[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H3673-H3674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            REMEMBERING OUR SERVICEMEMBERS THIS MEMORIAL DAY

  (Mr. Crank of Colorado was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, this Memorial Day, I rise to remember and 
honor our brave servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate 
sacrifice answering the call to defend our great Nation.
  Whether it is the men and women who helped us gain our independence 
from the British throne in the Revolutionary War or the men and women 
who fought bravely against Japanese imperialism, we owe all of these 
men and women a debt of gratitude.
  I hope that we in this Chamber rise to the occasion and that we 
continue this tradition of this country recognizing and honoring the 
memory of those who gave their lives so that we could have this liberty 
and freedom that God entrusted to us in this Nation.
  Just this year, we lost a young soul who was stationed in my 
district, a

[[Page H3674]]

gentleman from Kentucky, Staff Sergeant Benjamin Pennington. He gave 
his life in service to our country.
  Ben courageously answered the call to protect us from those who 
sought to do us harm, and his sacrifice is a grave and sobering 
reminder of the dangers that our men and women in uniform face across 
the globe each and every day.
  Just like our police officers and our first responders, they walk out 
the door to deploy, sometimes a very long deployment, sometimes 9 
months, 11 months, and they don't know if that is the last time they 
will see their spouse or their daughter or their son. We must remember 
this sacrifice.
  Servicemembers like Benjamin remind us that Memorial Day is not only 
a day to mourn our fallen but a deeply personal day for our military 
families and for our loved ones who bear the everlasting burden. It is 
not about barbecues. It is about remembering those who gave their 
lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in thanking and honoring those who 
have served our great Nation.

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