On the recordJuly 1, 2020
160 years ago, Abraham Lincoln reminded us that ``at all times . . . all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in the bonds of fraternal feeling.'' That bond--our commitment to coming together to move our country forward, our embrace of the challenges our country faces because we know we will come out of these moments strong--has made the United States exceptional. As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I want to take a moment to recognize what makes America who she is today and the values that have allowed us to carry on the Great American Experiment for 244 years. The United States--the shining city on a hill, the land of opportunity, the land of the free and the home of the brave, the red, white, and blue--our country is exceptional precisely because we have never settled for anything less. It was that very reason it was Americans who first discovered electricity, built the airplane, put a man on the Moon, developed chemotherapy, and that other countries look to us for leadership during troubled times. It is why we prevailed in two world wars, defeated the axis of evil, and have since maintained the greatest Armed Forces in the world. It is why the ideal of the American dream exists.…
Source
govinfo.gov




