Marie Gordon,
770-661-0999
Isakson Commemorates Memorial Day on Senate Floor
“When
we go home tonight we’re at peace and comfort knowing we’re in a safe
nation … because of the men and women who have worn the uniform,
sacrificed and gave their lives so America could exist
today.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, delivered the following
remarks on the Senate floor in honor of Memorial Day:
“As
chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee of the United States Senate
and on the eve of Memorial Day, I think it's appropriate that we pause
for a moment. We debate as Democrats and Republicans
today on the floor of the Senate -- currency, trade, national security,
fast-track, the issues of the day -- in a contentious debate. We do so
freely. We do so without fear of retribution…
“When
we go home tonight we're at peace and comfort knowing we're in a safe
nation … because of the men and women who have worn the uniform,
sacrificed and gave their lives so America could exist
today. I think it's only appropriate that each of us on the Senate
floor take a moment to pause and give a prayer for our soldiers who have
risked their lives and gave their lives for our country.
“For
me as chairman of the [Senate Veterans’ Affairs] Committee, I make an
effort to go to the American cemeteries all over the world to make sure
we're still taking care of them and honoring those
who sacrificed in the way they should be honored. I want to share with
the Senate a brief story to point out how important Memorial Day really
is.
“On
Memorial Day in May of 2007, I went with Senator Burr and other members
of the Senate to the American cemetery in Margraten in the Netherlands,
where over 8,000 Americans are buried who fought
in the Battle of the Bulge to root the Nazis out of Germany and
liberate the Jews from the concentration camps. They were successful,
but they died. I walked down the rows of crosses and stars of David
looking at each name, ostensibly looking for Georgians
to say a brief prayer for them. But I came to the end of row H toward
the back of the cemetery, [to the] last cross in that cemetery, and it
said the following: Roy C. Irwin, New Jersey, died December 28, 1944. A
tear welled up in my eye because that's the
day I was born…
“Seventy
years later, I've existed as a free person in a free society, elected
to the United States Senate, served in the military myself, raised a
family, have nine grandchildren… because of Roy
C. Irwin, who on the day I was born died in the battlefields of the
Battle of the Bulge in the Netherlands fighting for democracy, freedom
and the liberation of Europe and saving the Jewish people.
“No matter what we debate and how
contentious it gets, we must remember what Memorial Day is all about.
It's about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for you and I to
engage in this debate
and to move our country forward.
“One
other point: We should say a special prayer for the parents of young
Americans who fought and died in Iraq and Afghanistan and the current
wars today. We had a tragedy with the fall of Fallujah,
we had a tragedy with the fall of Ramadi [and] we need those parents to
know their sons and daughters did not die in vain. They died for a
cause that ultimately will prevail because we as senators will see to it
that America does what America always does:
…liberate the oppressed of the world and only ask for one thing when we
leave, a couple acres to bury our dead who sacrificed for democracy,
freedom and liberty.
“So on this Memorial Day, as chairman
of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I say thank God for the American
soldiers who fought and died for our country and thank God for the
United States of America.”
###