[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 218 (Monday, December 21, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING AMERICA'S FALLEN SERVICEMEMBERS

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, as we approach the end of another year, I 
rise to remember all those American men and women who have given what 
President Lincoln called ``the last full measure of devotion'' in 
service to this great Nation.
  I often reflect on the Gettysburg Address when thinking about our 
servicemembers and veterans. We all know this short, somber speech has 
reverberated throughout our history with an influence that vastly 
exceeds the few minutes for which Lincoln actually spoke. In November 
1863, President Lincoln stood on the battlefield in Gettysburg to bless 
those brave soldiers who had fallen in what was the bloodiest battle in 
U.S. history up to that point. The ``last full measure of devotion'' 
remark has always resonated with me, as it does with so many Americans, 
but Lincoln had another message in his address. He said, ``It is for us 
the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which 
they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.''
  Even in moments of mourning, Lincoln charged those still standing to 
rededicate themselves to the hard work of preserving our Nation's 
integrity, protecting our fundamental freedoms, and building our 
families' security and prosperity. In a time of great division, this 
was no small task, and it today remains one of our urgent and most 
solemn tasks.
  The year after the Gettysburg Address, the women of Boalsburg, PA, 
began a tradition that would carry on for generations. They gathered 
together to decorate the gravestones of their loved ones who had gone 
to God. They wanted to reach beyond the pain to show their fathers, 
husbands, brothers, and sons that their memories endure in the hearts 
and minds of the living. Honoring the spirit and sacrifice of our 
military and veterans isn't just about isolated days of commemoration 
on Veterans Day and Memorial Day each year, it is about the work we do 
every day to be worthy of their valor, as my father used to say.
  As we discuss a potential U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, combat 
the resurgence of ISIS in the Middle East, exercise oversight over 
other U.S. military engagements overseas, and look to resolve 
increasingly complicated global crises, we must not forget those who 
have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, 
particularly in the most recent wars. The numbers are important: 7034 
Americans have lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
with an additional 7 killed in African Command operations since 2001. 
This includes 300 servicemembers from Pennsylvania--the fifth highest 
toll of any State. Over 53,000 have been wounded, including more than 
2,000 from Pennsylvania. Although this administration refuses to be 
transparent in its deployment tracking, press reports indicate that 
approximately 7,500 Americans are currently serving in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, with an additional 65,000 serving in the Persian Gulf and 
Saudi Arabia.
  This year, for the first time in nearly two decades, Pennsylvania did 
not lose any servicemembers abroad. While I am grateful Pennsylvania 
did not suffer losses this year, this milestone only serves as a 
reminder of the grim toll that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have 
taken on the Commonwealth and the Nation. As families of fallen 
servicemembers continue to mourn, we must reconsider the nature of our 
military commitments overseas and recommit to ensuring those who serve 
are taken care of.
  These fighting men and women were born into families, not into 
divisions and brigades. They are sons and daughters, husbands and 
wives, fathers and mothers. Their love for their families is matched 
only by their devotion to our country.
  But many more bear the scars of war. Some families have a loved one 
who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and returned home but was one of the 
53,250 wounded. And we must not overlook the unusually high percentage 
of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have died since returning home, 
whether from drug overdose or suicide. Thousands of American families 
continue to pay a terrible price for the courage and dedication of 
their family members who gave life and limb for this country.
  As we look to a new year and a new Congress, I am reminded of the 
moments when policymakers reached across the aisle, putting partisan 
differences aside to implement ideas that best served the American 
people. We can think about the establishment of the first system of 
State veterans homes after the Civil War, enactment of the GI bill 
after World War II, creation of the modern, Cabinet-level Department of 
Veterans Affairs under President Reagan, all required foresight and 
courage to see come to fruition. The year ahead provides an opportunity 
for further bipartisan cooperation in service of our veterans and our 
men and women in uniform.
  Each of us, those who have served and those who haven't, must be a 
part of the effort toward healing. We can meet today's challenges with 
the spirit of the women in Boalsburg so many years ago, to remember our 
past and keep working towards our future. We can continue our work here 
in Washington, in Pennsylvania, and across the Nation, to ensure we are 
worthy of the valor of the men and women we commemorate today. I call 
on my colleagues in the Senate to reflect every day on the sacrifice of 
those who came before us.
  As another year comes to a close, we remember and honor those who 
have laid down their lives for this great Nation. God bless them.

                          ____________________