María Elvira Salazar: “this Monday is Memorial Day. It is a day that is important to countless families across this nation, including my own.…”

“this Monday is Memorial Day. It is a day that is important to countless families across this nation, including my own. It is a time of remembrance for those heroes who have fallen serving our country and thanking those who were blessed to return home to their families and loved ones. That we as a Nation take the time to thank our veterans is important. It is a simple, gracious act that we all too often fail to do. Our cities and towns, across Colorado and this Nation, have given up their young men and women without protest, men and women humbly accepting a calling greater than themselves. In many ways, this is what makes our nation so great. We are a nation of individuals that can put ourselves aside for the common good. We can come together and deliberate and differ, as we do here in the Senate. But we are appreciative of the gift of freedom we all share, and the price that our veterans and fallen heroes have paid on our behalf for our freedom. Earlier this week, I was fortunate to work with a pair of bona fide war heroes as we sought to preserve 200 years of Senate tradition. In my 5 short months here, I have come to admire Senator John McCain and Senator Daniel Inouye, two men I am honored to call my friends. They served bravely and with distinction, and have set an example for all of us to follow each day. I thank them for their sacrifice, their leadership and their continuing commitment to this Nation.…”