Barrasso: Let Us Be Worthy of Our History, Our Heroes, and Our Heritage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today spoke about Memorial Day ceremonies he attended across Wyoming to honor fallen service members and their families.

Senator Barrasso also commemorated America's upcoming 250^th anniversary and the enduring importance of the Declaration of Independence.

Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso's remarks.

Sen. Barrasso's remarks as prepared:

"Last Monday was Memorial Day - a day we honor and remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.

"Some say Memorial Day is the saddest day of the year. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas is a combat veteran. He served as a member of the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Senator Cotton wrote about Memorial Day in his New York Times bestselling book Sacred Duty. He points out that Memorial Day is the most noble day of the year.

"Senator Cotton's powerful words were on my mind as I traveled across my home state of Wyoming this Memorial Day. I was in the cemetery in Douglas, Wyoming, for the flag raising ceremony at 7 a.m. I went to the Mount Hope Cemetery in Lander, Wyoming. And then, I joined the ceremonies in the cemetery in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. These are sacred places.

"At each cemetery, the people of Wyoming gathered in respect and in reverence. Like Americans across the country, we honored our fallen American warriors. There are tens of thousands of service members, veterans, and military families in Wyoming. They know what it means to serve and to sacrifice for the safety of the American people.

"This Memorial Day, I spoke about Staff Sergeant Tyler Pickett from Saratoga, Wyoming. I've spoken about Sergeant Pickett on this Floor earlier this year.

"In the year 2000, he enlisted in the United States Army - something he wanted to do his entire life. He became part of the legendary 10^th Mountain Division. He was deployed to Iraq. On June 8, 2008, a suicide bomber attacked his convoy in Kirkuk. The bomb was supplied by Iran. Sergeant Pickett was killed. He was only 28 years old. He was a brave and beloved son of Wyoming. It has been almost 18 years to the day since Sergeant Pickett gave his life for our country.

"Earlier this year, I spoke with his Gold Star Mother, Sheri Peterson. She said that, after 18 years, she finally feels some relief from the weight of her son's death. She said it was because Ayatollah Khamenei - the person responsible for supplying the weapon that killed her son - is finally dead.

"She said, 'When you speak to our President, Donald J. Trump, please thank him for me and my family.' She is a Gold Star mother. She knows we have a President who remembers our fallen service members not only with words, but also with courageous action.

"Stories like Sergeant Pickett's remind us of the cost of freedom. We owe a debt to our fallen heroes.

"We are about to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the founding of America. Exactly one month from today, July 2, is the anniversary of when the Continental Congress officially voted to declare independence. The Declaration of Independence was adopted two days later on July 4. On that day, our nation was born.

"America's central idea is the Declaration of Independence. It is the root of every American idea. This is a document that is instantly recognizable around the world. In many ways, it is a work of art. It is a masterpiece. It beautifully expresses what America stands for.

"We don't read it enough. We should. The central sentence is that we are 'endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Unalienable. That single word sums up the heart of the American experiment. It means that We the People are the source of the power and We the People loan that power to the government.

"Our Founding Fathers also believed deeply in a Creator. God is mentioned four separate times in the Declaration of Independence. You cannot explain the majesty of America without the Supreme Being.

"The Declaration of Independence is an inspiration to every generation of American. The Declaration of Independence belongs to us. All of us.

"When we think of the Declaration of Independence, we think of freedom and Liberty. We often use the words freedom and liberty interchangeably. Their meanings are different. Freedom is the ability to think, speak, and act the way we want. Liberty refers to the rights and privileges granted and protected by our laws.

"Let us be worthy of our history, our heroes, and our heritage. Let us live out the Spirit of 1776. Let us carry on that spirit to the next generation. As we prepare to celebrate America's 250^th birthday, I remain optimistic that America's best days are still ahead."

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