[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 16, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E252-E253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF LIBERTY DAY 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 2021

  Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Liberty Day, a 
celebration of our rights and liberties as Americans which are rooted 
in the cherished documents that gave birth to our nation, the 
Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights of the United States 
Constitution. Today, March 16th, marks the 270th birthday of the Father 
of our Constitution, James Madison, making this year's Liberty Day 
particularly noteworthy.
  In 2000, Congress passed a resolution that Liberty Day should be 
celebrated each year as a remembrance of both the freedom that 
Americans were given in the Declaration of Independence and the 
extraordinary rights and liberties that Americans were given in their 
Constitution. The American experiment is unique in history, creating a 
republic of people united by a set of values, not by blood or land. 
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness bind Americans together, 
not our race or ethnicity.
  In addition to serving as the Fourth President of the United States, 
James Madison was crucial to the formation of our country. President 
Madison authored the Virginia Plan, the model and basis for the United 
States Constitution. Later, during the 1st Congress of the United 
States, President Madison introduced the Bill of Rights, whereupon the 
first ten amendments of the Constitution were adopted. His other 
contributions, such as authoring many of the Federalist Papers, also 
deserve our recognition. Due to his essential role in the creation of 
our nation, Congress designated March 16th, Madison's birthday, as 
Liberty Day.
  In celebration of Liberty Day, I would encourage all Americans to 
read, learn, and discuss the Constitution with their friends and

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family. After doing so consider contacting your Representative, 
Senators, and President to share your views. All elected officials, 
whether they serve at the federal, state, or local level, should look 
to the Constitution as they go about their duty of governing this great 
nation.
  The revered documents that gave birth to our nation always deserve 
our celebration, but the 270th birthday of James Madison makes today 
especially significant. To mark this historic occasion, I encourage 
Americans to take today to learn about our nation's history and its 
founding documents. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with 
me to celebrate Liberty Day.

                          ____________________