WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of Memorial Day, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) delivered remarks on the Senate floor today honoring the men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives in defense of our American freedoms. He recognized and thanked all veterans and servicemembers for their patriotism and dedication to our country. Portman also discussed his support for the VA MISSION Act, which passed the Senate today, as well as his bipartisan legislation, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act, which would designate the Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, as the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. That bill passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week, and Portman urged the Senate to pass that legislation as quickly as possible.
Said Portman in his speech: “Across the country on Memorial Day, we will give humble thanks to those brave men and women in uniform who, during their lives, fought for the principles we hold dearest and who, in their deaths, sacrificed themselves in defense of those American ideals.”
A full transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here.
“Today, I want to talk, as other colleagues have, about the men and women of our armed forces. The brave men and women in uniform who protect us every day and some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. This coming Monday, of course, is Memorial Day, and this holiday weekend is a time for all of us to kick back a little bit, spend some time with our families, relax, be with friends. But let’s not forget what Memorial Day stands for. It’s, first and foremost, an opportunity to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives defending the freedoms we enjoy and sometimes take for granted as Americans.
“I’ll be spending part of the day at a Memorial Day parade that I try to attend every year and have for many years in Blue Ash, Ohio, which is north of Cincinnati. It is an event that I think is as patriotic as any I’ve seen in my state. A wonderful parade, very well-attended, lots of veterans in the parade, but also veterans who come to watch. It ends at a beautiful memorial for our veterans that was constructed over time in Blue Ash, paying tribute to patriots from every single conflict we have been involved with as a country since our founding.
“Across the country on Memorial Day, we will give humble thanks to those brave men and women in uniform who, during their lives, fought for the principles we hold dearest and who, in their deaths, sacrificed themselves in defense of those American ideals. Freedom is bought at a price. Sometimes a very high price. The price of lives, of limbs, of some of the veterans who gave the prime years of their lives for all of us—part of the cost is the scars of war. Some of those scars are very visible, of course. Others are more invisible. Those who are coming back with PTSD or traumatic brain injury, those scars can’t be seen, but they’re certainly felt.
“Servicemembers brave those risks because of their sense of duty and their sense of patriotism. I’m proud to be the son and the grandson of two Army Infantry Lieutenants, one a World War I veteran, one a World War II veteran. They instilled in me the virtue of service and the merits of servant leadership. They believed in these values and embodied them in their lives, as so many veterans do.
“This weekend, as we pay thanks to the many men and women who were laid to rest under the flag that they died defending, we should all take a moment to remember and thank all veterans as well, past and present, whose service also has made our way of life possible. The men and women of our United States military represent the best in all of us, and they deserve the best from all of us.
“Today the Senate will vote on what’s called the VA MISSION Act, which is a bipartisan bill that will reform the Veterans Choice Program. I’ve heard my colleagues speak about this legislation on the floor this morning and this afternoon, and I agree with them that this is a positive step forward. It will expand private care options, provide veterans in Ohio and around the country with more choices, and fewer barriers to ensure they have the best health care possible. The bill passed the House of Representatives last week and it got more than 370 votes. That’s unusual, that’s out of 435 so a strong majority. I look forward to it passing the Senate with a sweeping bipartisan vote as well so it can be signed into law as soon as possible and begin to help the veterans I represent in Ohio and around the country.
“We had another positive development for veterans last week when the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed a bipartisan bill I introduced with Senator Brown that would designate the spectacular new Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio that is scheduled to open later this year in the fall, as the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. It is a spectacular structure, and more importantly, it will have terrific exhibits on the inside to help allow future generations to know about the selfless sacrifices made by so many men and women of the armed forces. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus is one important way that we can commemorate not only brave Ohioans but all American veterans. I would love to get that bill through this body before Memorial Day as a way to pay tribute to our veterans.
“It is not something that we’re asking our taxpayers to support. This Veterans Memorial and Museum has been supported by $75 million raised in the private sector. There is a philanthropist in the Columbus area named Les Wexner, and the project funding has involved a number of businesses in the Greater Columbus area as well as individuals from around the country who stepped up and said ‘we need to have a National Veterans Museum and Columbus, Ohio, is the right place for it.’ I urge my colleagues to support this legislation as we try to hotline it here in the United States Senate and try to get it done even before Memorial Day.
“This Memorial Day, as we remember those who sacrificed their lives for our country, let us also remember why they offered to lay down their lives. Why? Because this nation under God is worth fighting for. We are eternally grateful for their sacrifice and for the service of all military members, those in the past, those in the present, and those who will step forward to protect us and serve our great country.”
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