[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Santos) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those who have made 
the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of freedom.
  While the circumstances that brought our heroes to combat vary, their 
sacrifice is the same. They died protecting their fellow soldiers in 
the foxhole, the skies, and the seas. We can never fully grasp the 
unique story of each of our fallen, but let us never forget the 
patriotic lesson that our Nation's bravest remind us.
  Among them, we do not pursue freedom in support of the United States, 
we pursue the United States in support of freedom.
  On this Memorial Day as the Nation collectively pauses to remember 
those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, let us also contemplate 
what their sacrifice teaches us. The United States and its Constitution 
are more than a mutually beneficial agreement between the States. The 
final cause of our union is the universal principle of freedom.
  Many of our heroes lost their lives protecting the freedom of their 
friends, family, and neighbors. Others died in defense of freedom 
belonging to those they had never met. The sacrifice of our fallen 
servicemen and -women, including thousands from the Third District of 
New York, reminds us of this.

  Today and every day, Mr. Speaker, let us honor the lives of our 
fallen military personnel and let their lessons guide our every 
decision as we move toward a free world. Let that be what we talk about 
on this Memorial Day.

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