few months, on September 2, we will recognize the 75th 
anniversary of Japan's signing its surrender, subsequently ending the 
Pacific campaign and the war.
  During World War II, the United States lost over 400,000 soldiers, 
who were fighting to uphold our values and defend the liberties of 
those abroad as well.
  As the daughter of a proud World War II veteran myself, I had the 
chance to hear firsthand the acts of valor that my father, SGT Arch 
Moore, witnessed on the battlefield.
  I also had the honor this past December to travel with several of my 
colleagues to Luxembourg and Belgium to commemorate the 75th 
anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. My dad was wounded just weeks 
before the battle, where he was, but his company went on to fight in 
Belgium, and only 3 of the 36 men made it out alive. I think about 
those 33 men and their families on this Memorial Day.
  Being able to attend those ceremonies and to honor all of the 
soldiers who fought during the Battle of the Bulge was a humbling 
experience that I will never forget, and those who returned to 
commemorate that occasion, most of them were in their nineties--mid to 
late nineties.
  The efforts of our servicemembers in both the European and Pacific 
theaters were great.
  A couple of months ago we marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle 
of Iwo Jima. I was hoping to go to commemorate that, as well, but the 
coronavirus got in the way. The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy were able to 
seize the island and to give America the stronghold needed to win the 
war months later.
  While this year marks the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of World 
War II, we must also never forget all of the Americans who have lost 
their lives in battle, whether it be the Korean war, the Vietnam war, 
the first Gulf war, or the ongoing fight against terrorism in the 
Middle East and in all of the conflicts that America has fought.
  Many of our country's servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice 
to keep our liberties intact.
  I recently read a book called ``No Surrender,'' by Christopher 
Edmonds. You may have heard of it. It is the true story of his father, 
Roddie Edmonds, who risked his life during the final days of World War 
II to save others from the Nazis. His heroic duty saved, I think, 
thousands of lives. He was captured and sent to a POW camp in Germany. 
He risked his life to prevent hundreds of others from Nazi persecution 
and possible death, but at the same time he witnessed horrific acts and 
he also witnessed many, many of his fellow soldiers losing their lives 
in the name of freedom.
  The members of the U.S. military have always put our country first 
and will continue to do so to keep our flag flying high, and Roddie 
Edmonds was a perfect example of this. West Virginians have always 
believed in putting our country and State first, and I am proud of all 
of the men and women in my State, of which we have a very high 
percentage--past and present--who have answered the call of duty.
  It saddens me that we will not be able to come together in person, as 
we normally do as a nation, to honor the heroic efforts of the brave 
men and women in our country who have given the ultimate sacrifice in 
service, but I know we will come together in spirit. While we might not 
have the usual parade and barbecues that we have become accustomed to 
on Memorial Day, we can use this time to reflect upon the sacrifices 
made by our Armed Forces and their families.
  Whether you are at home or with a small group of friends and family, 
I encourage everyone to take the time to remember those who lost their 
lives serving our country. Memorial Day is often considered the first 
unofficial day of the summer, but really it is a time to pay tribute to 
those who made America the great country that it is today. On Monday, 
take a moment to pray for those servicemembers who have lost their 
lives fighting for this country and for their families as well. For the 
children who are out of school, take time to learn more about the men 
and women who came before you and defended this country and its values.
  I want to say thank you to all of those who have served and to all of 
those families who have lost loved ones. Your sacrifice has not gone 
unnoticed, and we are forever grateful
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise with my esteemed colleague from 
West Virginia and my colleague from Missouri and others to remember, to 
commemorate, and to honor those who have given their lives in service 
to our

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country. Those who fought and died for our Nation have secured our 
freedoms, and we are forever indebted to them. That includes many North 
Dakotans who gave their lives serving in our Nation's Armed Forces. 
These fallen heroes served in World War I, World War II, Korea, 
Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
  While we set aside a day each year, Memorial Day, to honor those who 
have given their lives on behalf of our Nation, every day we are 
reminded of the dedication and sacrifice of those who serve to protect 
our freedoms and liberty.
  We must never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, as 
well as those who are missing in action. That is why in 2014 I 
supported legislation to create the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. 
This DOD Agency seeks to locate the nearly 82,000 missing service 
personnel, so we can bring them home and provide answers to their 
families.
  We also recognize that those who serve do not serve alone. The 
friends and family of those in the service of our country also serve, 
and those who have lost loved ones know well the cost of freedom. As 
fellow Americans, it is our duty to ensure that their survivors are 
taken care of and that these heroes are never forgotten.
  We can better uphold our promise and honor those who made the 
ultimate sacrifice by providing their fellow servicemembers, veterans, 
and their survivors with the healthcare benefits and recognition that 
they have earned. That is why we continue to work with the Department 
of Veteran Affairs as they implement the VA MISSION Act, which gives 
our veterans more options to seek care in their home communities, and 
veterans are provided access to long-term and nursing home care closer 
to home.
  Last fall, I also helped to dedicate the Fargo National Cemetery, the 
first VA national cemetery in North Dakota. We worked to secure the 
cemetery because its presence allows North Dakotans who have served to 
be laid to rest with honor, while being close enough to their homes for 
family and loved ones to visit and pay their respects to our heroes.
  The new cemetery complements the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in 
Mandan, which is operated by the State. To help support maintenance and 
operations of our State's veterans cemeteries, I am helping to 
introduce a bipartisan bill--the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement 
Act--with Senators Tester, Rounds, and Reed, so that State-operated 
veterans cemeteries receive the funding they need to ensure that all of 
our veterans can be laid to rest closer to their loved ones.
  Our servicemembers and their families have given much in defense of 
our Nation and our way of life. The State of North Dakota especially 
has a rich tradition of military service.
  With deepest appreciation and admiration, we look to the meaning of 
their service, never forgetting to honor those who have passed, and we 
extend our gratitude to the families and loved ones left behind.
  May God bless those who have gone before, those who continue to 
serve, and may He continue to bless this great country that they have 
served so very well.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, throughout America, we set aside Memorial 
Day to honor those who gave their all for all of us, but this Memorial 
Day will be very different from those we have celebrated in the past, 
as we honor our veterans. This Memorial Day, there will be no big 
parades and no formal ceremonies at State veterans cemeteries.
  In Bangor, ME, where I live, each year there is a fabulous Memorial 
Day parade in which veterans from all conflicts and all eras march down 
Main Street, often with walking sticks that were provided by one of 
Maine's greatest veterans, Galen Cole, who passed away recently, a 
World War II veteran who made a pledge that he would always honor our 
veterans.
  But despite the absence of big parades and big celebrations of 
fireworks this year, we should still take the time to honor those who 
have worn the uniform of our country.
  From America's founding to our time, the men and women of our Armed 
Forces have written the history of our freedom. From generation to 
generation, they add new and inspiring chapters of valor, devotion to 
duty, and sacrifice. As we honor the fallen, we also honor those who 
served and returned home and those who serve today, joined together, as 
we grieve for their fallen comrades.
  We also thank the families--the husbands, wives, sons and daughters, 
brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers--who endure the grief that is 
part of freedom's price.
  It is significant that a day dedicated to the deepest of human 
emotions--grief, remembrance, and gratitude--began not by decree from 
any high authority but in the hearts of everyday people. As the Civil 
War ravaged the countryside and took on an ever greater and more 
ghastly toll, widows and grieving mothers on both sides of the conflict 
began placing wild flowers on the graves of the soldiers, regardless of 
uniform, who fell in their fields and forests.
  From those humble beginnings, we have remained true to Memorial Day's 
original spirit. Memorial Day is a national observance. Yet it remains 
deeply personal for each of us.
  For me, it brings back a cherished memory from my early childhood. My 
father was a World War II veteran who was wounded twice in the Battle 
of the Bulge. He taught me to honor our veterans and our flag, and each 
year, as I was growing up, he would take me to the Memorial Day parade 
in our hometown of Caribou, ME. He would perch me high on his shoulders 
and there, from the best vantage point, I could see our veterans march 
by and our flag go by.
  Memorial Day is all about remembrance. It is also about our resolve 
to uphold the values that inspire the sacrifice we honor today. This 
was best articulated in what many regard as the first and finest 
Memorial Day speech. It was not given on a warm May morning but on a 
chilly November afternoon, in a place called Gettysburg.
  These are the words of President Abraham Lincoln: ``That from these 
honored dead, we take increased devotion to that cause for which they 
gave the last full measure of devotion.''
  May those who have fallen rest in peace. May we always remember them 
this Memorial Day and forever, and may God bless the United States of 
America.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Indiana.
  Mr. YOUNG. Memorial Day. If you travel door to door in neighborhoods 
across this country, all Americans will agree that this day is special. 
It is a day to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice 
on behalf of our country. Thanks to their heroism, we have our freedom, 
our strong democracy, and our country's greatness. For their 
contributions, we owe them a debt we can never repay.
  It was 152 years ago that our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, 
enacted the first national Memorial Day. It was a day meant to honor 
the valiant soldiers who fought in the Civil War, and today we still 
heed Abraham Lincoln's timeless words:

       Bind up the nation's wounds to care for him who shall have 
     borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.

  To me, Memorial Day is a day to reflect--reflect on the Hoosiers and 
other great Americans we have lost to causes greater than their own.
  This day honors Alec, LCpl Alec Terwiske of Dubois, IN, a fellow U.S. 
marine. Alec lost his life in the line of service in Afghanistan in 
2012, and I proudly wear his memorial bracelet around my wrist as a 
reminder of that sacrifice.
  This day honors James, CPL James Bethel Gresham from Evansville, IN. 
He is in the history books for being among the first American soldiers 
to give their lives in the line of duty during World War I.
  This day honors Charles, SGT Charles G. Ruble of Parker City, IN, who 
was killed in Europe during World War II in 1944. His remains were 
recently identified and returned to the United States, and in March, he 
was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
  This day honors Christopher. Just 2 weeks ago, we lost SGT 
Christopher Wesley Curry. Only 23 years old, this Hoosier soldier from 
Terre Haute, IN, was stationed in Iraq. Those who knew Christopher 
said:


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       Sgt. Curry's incessant optimism was the hallmark of his 
     personality and often provided respite for others during 
     times of stress. His honesty, lightheartedness, and wit will 
     always be remembered by his brothers in arms.

  To those who are not here today because they made the ultimate 
sacrifice for our Nation, we humbly say thank you. Their legacy lives 
on in the hearts of every American.
  God bless America.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Young and Senator 
Collins, who have just preceded me and set the tone, as only they can 
do, with regard to honoring Memorial Day.
  It is truly an honor to stand on the floor of the Senate and speak 
about so many who have served and defended our Nation. As the son of a 
World War II veteran--a marine veteran, I might add--and a veteran 
myself, also a marine, it is a privilege to represent our men and women 
in uniform in the U.S. Senate and to be able to ensure they have all 
the tools they need to fulfill their missions, to ensure their families 
are supported here at home, and to ensure our veterans receive the care 
and services they deserve.
  Just a word about my dad. He was 41 when the war started. He joined 
the Marines--he was in a non-combat role--at a recruiting station in 
Kansas City. They looked and looked and looked for a combat billet and 
finally found one that said that the top age was 39. They really needed 
people. He was 41. He lied about his age, and then went into that 
billet to see action in Guam, Okinawa, and, yes, Iwo Jima.
  I went to Iwo Jima on the 15th anniversary--that was about 60 years 
ago. We now have the 75th. When standing on top of Mount Suribachi, you 
really stop and realize exactly the sacrifice my dad and others made. 
He survived those attacks, and thank you to President Truman for 
allowing my dad to get back.
  Throughout our Nation's history, our service men and women have 
repeatedly answered the call of duty and stepped forward to defend the 
freedoms we hold dear. From the earliest days of struggle for our 
Republic to the current unprecedented threats from terrorism, to cyber 
attacks, to unpredictable regimes with missile capability to attack our 
shores, and, yes, to global pandemics, the principles set forth by our 
Founding Fathers have been defended by our brave men and women in 
uniform.
  I stand here once again to commemorate those who have made the 
ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. Hopefully they will continue to be 
remembered by those of us who enjoy the freedoms for which they fought 
and died.
  Memorial Day is the day when a grateful nation recognizes those who 
have given so much out of love for their country, their family, and 
their fellow citizens.
  Remembering service and sacrifice does not happen just on Memorial 
Day. One of the greatest honors to me is meeting the veterans who visit 
Washington, DC, through the incredible efforts of the Honor Flight 
Network. Having the opportunity to visit with members of the ``greatest 
generation'' who make the journey to Washington--often with high school 
students who are learning firsthand about their service and that 
history--so they can see their memorial is a humbling and uplifting 
experience for me and for all of us. To watch these men and women share 
their stories, many for the first time, is incredibly moving.
  When meeting these members of the ``greatest generation,'' you 
understand how befitting that label is for these humble men and women 
who stood in the face of tyranny and triumph. We see this same courage 
and resolve demonstrated daily by the good men and women currently 
serving in our Armed Forces throughout the world. We see acts of 
uncommon valor and great sacrifice for a cause and a deep belief in 
something bigger that just one person.
  We honor all the American men and women who have given their lives 
for their country since our Nation's founding. Susan Collins just 
referred to that in her very fine speech. We honor the more than 
300,000 living veterans, from those folks to the ``greatest 
generation,'' and we honor the families of those who are here and are 
serving.
  Speaking of the ``greatest generation,'' I have the honor of being 
the chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, the memorial which 
pays tribute to Kansas's favorite son Ike's leadership both as Supreme 
Allied Commander, where he saved Western democracy, and the 34th 
President of the United States, where he gave us 8 years of peace and 
prosperity. This memorial will serve as a symbol for all generations of 
the promise of America and what our values make possible here and 
around the world.
  We were supposed to dedicate this memorial this month, but, like 
everything else, the pandemic put those plans on hold. When we dedicate 
the memorial in September, we hope to have many World War II veterans 
attending, including Kansas's other favorite son, Senator Bob Dole.
  While our debt to these heroes can never be repaid, I know that my 
fellow Kansans agree that these liberators and defenders of democracy 
deserve our utmost respect and gratitude.
  I am going to quote from General Eisenhower when he was President and 
following that. ``There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, 
love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens cannot 
cure.'' I hope those words by Ike at that particular time can ring true 
in this body and more especially, those of us who are privileged to 
serve in this body.
  There is another quote I will repeat from Winston Churchill, who 
said: ``Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.'' We have 
seen a lot of talk about the pandemic, and those winds have been a bit 
partisan, to say the least. I would hope that we would stop for a 
moment and honor Memorial Day in the true way we should do that.
  I would close by saying, in the words of Ronald Reagan:

       Freedom is never more than one generation away from 
     extinction. It is not ours by inheritance. It must be fought 
     for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes 
     only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then 
     lost it have never known it again.

  I think President Reagan gives us a great deal of insight
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.