05/26/2026
Today, I had the honor and privilege of rising to give remarks on the House floor in recognition of Memorial Day, a day of gratitude for all service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.
A little-known fact about Memorial Day is the deep involvement of the Black community at its inception. On May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, less than a month after the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, a crowd of recently freed Black men and women gathered to honor fallen Union soldiers who fought to help end slavery.
They provided proper burials for the 257 Union soldiers who had been buried in mass graves at a nearby Confederate prison, decorating their final resting places with flowers.
Today and every day, I honor them and all of the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our nation’s ideals, including my father and brother, who served during the Second World War and the Vietnam War, respectively.
Without their sacrifice, we could not enjoy the freedoms we have today.
In the words of Korean War veteran Howard William Osterkamp, “All gave some and some gave all,” and our nation owes them a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid.
On this Memorial Day, let us reflect on and remember the sacrifice of our fallen heroes, the brave men and women who for no selfish reason answered the call of duty.
