Gwen Graham: “I rise to recognize the significance of Veterans Day and to honor the Americans it celebrates. On Veterans Day we pay…”

“I rise to recognize the significance of Veterans Day and to honor the Americans it celebrates. On Veterans Day we pay tribute to the men and women who have fought for our freedom and those who continue to do so right now--they are far from their homes and families, striving to keep us safe from terrorism. These service-members exemplify what it means to be an American-- courage, selflessness, and a deep love of and commitment to his or her fellow countrymen. First proclaimed by President Wilson in 1919, Veterans Day was initially known as Armistice Day and was intended to commemorate the armistice between the Allies and Central Powers that ended the fighting of World War I. In 1953, a Kansas citizen named Alvin King lobbied to change the holiday's name to honor all veterans, not just those from World War I. On June 1, 1954, President Eisenhower signed into law an act proclaiming November 11 to be Veterans Day. Yesterday, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of that celebration. There are currently 25 million American veterans. Every day more and more service-members return home from Iraq and Afghanistan becoming new members of that elite group of citizens. These heroic Americans freely offer their lives to protect those they leave behind, and those they've never even met. For this sacrifice, we owe them our continued support and care.”